Though the design may be old, the Mazda MPV draws far more praise than criticism. It's a solid, well-designed package, beautifully built and full of the kind of thoughtful touches that please testers and owners alike.If there's a drawback to MPV ownership, it's the price of ad-mission. Like most vehicles built in Japan, it has been hit hard by changes in the yen/dollar relationship - so much so that the price of a base MPV has risen by nearly $5000 since the beginning of the 1994 model year. A fully loaded 4WD LXE comes perilously close to breaking the $30,000 barrier. But it is hard to beat the MPV for carpooling or hauling the family around. Our best advice is to select a midrange 2WD model and pick an option or two that suit your specific needs. The result will be a $25,000 minivan that should provide plenty of years of satisfactory service.
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