2004 Mazda MPV New Car Buyer's Guide

What's New for the 2004 Mazda MPV?
The 2004 Mazda MPV is slightly restyled to keep it fresh. Included in the update are new headlights, hood, front fenders, grille, side marker lights, front and rear bumpers, side skirts and alloy wheel designs. Inside, new seat upholstery and trim fabric, adjustable lumbar support on the driver’s seat, a sporty three-spoke steering wheel, chrome-plated gauge trim rings, driver and passenger-side sun visor extensions, a standard in-dash six-disc CD changer (ES models) and front-door storage pockets with bottle holders spruce up the environment. Rear air conditioning is now standard on the Mazda MPV LX, and a spring-assist has been added to the innovative third-row seat for easier operation. All-weather floor mats are also available. Finally, all Mazda MPVs may be equipped with Sirius satellite radio and seven new colors debut.

Advantages of the 2004 Mazda MPV:

• Trim exterior dimensions a perfect fit for urban environments
• Lively handling characteristics
• Third-row seat folds into the floor
• Second-row seats can be moved together or separated into captain’s chairs
• Windows for second-row seats can be rolled down into the doors
• Good crash test scores
• Available giant sunroof
• Powerful V6 engine

Objections to the 2004 Mazda MPV:

• Smaller interior than competitors
• No stability control option
• No side curtain airbags option

Editor's Advice:
Minivans are supposed to be functional and useful but as dull as dirt, right? Not the 2004 Mazda MPV. A powerful engine, sporty suspension, petite exterior dimensions and responsive steering make for a minivan that’s actually fun to drive. The Mazda MPV has a 3.0-liter V6 that makes 200 horsepower, transferring power to the front wheels through a five-speed automatic transmission. Able to accelerate and merge with confidence, the Mazda MPV is nimble and quick despite the fact that it lacks the engine-room brawn of the larger and heavier Honda Odyssey, Nissan Quest and Toyota Sienna. The 2004 Mazda MPV LX is equipped with the basic features that families want, including a third-row seat that folds into the floor. Uplevel Mazda MPV ES models can be equipped with goodies like leather upholstery, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system with video game hookups, power sliding doors, and a giant sunroof. Our gripes with this excellent family transporter are few. We wish it were larger inside (though we like the tidy exterior dimensions) and key safety equipment like stability control and side curtain airbags are not available. But few minivans are actually fun to drive so if that’s important, make sure that the 2004 Mazda MPV is on your shopping list.