2012 Mazda 5 Manual Review - The LAST Manual Transmission Minivan!

My thoughts on the 2012 Mazda 5 with the 2.5L inline 4 and 6 speed manual transmission!
Merch & Blog: www.ZackPradel.com
Special Thanks To Ruby!
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Instagram: @Shooting_Cars
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Intro/outro music by: www.fiverr.com/matiasfuma
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DISCLAIMER!
The thoughts, feelings, and opinions expressed in this video are the sole thoughts of Zack and no one else. The purpose of this video is to provide entertainment with the hope that you will take what you see and formulate your own opinions. I highly recommend consuming other reviews of this vehicle before making any form of financial decision.
#Mazda5 #SaveTheManuals
Timecodes:
0:00 - Intro
1:00 - Engine / Transmission
2:07 - Interior
4:52 - BFB Test
5:10 - Front Seats
5:41 - Back Seats
6:56 - Trunk / Cargo Space
7:25 - Exterior
7:44 - Final Thoughts
9:13 - Outro

[@rubymalia9345]

There she is! That's my Macy

[@esra9426]

Ruby whip

[@rubymalia9345]

@@esra9426 true!!

[@nariman5524]

one of the coolest mom cars of all time lmao

[@rubymalia9345]

@@nariman5524 yes omg

[@jaydlytning]

Mine was Yuki, she was something special indeed!

[@bluetsunami4005]

I bought a Mazda 5 2012 recently. I was very impressed with the 6-speed transmission in the acceleration of it. Even more impressive was the handling and the ride, which is good as any Lexus that I've been in. It's a little gem of a minivan that's for sure

[@susannbasta2972]

I am looking for one now, any tips on finding one? State doesn't matter, but I am in NM. Thx.

[@ryanstevens6010]

