Faults:

Rear shocks leaked and had to be replaced.

Stabilizer bar and bushing squeak tremendously, especially in cold weather.

Steering alignment performed several times.

Tires worn prematurely.

The plastic cowling at the top of the rear hatch has begun to crack symmetrically on both sides where the hatch is attached to the car body.

General Comments:

The weakest part of the car seems to be the suspension. The car groans and squeaks as many others have reported.

The car "eats" tires.

Gas consumption averages 8.5 l/100km, mostly on highway, which is not as good as I would have hoped.

Ground clearance is very low.

Having said that, by and large we've been happy with the car. Nothing else has failed and the only maintenance so far, other than the shocks and tires, has been in the form of oil changes.

The car is very versatile and suits our family of 4, plus 2 big dogs. We bought the Thule roof rack and put a class 1 hitch for a bike rack on the back (which we don't use very often).

When the in-laws are in town we can haul all 6 people (w/o dogs), and on the flip side, if I need to go to Home Depot there is enough room to accommodate 8ft lengths of lumber (with closed hatch and passenger seat folded forwards).

Faults:

One of the retaining clips for the sliding door seal was missing on both sides of my vehicle.

The steering wheel is not centered when I am going straight and has been like this since day one, but the dealer refuses to fix it, claiming that I must have "hit a curb".

The part that holds the disc brakes in place is rusted on all 4 wheels and has been since new, but the dealer refuses to replace them "unless you want to pay for powder coating".

Sometimes when the car is cold, the transmission will jerk violently from first to second.

General Comments:

This car is an excellent value for the amount of money I paid for it ($24,895 + TAX etc). The handling is pretty decent, and the ride is well damped. However, this car just doesn't endear itself to you. Previously, I had a Ford Focus ZTW, and despite it being unreliable, I really loved the way it drove, and became quite attached to it. This Mazda5 on the other hand, is just a machine. Sure, it performs VERY well and is refined and is cleverly designed... but its just not a car you love. I don't think I will have any issues trading it in in the future and even though this car is so new, I've already began to eye my next car.

If you are simply looking for a car the drives well and is reasonably reliable at a fair price, the Mazda is certainly something you should look at. Otherwise, I would recommend a car that does more for you emotionally.