Mazda5 – This is my co-favorite used car on the list because I own a 2008 Touring edition with a five-speed manual transmission. For those of you not familiar with the Mazda5, well it’s made by Mazda, and it is a mini-minivan. It seats six and is ideal for a family of four. It has a lot of space when the third row is folded for things like strollers and groceries. I have a family of four that still needs a stroller and, of course, we hit the supermarket frequently. It also averages about 23-25 mpg and it’s easy to park.
The Mazda5 was first introduced as a 2006 model. Consumer Reports doesn’t look favorably upon that model in terms of the suspension, which it rates poor. The 2007 is rated fairly favorably, except for the suspension. Other areas, though, were vastly improved for the 2007 model year. Edmunds.com says you can expect to pay about $14,700 for a base 2007 model.