I have a 2012 Sport with the 6MT that I've been driving since new and I absolutely love it. I bought the dealer's loss-leader just after the 2013s came out and got a 20% discount off of list price. Others may have been brought into the dealership by the low price but then upsold on fancier models when they found out that it had the manual, no leather, no sunroof, no Bluetooth, etc. I tried to hide my enthusiasm, but it's exactly what I wanted. Leather is hot in the summer and cold in the winter, the 16" wheels and tires are cheaper and more comfortable than the 17"s on the other two models, I don't like sunroofs (too much weight up high, more places to leak, I don't like the sun in my eyes, more things to break). I would have liked to have the USB input that the '13 and later models offered, but for 20% off I wasn't going to spend the extra money. I have a nice little Bluetooth adapter that I run through the aux input and it works fine. At one point I had a factory-looking Rostra Bluetooth kit installed but found that it only drove the front speakers and only through it's own amplifier so I tossed it aside. I don't like to talk on the phone whilst driving so losing that feature wasn't a big deal; if I want to talk I now have AirPod Pro's so I'm good. I did try to add the factory Bluetooth setup using OEM parts pulled from a junkyard, but much to my chagrin the connectors that I needed in the wiring harness weren't present. I had assumed that they would be there as a cost-saving measure but was sadly disappointed (I once had a base model Ford Windstar (don't judge me - it was free) that had a defroster grid on the rear window but no rear defroster - you only got the switch if you bought air conditioning. Making only one rear window saved money, and I assumed that in a similar vein, all Mazda5's would use the same wiring harness). I have added a number of parts from other Mazda5s - leather steering wheel with extra buttons (for Bluetooth and trip computer, another function I failed to get working on mine), dome light with sunroof controls (no sunroof, but now I have extra OEM buttons for whatever I want), different center console with heated seat switches should I decide to add seat heaters, leather parking brake handle, lots of OEM switches filling out those blanks (one is for a custom iPod/iPhone controller that I built myself), fancy rear-view mirror with compass and HomeLink, 6-disc CD changer (same 6 discs have been in it for at least half a decade now). I do have a USB port/aux jack that I haven't installed yet, but even if it doesn't work like the factory unit I can still use it for power. Probably one of my favorite additions is the RX8 shift knob. I wanted one for years but they sell for $200-$500, more than I could justify. One day I found two (!) of them at the Goodwill Outlet for $1.59/lb and snagged them. They're not in perfect condition, but then again, neither is the rest of my car. The shift pattern doesn't match my car, with reverse indicated as down and to the right, so I warn anyone that drives it (and I don't let many people drive my car, especially after a co-worker did a 5th to 1st downshift in my BMW 525i) I haven't used the third row since late 2012, but it's nice to know that it's there should I need it. Usually it's just me in the car so 157hp is sufficient despite what reviewers and others say. The 0-60 time of 8.3 seconds is only 0.1 seconds slower that the fastest time recorded for a Ferrari Monidale 8, with most reviewers of the Ferrari getting times in the 9 second range. I think of this car as a longer, taller Mazda3 and enjoy tossing it around, something you wouldn't ordinarily do in a minivan. With 4-wheel disc brakes and 4-wheel independent suspension (multi-link in the rear) it's more fun than a car like this has any right to be. Despite the low cost I don't feel like I've taken a downturn from the VWs, Porsches, BMWs and Mercedes that I used to drive. I tried a fancy stereo with the big LCD screen but actually preferred the OEM unit so I put it back. The front speakers are from Polk, and I have a subwoofer in the back. I did put a little switchbox in the spare tire well that lets me substitute different rear speakers, kind of a necessity since the stockers are incredibly cheap and buried in the cargo compartment; the Windscar had better rear speaker placement, located in the middle of the vehicle, and that's the last (and only) nice thing I shall say about that turd. I do have a big Garmin GPS in the car, mostly so I could use a wireless backup camera. There's also a cheap gauge module above the rear view mirror for things like coolant temp and battery voltage. It's funny how I encountered the Mazda5. A friend and I were at a car show and were getting tired and wanted to sit down. I suggested that we stop at the next booth that had a minivan and feign interest in the vehicle in order to sit down and relax. Well, the next booth happened to be Mazda, and they were just introducing the 2012 Mazda Mazda5 (weird name, but that's actually what it's called). I was asking impossible questions, like if a manual transmission was available, and much to my surprise they kept saying yes to my queries. When I moved across the country a few months later I knew what car I had to buy. I was also considering a brown, manual, diesel VW station wagon, the Jalopnik special, but the dealers weren't dealing. In retrospect I'm glad I didn't buy yet another German car, especially a diesel. Now, for the first time in my driving career, which spans multiple decades, I actually have experienced this thing called 'reliability' that I'd heard about but never experienced first-hand. I did have the motor mounts replaced under warranty but that's been it for unscheduled repairs in nearly 10 years of ownership. I love the color, too - Copper Red Mica, only available on this bodystyle during the 2012 model year. I tried calling her Scarlet, but that seemed like too sexy a name for a minivan so she's known as Claire, short for claret. I will be keeping this car forever. It has everything I've always wanted in one vehicle (fun to drive, economical, reliable, practical, small, sliding doors, boxy) and is as close to motoring perfection as I've found. I may buy other cars but none of them will be replacements for this one. Even if I win the lottery I'll still keep this car - I like it that much.

[@thirdpedalnirvana]

The MZR 2.5 is a masterpiece, such a smooth, peppy engine. 157 hp is underrated, I always feel like these have closer to 180 whenever I drive them.

[@ryanstevens6010]

I feel the same way. My BMW 525i 5MT, which also has a 2.5 liter engine (albeit with 6 cylinders) has more horsepower at 168 (and an estimated 183 with the Dinan chip I installed) yet feels considerably slower than the Mazda5. What am I saying - it IS slower, even though it weighs about the same. Not every practical car needs to accelerate like a Porsche, and I find the power in the Mazda5 to be quite sufficient for my needs. Now if I was hauling a lot of gear or if I filled most of the seats I might feel different, but for solo driving it's just fine and is far from being a safety hazard on the road. Most people don't use the power that they have available, especially those in BMW M cars or AMG Mercedes, two cars that frequently clog up the on ramps, often failing to even be at freeway speed as they attempt to merge in.

[@thirdpedalnirvana]

“two manual mazdas with wii’s in the glovebox” is a sentence I bet nobody expected to hear today

[@Sparky-ww5re]

Makes for an effective modern day anti-theft device. SAVE THE MANUALS.

