The Mazda MPV (also sold as the Efini MPV) is a full-sized minivan. It was introduced in 1988 as a rear wheel drive model and replaced in 2000 with a more modern front wheel drive version.
1988-1998
The minivan boom of the 1980s caught the Japanese car makers by surprise. Each maker had its own response: Toyota was first with an adaptation of their mid-engined Van , based on the home-market Town-Ace in 1984. Nissan and Mitsubishi quickly followed suit with conversions of cargo vans in 1987. None of these was particularly successful, since all were small and only offered 4-cylinder engines.
Mazda's 1989 MPV offering was radically different. It was designed from the ground up as a minivan for the American market. Mazda started with the best platform they had, the 929's HC, to develop the MPV's LV, and equipped their van with a V6 engine and optional all wheel drive. Like the later Honda Odyssey, it featured traditional hinged doors instead of sliding rear doors, though the original MPV only had a single rear door.
The van was a hit with the press, being named to Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1990 and 1991 and featured as one of their "vehicles for the coming (fuel) crisis". Initial sales were strong as well, but rapidly fell off once other makers introduced all wheel drive and V6 engines. Toyota's 1991 Previa, Nissan's 1993 Quest , and Honda's Odyssey all featured purpose-built platforms and eroded Mazda's lead.
The van was refreshed in 1996, with the I4 engine retired for the United States, though it was replaced with a similar 2.5 L unit for the rest of the world. The all wheel drive MPV was now marketed in the United States as the All Sport. Although similar to most minivans on the market, the All Sport was mildly restyled and marketed as a Crossover SUV. This provided a brief sales bump, but the entire minivan market had turned against rear wheel drive by that time. The original MPV was retired after the 1998 model year.
2000
The MPV was replaced for model year 2000 with a front wheel drive LW platform based on the 626. This second-generation MPV was much more traditional, with sliding rear doors and front wheel drive. Some differentiating factors included a rear seat that folded flat into the floor and rear-door windows that roll down.
The MPV was initially underpowered, using the Mazda AJ (really Ford's Duratec) 2.5 L V6. This was replaced in a 2002 refresh with Mazda's AJ 3.0 L V6 and a 5-speed automatic transmission.
Engines:
- 2000-2001 2.0 L FS-DE I4 (non-US)
- 2000-2001 2.5 L GY-DE I4 (non-US)
- 2000-2001 2.5 L AJ V6
- 2002-2005 3.0 L AJ V6
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