1989 Mazda MPV Test Drive

The MPV was Mazda’s big news for 1989. It was a compact mini-van with a strange resemblance to Chrysler’s Caravan/Voyager. The MPV had a semi-monocoque chassis with side rails. It was available in base and LX versions. The former had a 2.6 liter 4 cylinder with a 5spd manual transmission, while the latter has a 3-liter V6 and a four speed automatic transmission. The base version carried five and the LX seven. The bench seats reclined, and were completely removable. It’s too bad that Mazda didn’t opt for a FWD design, if for no other reason than winter driving. However, the fact that it didn’t have it, doesn’t create any real problem, 4WD was eventually offered as an upgrade.