[@keithdosik]

The last manual minivan! Joining the legendary ranks of the Toyota Previa and original Chrysler caravan

[@msmoniz]

We owned a 2010 Mazda 5 bought new until 2020. It was a great family hauler for us, and only reason we got rid of it was after our third child came along and with my mother in law spending more time with us, we out grew it and moved up to a larger minivan a Sienna. If it weren't running out of space on road trips or up to my inlaws lake house, we would've still been driving it today!

[@reallyrandomrides1296]

I love this van and this video! First, I love minivans. Second, I love manual transmissions. Put the two together and it's a winning combination in my books. And cool that's all in a Mazda.

[@Sparky-ww5re]

Manual transmission minivans always fascinated me since I was in like 1st grade, when I rode in my neighbors 1992 ford aerostar to school when my mother's car was in for repairs, they had the aerostar until at least 2004 when Mom remarried and moved out of the apartment to the farm. That was the only manual minivan I've seen in person and the last one I've seen.

[@daniel.909]

The stickers fit the car well, idk what it is but the lesbian+animal crossing stickers just feel so right

[@rubymalia9345]

What can I say, I'm a lesbian that likes animal crossing c:

[@thejaredev]

Why doesn't anyone mention that this is more Mini than a usual Minivan. The Mazda5 isn't the same size as usual Minivans

[@ryanstevens6010]

The size is almost the same as a 1st generation Chrysler minivan. I call mine, which also with the 6MT, a mini-minivan or a slightly longer, slightly taller Mazda3.

[@cafn8ed74]

Cool. I was looking for a manual one of those several months ago and they all seemed to dry up. I ended up buying a manual Mazda 2 (when I drove it I had to have it.) Fun fact: the 2 has a dash mounted shifter too.

[@christopherjohnston6343]

I really enjoyed my Mazda2. Had pretty much as much fun throwing it around corners as I did my MX5 and Integra.

[@hammychan1]

Love the interior

[@fuzzmaster4157]

Finding parts is now a pain in the ass. Absolutely love this car. Wish they still made them.....I also wish they made something to fill in that pit in the center console

[@04dram04]

Nice. Im glad you got the manual to review.

[@bluetsunami4005]

Also one of the coolest things about this little rocket is the sliding doors! I'm single and don't have a family, but I fish a lot. And it's a lot easier to put your tackle once the sliding door is open and locked into place. It's easier to put groceries in the side door also. This is a very well thought out vehicle

[@jefferysmith3930]

Great review. My wife and I looked at one of these when they first came out. In the end We couldn’t justify the expense of a new car and there were no manuals around at the time. Loved how the auto we tried out drove though and thought it was a cool looking little rig.

[@inzaintp]

I own a mazda 5 manual, leather seats, electric doors, navi screen stereo, the same steering wheel and ofcourse pearl white, this is all factory, i live in sweden though...

[@XanMan_05]

IVE BEEN WAITING! SOOO GOOD!

[@thirdpedalnirvana]

This is my wife’s dream car. If she wasn’t planning to get a Chevy Bolt, she’d get one of these.

[@christheimprezive2866]

I'd love to put one of my 4 Wii's in my Impreza, but I don't wanna swap the radio because the stock radio sounds extremely good!

[@chuckm.9744]

I bought my 2012 Mazda 5 with the 6 speed manual in January 2012. The salesman thought I was a bit nuts for wanting the manual transmission, but my previous 3 vehicles (1 car, 2 trucks) had been manual transmission. I don’t have kids, but two dogs have ridden in that car (one dog thought she could drive). It’s perfect for hauling mulch or lumber or bathtubs; I’ve had 10 foot 2x4s in it with no problem. I don’t drive much (about 68000 miles on it), and I keep up with the maintenance schedule. Given the price of new or used cars now, I think I’ll keep this car until it or I croak.

[@oomz1975]

Just added a fully loaded 6 speed manual with leather interior to my fleet. Love the way it drives, its smaller than other minivans but very well packaged. We also have the 7 seater option here in the UK.

