Not everyone rushes to buy the latest and greatest gadget on the market, whether it's a portable phone, a videocamera or a minivan. As a matter of fact, there are some people who see considerable virtue in choosing a product that's been around for a while, figuring that the manufacturer has, at some point, ironed out most of the bugs. A case in point is the Mazda MPV.There are plenty of minivans to choose from, more than were available when Mazda introduced its people mover a few seasons back. Today, the MPV faces the likes of the Nissan Quest/ Mercury Villager twins as well as powerhouses such as the Chrysler minis, Ford Wind-star and several General Motors vans. All are formidable competitors, yet the MPV still has strong appeal, as it has since introduction day. The MPV's primary attraction may be that it is a genuinely pleasant van to drive, an easy move upward from a compact sedan. Another plus for many buyers is its traditional rear-wheel-drive powertrain that allows the MPV to pull heavier trailers than front-wheel-drive vans can manage. In fact, a trailer-tow package - which includes automatic load-leveling and cooling system upgrades - gives the MPV the wherewithal to tow a 4500-lb. load. It is safe to say the MPV has matured over the years. Some past features have been dropped - most notably the 4-cylinder engine that powered base MPVs until this year - and the model lineup has been reshuffled a bit, but the MPV is as good as ever. In many respects, it's even better.
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