The Mazda5 features some sleek styling to set it apart from other mini MPVs

THE MPV is seen both as great facilitator of successful family life and as the type of car that happens to people when their commitments finally nail the coffin lid shut on their desires. It doesn't have to be like that, though. MPVs can be cool, stylish and fun but they just have to be a bit cleverer about it. The Mazda5 is one seven-seater with its thinking cap on.

The original Mazda5 never really achieved the sales success that it deserved. Despite critical acclaim for its attractive design, spacious cabin and the sliding rear doors that made it unique in the compact MPV class, it failed to really grasp the attention of buyers. The reason for that can be summed up in familiar terms: terms like Zafira, Picasso, Scenic, Touran and Verso. The competition was fierce and the Mazda5 was often missed by a target market constantly preoccupied by dirty nappies, first steps and forgotten PE kits. The latest model keeps much of what made the original work but wraps it in a package that's more likely to get noticed.

Mazda is a manufacturer that makes great play of its sporty side and even its more practical models have tended to have something of that flavour. This Mazda5 is no different and features a steering system modified for a sharper, more linear feel than was evident in the previous model. The suspension benefits from increased spring rates and lightweight stabilisers which improve stability at speed and keep body-roll in check.

Power is derived from a select line-up of petrol and diesel engines with Mazda particularly proud of its 2.0-litre DISI petrol unit which comes fitted with i-Stop stop/start technology. The other petrol option is a 1.8-litre 113bhp unit that takes 12.8s to do the same but is priced at a more accessible level.

This might make it a better bet for low mileage customers than the 2.0-litre diesel variants.

Mazda didn't revolutionise MPV design with this car. The basic shape is in line with most of the other models in this sector, but it has sought to enliven the look of the car with bold detailing. What we have is one of the larger models in the compact MPV class with a 4,585mm overall length of which 2,750mm is wheelbase. At the front, the 5 gets Mazda's sporty headlight and bumper ensemble with huge grinning aperture at its centre combining the grille and air-intake.

The Mazda5 is an attractive vehicle by the standards set elsewhere in this sometimes frumpy area of the market. The question is whether the car is practical. The sliding side doors are an unusual inclusion, particularly in the compact MPV sector, but they have their advantages. There's no chance of eager children remodelling the panelwork of adjacent cars in the rush to get out and the doors slide back to reveal a wider aperture than normal, making it easier to access the rear seats and lean in to make sure the kids are buckled up.

The actual cabin is a seven-seat affair in most models but there is a five-seat option. All the rear seats fold flat whichever version you choose and the seat backs are wider than in the old Mazda5 to enhance comfort. There's not much of a boot with seven passengers on board but a big one when you're only seating five.

Safety is a big issue in any car but particularly so in an MPV and the Mazda5 has been designed to conform to the highest standards of occupant and pedestrian protection. The car is based around a special energy-absorbing structure. The door impact beams have been strengthened and an advanced head restraint design is used to help prevent neck injury. There's also Mazda's ESS Emergency Stop Signal which warns drivers behind of sudden braking by rapidly flashing the hazard lights.

As well as appealing to MPV buyers who would buy something sportier if their growing families permitted it, the Mazda5's flowing lines produce top-class aerodynamic performance, helping to lower running costs.

People carriers are usually more concerned with carrying people successfully than attracting attention with audacious design innovations and rightly so. The latest Mazda5 doesn't do anything too over the top but its sleek lines and curvy detailing add an element of interest that's often missing from the MPV class. Sliding side doors, the potential to seat seven and a focus on sharp driving dynamics will also give it a fighting chance of hitting the compact MPV big time.

FACT BOX

CAR: Mazda5

PRICE: 18,000-23,000 – OTR (est]

INSURANCE GROUP: 6-9 (est]

EMISSIONS: 150-168g/km (est]

PERFORMANCE: (2.0 DISI] Max speed 122mph; 0-62mph 11 seconds

FUEL CONSUMPTION: (2.0 DISI] (combined) 41mpg