[@BrubsOnions9669]

I was never expecting to see kirby air ride today HAHA great review!

[@kennorcott7074]

My ma had a silver 09 mazda5 auto brand new, damn thing ran pretty well, i remember the rear passenger armrest got eaten by my dog, and I put a quarter into the CD slot in the radio, and when that was replaced, they let us keep the old radio. I still have it

[@TheCANation]

A Wii in the glove box!? Man, no dealer option/accessory had a chance!

[@matthewfuller1129]

Back in the day, Car and Driver magazine tried to shoehorn a (Gen 2) MazdaSpeed3 drivetrain into a Mazda 5. I don't know if they ever got all the various electronics to play nice, but it was slicker than whale snot.

[@rubymalia9345]

I think they took most of the electronics from the speed3, like the cluster and such

[@ShootingCars]

CJ Wilson Mazda here in Illinois had a MS3 swapped 5 and 2 at one point. The owner used to race them at Autobahn CC. Not sure what ever happened to them!

[@greensabr200]

In Mazdas now if you want a manual you have to get the top trip. I have a 22 mazda3 MT in the premium trim

[@cbayer5012]

I've got something similar, but a 2010. Only a 5 speed though, wish I had one a few years newer, but getting any at all is fine

[@YouDontWannaFightMe]

I was a valet guy in college and got to valet it. The owner seemed to know what he had and told me how hard it was for him to find.

[@rzpogi]

With anti-theft feature included

[@Mongoose069]

Found one just under two months ago, also a 2012 sport MT with just under 89k on the clock. some new tires, darkest tint on all the windows, and swapped OE head unit makes this thing a damn solid tripper. 4hr drive and highway mileage was right on the money stated at 28mpg. drives just as solid as all my other mazdas as well. SAVE THE MANUALS!!

[@Dave-dh7rt]

Love love dark tint. My 2002 IS300 has the DARKEST tint. 3.4% on front windows, 1% in back, tested by state trooper.

[@bwofficial1776]

@@Dave-dh7rt Why did you think it was a good idea to make it harder to see out of your car? What's wrong with wearing sunglasses?

[@frankchen7412]

@@bwofficial1776 Reduce heat in the Mazda5 when parked out in the parking lot and probably privacy.

[@scottcavill4807]

I saw one at a car meeting last night. Fully loaded LEATHER and MANUAL. Super rare, but they do exist.

[@KookiDowg]

Currently have a 1st gen CRV that's also manual but looking into upgrading to one of these.

[@sparselepidopteran]

I have one and love it!

[@LunarMiata]

Used to have one of those, sadly the engine was a crappy diesel PSA. I loved it to bits

[@streetguru6240]

Great vid

[@dave11686]

So cool!

[@CarolinaCycloneJames]

Actually a lot of new Mazdas offered in manuals are more of the top trim. The Mazda 3 manual is only available on the preferred if I can remember so you get memory seats and all that jazz while the miata is also available in all trims as a manual. Alot of their early 2010s were base models like the cx5 and 5 and 2 but interestingly the Mazda 3 could be a grand touring in a stick. My dad has the first year of the skyactiv 3 that being the 2012 in the I touring trim (midrange trim. Kinda has the most configurations available so you could have a more high trim with heated seats and sunroofs or the more base model with Bluetooth being added in as well as the bose sound system) his is the 6 speed manual. His is the more base equipped I touring so it only has Bluetooth and the bose system

[@WildGilles]

I don't know about USA, but here in Canada i own a 2012 GT 6 speed manual with leather heated seat, sunroof, xenon lights, rear spoiler and all the bells an whistles that came with the GT.

[@damilolaakanni]

157hp in a compact minivan is great, pretty underpowered for something the size of the Sienna. Toyota tried that in 2011 with their 2.7 4 cylinder engine, they dropped that engine option after that year.

[@tall_dude1233]

A friend of mine had one of these (in manual) but fuel milage wasn't great even with a light foot, so he sold it and bought a Fusion hybrid. The hybrid gets way better fuel economy even if it's an automatic.

[@ordlay23]

Today if you want a manual transmission from Mazda you have to buy the Premium. In Canada you could buy these as a Manual grand touring.

