| First Drive | Munich, Germany | Mazda5 |

Ask an MPV driver if they'd rather be driving something else and they're likely to say yes. But Mazda's new 5, with its enticingly swoopy crease work, is a thing that makes you go "ooh". Like the new Ford C-Max, could this be another MPV you'll actually desire?

In the Metal

That wavy duo of folds that extends across the passenger doors is an interesting distraction. However, retract your gaze and the Mazda5 is actually one very big box, and quite slab-sided - meaning it's spacious inside. The flexible 'Karakuri' seating arrangement remains the new car's best feature - like the chassis itself, it's carried over from the outgoing car.

And while it's big on headroom, legroom is a little tight for middle row occupants, and non-existent in the third row. With the rearmost seats folded the boot is enormous, but, as ever with third rows of seats, erect them and there's precious little space left for luggage.

Sadly, the overall ambience and cabin design is less impressive than plenty of its peers'. The interior is neatly designed and easy to fathom, but it's all very colourless, and all very hard and hollow.

What you get for your Money

Two petrol engines will be available from launch in October, with an all-new 114bhp 1.6-litre diesel following in January. The petrol options are a 1.8-litre with 114bhp and a 2.0-litre direct injection unit with 148bhp. The former is available only in basic TS trim and the latter in either TS2 or Sport models. Mazda's i-stop engine shutoff is standard on the 2.0-litre.

All cars get 16-inch alloys, manual air conditioning, cruise control and the full realm of electronic safety assistants as standard. Electric operation of the sliding rear doors comes with 2.0-litre cars, and other high-level features include climate control, bigger wheels, leather and an integrated TomTom satnav system (Mazda has followed Renault's lead in that regard). Prices range from £17,695 to as much as £21,495 for a diesel Sport.

Driving it

The 5 does deliver an agreeable equilibrium between comfort and body control. It's a little on the firm side when the road gets rough, perhaps (it's not as supple as the new Ford Grand C-Max or Renault Grand Scenic), but pliable enough.

But it suffers from a distinct lack of refinement. Wind noise at the front pillars becomes evident at about 40mph and gets worse from there, as does tyre rumble. And despite being quiet at idle, both the petrol engines whine like grumpy teenagers if you ask them to do a bit of work. This isn't a car that will soothe over long distances. Neither is swift, at all, and funnily enough the 1.8-litre feels slightly peppier off the line.

There weren't any diesels available to test, but we're guessing the extra torque will be a godsend; there's just not enough low-end flexibility in either of the petrol engines. Couple that to a gearchange with more notches per cog than Russell Brand's bedpost - and steering that requires a good old armful of movement to get turning - and the 5 just doesn't feel as agile as it should.

Worth Noting

The current Mazda5 has sold very well indeed: 500,000 worldwide, including 175,000 in the UK - 29,000 of those this year alone. However, the company has taken the unusual decision to spearhead the new version with two petrol models in a diesel-dominated segment. In fairness, we only have to wait a couple of months for the advent of the company's new diesel unit.

The new 2.0-litre direct injection petrol engine emits 159g/km of CO₂ - less than the 168g/km of the 1.8-litre - and returns 40.9mpg. It's a significant improvement over the current 2.0-litre unit, but we'd still recommend waiting for the 50mpg-plus diesel.

Summary

This new model is based on the old Mazda5's underpinnings and it really shows - the car just hasn't moved forward very much. Sure it looks better, has a neater cabin and is more economical, but it still feels a generation behind. Sadly, its clever seating arrangement, big boot and comfy driving position aren't enough to elevate it above average. And nor are those wavy lines.