Reviews - Mazda

Overall Rating

Premacy is a Picasso/Scenic rival that's far less well-known. Competitively priced and well equipped, it's reliable, practical and comfortable enough, although it's less enjoyable to drive than its rivals.

• Roomy midi-MPV that's good value used
• Comfortable cabin with optional seven-seater capacity
• Good reliability and affordable running costs

• 2.0 TD is noisy and lacks refinement
• Not much fun to drive, with lots of body roll
• Dull, grey, plasticky interior styling

Mazda's midi-MPV contender looks efficient enough in a rather bland and anonymous way, but despite its optimistic name it doesn't reign supreme in the expanding market for compact people-carriers. Standards are so high now in this class that Premacy can only be considered as average. There's a good choice of engines (1.8 and 2.0 petrol, both of them fairly lively; and a slower and less refined 2.0 TD), build quality and ongoing reliability are both good, and it's one of a small minority of midi-MPVs to offer seven-seater capacity as an option (not many people know that...). But many rivals make more of their cabin space. The interior is simply dull and lacks the family-friendly stowage solutions offered by Japanese rivals like Nissan's Tino and Toyota's Corolla Verso. And those extra rear seats are really only suitable for smaller children. Refinement is let down above-average noise levels, though ride is fine.

JD Power stars: 5

NCAP: 3

Best Models: 2.0 Sport

Worst Models: 2.0 Di Turbo GXi

Replacement: 2006

• Fiat Multipla
• Kia Carens
• Vauxhall Meriva