[@Dankcatvacs]

6:52 hey more headroom than a nissan altima!

[@radioflowers]

This or a previa are the only mini vans I'll consider

[@04dram04]

I would get something like this, but when I drive a manual, I always drive it way harder than an auto. Which gets me worse MPG. GOing easy on a manual car is impossible.

[@ryanstevens6010]

I know the feeling. I could rarely break 20 MPG in mine just because it's so fun to zip up to redline with that wonderful MZR 2.5. Now that I have a longer commute to work I use the cruise control and try to keep myself in check, and as a result I'm now getting about 26 MPG. It's not as fun driving like this, but at least I know that fun is just a downshift away.

[@lucasstuart-chilcote7069]

Happy Pride 🙌❤️ The Mazda 5 is a quirky little minivan

[@RenaKry]

I would like to assume that the owner is a genuinely fun person to hangout with

[@rubymalia9345]

Eee thank you!! I try my best :3 💜

[@paulblackman8159]

The foot space to press on the gas is not conducive to anyone with large feet.

[@ryanstevens6010]

It is small - I use the passenger armrest. The seat is all the way back, and there's just enough room. Driving with my military boots is damn near impossible. It's better sized for Japan and Europe yet I don't mind the small size. Most cars in the US are just too big IMHO which is why I love my Mazda5 even though it's a tight fit.

[@pizza2437]

KIRBY AIR RIDE IS THE GREATEST!

[@FameAppeal]

Also has a ton of cargo space

[@OnlyTheFinest125]

Mazda Lyfe

[@vicp8772]

Auto manufacturer's, I only buy loaded manuals. If u don't offer one, with a at least a sunroof, u will never get a sale from me. Thx Honda

[@anaestereo810]

I like my Mazda 5 sport manual.... unfortunately, the rust does too.

[@anthonymoser46]

I've got the same one but my front seat is stuck an I can't get it to go back down

[@celljinx6753]

Do a chevy uplander pls.

[@godwinewaenuhunwangho6641]

Please i have the automatic transmission but faulty now and can i convert it to manual transmission?

[@TheGeorgiaMediaGroup]

Is it a van. A cross over. A ralley car ..A hatchback. What the hell is that thing.

[@rubymalia9345]

It's a mini minivan c:

[@TheGeorgiaMediaGroup]

@@rubymalia9345 🤘

[@ryanstevens6010]

Some places, like Consumer Reports, call it a wagon. Because of the sliding doors some people call it a mini-minivan. I think of it as a slightly longer, slightly taller Mazda3. It's practical yet indescribable, all the while being practically indescribable.

[@lochnessmonstera7334]

I just found out about these and I'm pretty obsessed. I'm looking for a car and was invested in minivans but they seemed a bit too big and all the reliable ones are outside of my meager budget. Main thing I'm worried about is learning to drive stick again. I had a manual pickup for a brief period of time and apparently got the hang of it enough but gave it to someone else within a few months of having it. Does anyone reading this think it's worth it to get the Mazda 5 in automatic? Or should I just suck it up and relearn manual?

[@chardelraconner7324]

rear doors need decal strip wand sensors and a trojan face at the mawl pick up

[@chardelraconner7324]

zero third row seating and economy van hinge waste

[@chardelraconner7324]

engine stress overwhelming larger outlet

[@pbfloyd13]

God I'd like to find one of these to use for ride-sharing, or... swap a Mazdaspeed drivetrain into....

[@JackyTheNerd]

A Wii is now a mod I have to make happen in some future car.

[@bluetsunami4005]

Zach that looks like a Frankenstein Mazda5 with the shifter, steering wheel, and a different color body panel. I have an all original 2012 6-speed manual with 118000. You can test that if you want but I have to be in passenger seat

[@rubymalia9345]

The shifter is simply a replacement due to the old one being worn out. Same with the steering wheel, it's a higher trim wheel from a mazda3. The body panel is covered in stickers :3

[@thevacdude]

Did you know, You could get these without the third row of seats, giving you a bit more room behinds the rear seats? Not all of these had the third row of seats, some did, some did not.

