| First Drive | Vienna, Austria | 2011 Mazda5 |

Mazda will replace its seven-seat MPV, the Mazda5, later this year. The big news is a complete exterior redesign and the arrival of a more efficient 2.0-litre petrol engine with stop-start. We drove an early pre-production version.

In the Metal

Although the current Mazda5 is quite a handsome car, the new version looks substantially different. That's thanks in part to the grafting of the Mazda3's face onto the front of the people carrier, which makes the 5 appear smaller somehow. However, the most distinctive aspect is the adoption of the company's much talked about 'Nagare' design language, inspired by running water and other flow movements in nature. You can see it as a deep, sculpted line that flows from the front light to the rear quarter panel. It's highly unusual, but it breaks up the side of the car nicely.

Inside there have been significant revisions to the cabin too. The dashboard is laid out with visual elements higher up and the audio system has been revamped. Users can also now specify a built-in TomTom navigation system. An MPV like this lives and dies by its practicality though and thanks to sliding doors, access is really easy, especially in tight parking spots. They protrude just 159mm when open.

There is room for seven in the Mazda5. The second row offers the option of three seats or two - if you want to enjoy more elbow room. The centre seat can be turned into a large arm rest, a storage tray or else it can be stowed away to allow a walk through corridor to the rearmost seats. The second and third row of seats fold flat to provide 1,485 litres of luggage space and there are a total of 45 storage compartments in the car.

What you get for your Money

It's a while before the Mazda5 goes on sale, so the specification has yet to be tied down. There will be a raft of new equipment available this time around including a 4GB navigation system with hands-free Bluetooth, optional Bluetooth audio and telephone systems, privacy glass, cruise control and xenon headlamps. Pricing has yet to be announced and there should also be a new 1.6-litre diesel engine.

Driving it

We tried the new Mazda5 in pre-production 2.0-litre petrol guise. This version has 148bhp and 141lb.ft of torque. It boasts a 13 percent reduction in fuel consumption compared to the outgoing 2.0-litre petrol model - and a 15 percent reduction in emissions, which are now down to 159g/km. That's thanks in part to i-stop Stop/Start functionality and there is also a gear shift indicator to advise you to change gear in a way that will improve economy.

Mazda is particularly proud of its achievements with the new 5's chassis. Aims were for the car to have more linear steering, and for it to settle better between braking and cornering. New rubber couplings have been added to the steering shaft, the suspension spring rates are increased to make the car roll more gently and more rigid stabiliser mounts have been added.

It felt good on our short drive, with little body roll. There's a pretty decent balance between comfort and stability. Visibility is good all-round and the gear-shift is slick.

The 2.0-litre petrol engine is quiet and smooth, but ultimately irrelevant for most European markets. There is also a revised 1.8-litre petrol model, which boasts emissions reduced by six percent to 168g/km. However, diesel power is pretty much all that matters to the UK. Rumour has it that there will be a new 1.6-litre diesel and this could be used alongside the 2.2-litre diesel out of the Mazda6.

Worth Noting

The new model will go on sale in the UK before the end of 2010.

Summary

This isn't a revolutionary change to the Mazda5 and the engines that we have tried so far are largely irrelevant to the British market, but if Mazda does offer a new, cleaner diesel then this could be a good seller in 2011. The improvements to the seats are clever, but Ford will also be coming to market with a new C-Max, which will be the model to beat. We await the diesel engines before we will pass final judgement.