Mazda MVP concept

Mazda Makes a Conventional Minivan

DETROIT - It's no secret that the current Mazda MPV minivan is ripe for retirement. The MPV, introduced in 1989, has undergone only one revision in its decade-long lifespan. Recently, Mazda has taken to dubbing the MPV the world's first sport-utility van in an attempt to cash in on the SUV craze with the van's part-time four-wheel-drive system and truck-like detailing.

So when the company rolled out the MPV Concept at the 1999 North American International Auto Show on Tuesday, few reporters were fooled. What you see here is a thinly disguised version of the MPV's replacement, due next year as a 2000 model.

The new MPV is about the size of a Nissan Quest or Mercury Villager, which is to say it falls on the small side of the minivan spectrum. But, in Mazda parlance, the new MPV is "smart-sized." Other "smart" features include a spare that is stowed beneath the vehicle; center-row seats which slide together to form a bench seat or pull apart for captain's chairs; and a third-row seat that tumbles into the floor, leaving a flat load area and removing the hassle of pulling a cumbersome bench into the garage. The third-row seat also reverses and folds out above the bumper, creating a perfect place to sit during tailgate parties.

Dual sliding doors have roll-down windows and hidden tracks. The hidden tracks help preserve Mazda's new corporate design theme on the MPV. Dubbed "Contrast in Harmony," the styling philosophy blends contrasting elements such as soft and sharp, light and shadow, and static and dynamic. Mazda offered the imagery of a calm lake reflecting a jagged mountain range to illustrate this point.

MPV is powered by a dual-overhead cam, 24-valve, V6 engine that makes 170 horsepower. With front-wheel drive and dual stabilizer bars, the MPV provides a car-like driving experience, according to Mazda. So much for that sport-utility van marketing ploy.

Richard Beattie, President and CEO of Mazda North American Operations, said, "The MPV concept redefines the minivan." That's an overstatement, but at least Mazda will be in the hunt when the production version appears in showrooms next year.