[@tmus1905]

How much to export to NZ 😂 And lol to the driver window being auto only, our soon to be sold 2004 Toyota Ipsum (JDM) has all auto & even the ability to wind up or down the windows by holding the key in the driver's side door for 3 seconds for unlock to wind down or lock to wind up. As much as the 08' Premacy(aka Mazda5) is a necessary replacement, I am going to miss the old girl and her 12 cup holders, 180bhp, and full size adult 3 row legroom 😥

[@raidersamson3356]

I wish you talked about the controls on the steering wheel

[@rubymalia9345]

What would you like to know about them?

[@willg125]

My fellow manual mazda wii owner!! Lol

[@rubymalia9345]

Ayo???

[@willg125]

@@rubymalia9345 I'm the guy with the mazdaspeed3 a few reviews ago

[@rubymalia9345]

@@willg125 love your car!

[@willg125]

@@rubymalia9345 love yours too!! Super unique

[@17moonray]

I want one of these vans I would have to learn how to drive stick shift and I would like to teach my girlfriend how to drive stick shift she is wanting a van

[@gillesthibault429]

Had one of those! Worst vehicle I ever owned. After 6 years, 93 000km, the bottom was uniformly rusted, with a 1"hole at the bottom of the spare tire well. Trans support corroded through in the 6th year and, when I traded it in, the engine mounts wouldn't have lasted another 6 months. Cost me (much) more in out-of-warranty repairs in that 6 years than my 2008 Accord in 14 1/2 years (and needed another 1000-1500$ when traded-in). Drank fuel like a big V6.

[@thorgot911]

I have the exact same car and I'm on my third clutch @90k miles and second transmission. But it's worth it to drive this car. The suspension is absolute garbage, it should be upgraded in all Mazda 5s.

[@Mladjasmilic]

Dacia Jogger is well and good

[@james42519]

i have a 09 mazda5 sport. it is auto but has sport mode so. really i rather have a toyota camry or scion xB over this. there is nothing special about it to me and the seat don't for back as much as want it to. the leg room not the best and the dumb center console thing takes up too much leg room. wish i had the touchscreen radio these came with but have the low end one that built into dash and have to change that whole thing to change the radio. the radio sounds off to me too. it is missing something in the mid range and never sounded as good as others even the base radio in the 94 toyota camry i had. the biggest thing i hate is the ac is undersized. they took the ac from the maxzda 3 and put it into the mazda 5 it seems. the sides it just can't get cold enough and move enough air in the bigger space to really cool it off. i had a 94 toyota camry before this and that ac was ice cold as soon as you started and it would be a freezer even if it was 100F outside. mpg not the best too at least on mine. at best get maybe 23 mpg but can be as low as 17 mpg. i have never found a replacment wiper for the back that actually works too. every one i tried it misses half the windows when it gets to the top. i like that the lights were ligher on the sides on the 1st gen and most of the stuff in the 2nd gen you showed was on the one i have. wish mazda had those Karakuri seats in the US. interesting video mazda did on them called Karakuri Seats - Mazda Stories on youtube

[@bluetsunami4005]

I think the AC is great I have a 2012. Only problem is it runs so quiet I don't know it's running half the time. The engine that is

[@reallyrandomrides1296]

🏳️‍🌈 Thank you for showing Ruby's stickers, especially the Gay and Lesbian Pride flags. And the tattered Transgender flag on the antenna. It should be a non-issue these days, but some people would just avoid showing those, let alone be seen driving a vehicle like that. Celebrate Diversity! Good on you bro! 😀

[@rubymalia9345]

Thank you!! I'm happy I can have my stickers in the video too c:

[@SynthiaVan]

Its so gay, and i love it!

[@rubymalia9345]

Thank you!!! :3💜

[@brunogrill3774]

Zack Pradel my favorite lesbian

[@DJSI3434]

Gay car... for those without a sense of humor...8:42. Lol I want this car rn.

[@milliondollaboiibsb4927]

Lmao team gay I wonder what he thought driving that nothing against gays at all love them as well they are people but as a straight man imagine lol

[@rubymalia9345]

TeamGay is my lil game dev team :3