Mazda 8 2.3 Review: Room to move
It's a latecomer to the MPV party but can the Mazda8 surpass the evergreen Toyota Previa in the large MPV class?
What we like:
Mazda: Well-equipped- refined motor
- agile for its size
- price
- bigger boot Toyota: Solid image
- more legroom in third row than the Mazda
- smart looks
What we dislike:
Mazda: Not as spacious as the Previa in the third row- short on straightline speed
- nondescript looks Toyota: Not as affordable as the Mazda
- sparsely equipped
- small wheels
- horrendous wood trim
Overall build quality in both cars is reasonably OK although perceived luxury can be better. The Toyota's faux pas wood trim though, is just horrendous.
Rear passengers also enjoy the luxury of generously proportioned air-con vents with separate controls from the front in both the Mazda and Toyota. The latter boasts an additional rear entertainment system with a single roof mounted LCD screen but the Mazda fights back with a dealer fitted head unit that displays images from the reversing camera as well as sat nav.
The Mazda offers a long list of standard kit that the Toyota can't match including an electric sunroof, a powered tailgate, keyless operation, reversing camera, sat nav, three zone climate control and so on. Despite being better equipped, the Mazda is significantly cheaper than the Previa while offering almost as much accommodation inside, a bigger boot and a more refined drive. Looks like the Previa might not be the automatic choice anymore when it comes to big MPVs, thanks to the credible efforts of the Mazda8.
Credits: Story by Raymond Lai Photos by Yang
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