Driving the Mazda5 invariably brings lots of questions, with the most common being, “What is that?”
 My answer is usually “It’s a mini minivan,”

A minivan is perfect for big families that need a lot of interior space, three rows of seating, sliding rear doors and low ride height.

Yet as great as a minivan is, it can be overkill for families with just one or two kids. That’s where the 2012 Mazda 5 comes in.

Redesigned for 2012, the Mazda5 pretty much is in this not-quite-a-minivan niche all by itself.

Some highlights of the redesign include a little more power, more comfortable seating and new styling.

Even after the nice redesign, the main purpose of the 5 remains: A mini-minivan for those with modest family transportation needs.

With two seats in each of its three rows, it only seats six compared to the seven- or eight-passenger seating of a big minivan.

The best part of the 5’s similarities to a minivan are the sliding doors. Anyone with kids (like me) will tell you sliding doors make getting kids in and out of a car or car seat 100 percent easier.

One thing I think will convince those who don’t need the size of a large minivan to pick the 5 instead, is the awesome drive the Mazda5 offers.

Like the Mazda3, this vehicle takes corners with control and poise. It drives much more like a car than a minivan. A nice car.

Acceleration isn’t quite as impressive as the handling. Every 2012 Mazda5 is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder that produces 157 horsepower and 163 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Touring model I test drove got about 24 mpg with a mix of city and highway miles.

All Mazda5s come with plenty of safety features. Standard features include stability and traction control, four-wheel antilock disc brakes with brake assist, front side airbags and side curtain airbags.

It’s pretty much impossible to get a minivan for under $24,000 (that’s the starting price for a Kia Sedona). So it’s especially nice you can get a Mazda5 starting at $19,500 and the Grand Touring model for under $25,000 that comes with nice things like moonroofs, Bluetooth, heated front seats and leather trimmed seats.