My unreliable 2002 MPV
Nigel, 01/10/2009
ES 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
My experience started with trading in my 2000 MPV, which had been reliable but underpowered, for the 2002. The tires went bald at 55k km (about 30k miles) and I had to pay lots for Turenza's with a 150k tread warranty. After the warranty expired lots of problems - front axle stabilizers both went during a road trip, hand brake cable ($250 to fix!), rear shocks, tranny cooler, 4 sets of front rotors, and finally the transmission linkage while it was getting serviced at the dealership!! Mileage was always poor for the 3L engine and tranny frequently banged while shifting from 2nd to 3rd. Reflashing the computer didn't help. Happy ending though - I got $3k trade in last week for a Matrix!
converted mom
UnJung, 09/29/2002
ES 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
Wasn't going to consider a mini-van but after driving in a carpool last year, I needed a car w/more seating capacity. I loved my Sable wagon but didn't want to bend and move my stuff from the back. My husband wanted the GMC Envoy and so did I until I saw the MPV. My first impression was that it didn't look like an "ugly bubbly" mini-van. After the test drive, I was sold. It handled like my car and I liked the fact that my 2 kids would be in separate rows. Less fighting! Picking up 5 little kids for school, this works perfectly. I've had it a week and I'm enjoying driving a van.......I've joined the "band of motherhood!"
One of best cars I've ever driven
mazda_guy, 03/21/2002
ES 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
I bought this car a month ago. This is one of the best cars I ever had. Very quiet even at high speeds. At 80 MPH engine rev at only 2300 RPM. Plenty of power with 200 HP. Great acceleration.
2002 MPV ES Rating
Excalibur1993, 05/21/2002
ES 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
Took out for one hour test drive and look over before buying. Went back with my head between my legs. I couldn't find anything wrong with it at all. Everything was there. No scratches. Ran great. And Zoom, Zoom, Zoom. Sure is fun to drive.
Warning...This van sucks!
Cancer Patient, 01/03/2003
LX 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is the 1st vehicle I had to get rid of within a 2 yr. period. The heating system sucks - no even distribution, the gear is in the way of my radio & A/C, Very hard to remove any stains from carpet, Front cup holders are not secure - soda tips over all the time, CD plays when it wants to, loud engine when idling, no pick up, sulfur smell and the serv. dept. can't figure out the problem, 1 "old" mazda protege loaner vehicle in the entire dealership only for repairs beyond 48hrs. If you want some real service..purchase from Honda, Toyota, or Lexus where the service is A-1
The Best Choice
Zoom -Zoom in NJ, 01/10/2003
LX 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is our first minivan...and we are completely satisfied. Honda wasn't willing to negotiate an inch- and Sienna was too big with DULL exterior styling. We have an infant and a toddler so we weren't ready for the huge mom-mobiles! We got an excellent dealer incentive- and great treatment. Drives and handles like a car. My son loves his "new big car"! We take turns driving. By far this was the best choice. GFX, Luxury, Entertainment, Security packages.
never again
mitcam, 01/17/2003
LX 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I think this van is pretty to look at but not much else given teh $$ you pay to own it there aren't a lot of fun features and if you think about cutting costs by not having the higher end AC/Heat package because it is a small van think again, it takes forever to cool down or warm up this van. The vents under the front seat are not large enough or powerful enough to control the temp. It is very small, can be very cramped in the front with average size adults in both seats. Overall good handling but definitly sacrifice space and comfort in this van.
MPV LX
mfenrn, 12/06/2006
LX 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I traded my Camry in to buy "a van" because of my ailing father who required an electric wheel chair. It was a purely practical decision based on needs and good reviews. Little did I know how much use I was about to get from it with the upcoming hurricane season! It hauled all the plywood and related supplies needed with ease. It also accommodated the 7 foot collapsible ramps and Jet Three wheel chair for Dad, still allowing room for luggage and extra passengers. I fell in love with this car/van. It drives and rides like a car, looks nicer than any other van (my opinion), handles beautifully! My only complaint rests with the transmission, which sometimes "revs" when you accelerate.
Good MPV
Chop100, 04/08/2002
LX 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
We sold a 96 Jeep Grand Cherokee to buy the 2001 Mazda we bought. So far it's a great vehicle. By far the easiest vehicle to drive I've ever owned. great visibility, handling and roads manners. The off the line performance is not great, but generally lack of power is not that noticeable.
Zoom-Zoom -- Believe It!
Pilot, 04/13/2002
ES 4dr Minivan (3.0L 6cyl 5A)
0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Believe it or not, we were deciding between some very different vehicles when we fell for the 2002 MPV, including the Toyota Sienna, Ford Expedition, and the Toyota Sequoia. The MPV won out purely due to a MUCH more bang for your buck reason. Believe the commercials -- Mazda has a great minivan in the 2002 MPV. The drive is very smooth (probably a lot due to the 17-inch wheels), the horsepower is finally there (zoom zoom), the high-end features are definitely there, and although it's a bit early in the running to tell it appears to be built very well.