Mazda MPV...Continued

It is the only all-wheel-drive van with hinged doors. It has them on both sides and they swing open almost 90 degrees. In fact it works more like a square station wagon than like a minivan. In the two-wheel-drive versions, it is most similar to the Honda Odessy in size, ride, and comfort features. Now sport utility vehicles are taking over the minivan market, yet there are many applications where more room is needed, and the MPV offers more versatility than the compact sport utes.

All-Sports offer many advantages over the traditional wagon or sport ute -- they are smaller externally for the same carrying capacity when compared with wagons, and have much larger interior space for little extra length. They are easy to enter and load heavy objects, and they are more economical to operate.

The Mazda marketers have taken a hint from Subaru and positioned the MPV as the first sport utility minivan, a claim they share with Pontiac. In Pontiac's case the claim is more based on image since their Montana doesn't have all-wheel-drive. Mazda is attempting to get credibility by utilizing the 'All Sport' name, but without the advertising budget and corporate determination of Pontiac and Subaru I don't give them as much hope. That's a shame, since the vehicle definitely deserves a chance, but has become lost in corporate machinations.

Ford now owns and runs Mazda and has influenced the demise of poor selling products. With two good selling vans in the Ford corporate lineup (Windstar and Villager), the MPV is vulnerable. Ford doesn't have all-wheel-drive on either of them, and cancelled their rear-drive/all-wheel-drive Aerostar last year. With the demise of Toyota's Previa, the only rear-drive vans on the market for the trailer towing set are GM's Astro/Safari twins, and the MPV is decidedly the most refined of the survivors.

MPV All-Sport has a good all-wheel-drive system which includes a center-locking differential , a feature more frequently found in sport utes. The raised running gear provides more clearance and more respectable tires are available. There is a price to pay in garage height and step-in convenience on this configuration. The better ground clearance means more height at the door sills to hinder entry and loading, but still far less than the sport utes. This is going to be just about the only version sold here, and the smaller V6 has been dropped. The engine is only three liters and is the weakest of the crop of competitors. Be careful about approaching its claimed 4500-lb. tow rating, although the four-wheel ABS discs are excellent for stopping.

One overlooked advantage of all-wheel-drive is the extra safety and capability in everyday driving. The advantage of all-wheel-drive is that the vehicle remains balanced when it is slippery, and all have ABS to take care of the stopping.

Mazda needs to make the styling and equipment more tough looking . . . even a little bit mean to change their image. They have the basic platform to carry the claim off, but need to work on it a little harder, not just the wimpy efforts they have so far. Tom Matano, who fathered the Miata, headed up the design effort, and added the eyebrow bulges over the fender wells, the more aggressive grille and bumper, and a more substantial roof rack. Unfortunately, they are changes that are largely invisible unless you are already familiar with the MPV. This is one of the problems of having an excellent car stylist try his hand on a truck.

Now it appears that Ford and Mazda will use the MPV chassis as the basis for a new front-drive, low-cost sport ute. This is an indication of the solid nature of this platform, but still means that the MPV is likely to have a short life. Those of you who want a compact trailer towing vehicle with lots of versatility better move quickly.