1998 Mazda MPV All-Sport
One of the Few Remaining
Rear/All-Wheel Drive Minivans

Mazda Is Trying To Overcome Price And Size Drawbacks
By Emphasizing Toughness And AWD. MPV Was First
With Car-Like Features, But Other Vans Have Caught Up.

By Bob Storck
Photo By Brian Leshon

Vehicle Type: Minivan

Price: $23,095 to $31,000

Engine: 3.0- liter , 155- horsepower single overhead cam V6 Front Engine/ Rear or All-Wheel Drive

Transmission: 4-speed automatic transmission

Safety Features: Driver and passenger side airbags; ABS anti-lock brakes

Fuel Economy: 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway (2wd)

Rancho Mirage, California -- Just look at the roads around you. While the minivans had all but replaced the station wagons in the 80s, sport utilities have displaced the minivans in the 90s. We drove the MPV All-Sport over road conditions from glitzy resort shopping malls to unimproved paths through a wild animal park. Even if today's buyer doesn't travel this variety of roads, they like to be prepared for the eventuality.

When Mazda created their minivan, they modeled it more on cars than on trucks, using most of the underpinnings from their 929 sedan. This was another vehicle ahead of its time, since it had most of the features of a luxury car, only being held back by its association with a value brand name. Mazda didn't have the finances to launch an upscale division, but the 929 was fully the equal of luxury cars such as Acura Legend, Lexus ES300 and Infiniti I30. Ironically, this is the direction that many sport utilities are taking -- emphasizing smoothness, comfort and style by starting with sedan rather than pickup design features.

This scheme has resulted in good suspension and ride, and is one of the best handling minivans. The three-valve single overhead cam V6 is an excellent engine for its size, delivering smooth power, but MPV is the smallest of the AWD vans. In fact, there is little room for more than six good-sized people and not much storage behind the rear seat. With only one body length, its advantages over a larger sport ute are lessened. At the same time, it has received a host of awards -- mainly for its handling.