Consumers today still want plenty of interior space, but they also expect more fuel economy, better road manners, and increased safety. And a more manageable exterior size. Enter the Mazda5.

"Are you seriously comparing the Mazda5 to a Pontiac Grandville?" Hear me out.

Some might call it a mini-minivan. Others look at it as if it's a large hatchback. In either case, they're right... and wrong. Nobody's going to see the Grandville, at first. But it's in there. Deep under that minivan/hatchback exterior is an old-school family car.

Let's start with the obvious connection: the ability to carry six passengers. Divided among three rows, the Mazda5 doesn't try to cram passengers in with three-person benches. Hauling six doesn't require anyone to sit on top of anyone else, nor does anyone need to elbow his neighbor for enough space.

The cargo space behind the third row is admittedly not as large as a traditional minivan and definitely not Grandville voluminous, but there's still room back there. When all seats are not needed, folding the unused chairs gains additional space. With only four passengers aboard, the Mazda5 can out-cargo the old Pontiac sedan.

For those on the side of the pro-minivan movement, the Mazda5 sports sliding doors for rear passengers. The convenience of these doors soon becomes apparent when kids are jumping in or out of the vehicle in a parking lot. If this were a crossover or that Pontiac barge, rear-seat occupants would easily ding the neighbor's car without a second thought. Taking up mere inches, the sliding doors provide ample access in tight situations.