The list of enthusiast-friendly cars becomes pretty short after having a couple of kids. New parents could buy a massive, guzzling SUV like a Chevrolet Tahoe or if they are more well-off, a Lincoln Navigator , but those are now extremely expensive to buy and run. The most likely scenario is that they'll end up with a minivan. But minivans don't have to be boring.
From to , Mazda built a minivan that enthusiasts could love. It was called the Mazda5, and should appeal to anyone worried about swapping their sports car for something more practical. The Mazda5 was technically what the Europeans call an MPV multi-purpose vehicle , meaning it was smaller than any other minivan sold in the United States.
Mazda sold the first-generation model from to and decided to import the second-generation to the US from to and the third-generation model from to Since the Mazda5 was so small by minivan standards, it felt nimble to drive while still offering plenty of passenger space. US safety regulations required Mazda to sell it as a six-seater, ditching the seventh jump seat mounted in the middle of the second-row as part of the automaker's "Karakuri Seating System.
Even when new, the Mazda5 was never costly compared to larger minivan alternatives like the Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna. These cars no longer have factory warranty coverage but the Mazda5 is known to be pretty simple and reliable to run.
We happen to prefer the stylish pre model before Mazda incorporated its "smiley face" grille but the facelifted cars do have some notable improvements, including a newer engine.
The biggest downside to the Mazda5 minivan is a lack of a more powerful engine option. From to , it was only offered with a 2. Yes, this sounds pretty boring considering a new Odyssey produces hp, but the Mazda5's engine could be paired to either a four- or five-speed automatic yawn or a five- or six-speed manual. This means the Mazda5 was likely the last minivan to be sold with a manual transmission in the US. For , Mazda updated the engine to a 2.
Even though this is a big luxury sedan, it was still available with a manual transmission. Only the earliest Panameras came with a 6-speed manual, and it was extremely, extremely rare. It was only available in a select few markets, and it could only be paired with a rear-wheel drive, gasoline-powered Panamera.
Many people considered the manual Panamera a modern-day The first generation Caravan arrived in the mids, and it was available with a 4-speed manual transmission, though later generations quickly dropped in favor of a more convenient automatic. The luxury SUV market was slowly starting to heat up by the s. Once again, the styling wasn't to everyone's taste, but it was a great luxury SUV with tons of practicality and tons of handling prowess.
Obviously, an SUV like this is well-suited to an automatic transmission. But, some of the X5's smaller engines could actually be paired with a 6-speed manual, adding a little bit of three-pedal action to your big practical SUV. Manual X5s are now rare, but it was still a great option, and this was the only X5 generation to offer it. If there's ever a time when Toyota should bring back this adorable off-roader SUV, it's right now.
It was a compact, cool-looking SUV with a big off-road focus, and an exterior design that hearkened back to the original FJ40 Land Cruiser, hence the name. While a typical 5-speed automatic was available on the FJ, a slick 6-speed manual was also offered. It gets even better, as the 6-speed manual was only available on the 4WD models.
The automatic, paired with a transfer case was still available on the 4WD model, but it was still a great option to have. Before the ill-fated Phaeton, Volkswagen conjured up the even more ill-fated Passat W8. Even though it might not seem like it, this unicorn was billed as VW's entry into the luxury sedan market. As well as tons of equipment and a surprisingly luxurious interior, the Passat W8 was all about the engine. The Passat W8 uses one of the strangest and most unorthodox powerplants ever manufactured.
The engine displaced 4. This is the only Volkswagen Group vehicle to ever have this engine, and it brought along a very juicy exhaust note and maintenance headaches left, right and center. Oh, and it could be paired with a 6-speed manual transmission as well.
Quite possibly one of the coolest vans ever made, right up there with the VW Bus, the Chevrolet Astro was marketed as a different approach to the van formula. But oh, it gets better. Not only does the exterior paint appear to be in decent shape, but the interior is the definition of perfection. Look at these low-back burgundy seats! Whiplash be damned! Show the supply chain who's boss Get a head start on your holiday shopping at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and more. Check out those four pedals in the picture above.
Between those, the shifter, the steering wheel, the turn signal stalk, and those manual window cranks, you almost need to be an octopus to operate this machine. Because this is what you all came to see, behold a closer look at the five-speed shifter, adorned at its base with the finest of shift boots, the rubber accordion-style:. Red carpets.
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