Measuring just 187 inches long, the Mazda MPV is among the smallest of the mainstream minivans sold in the U.S. The Toyota Sienna is among the shortest minivans and it's more than six inches longer than the MPV; the Honda Odyssey is among the largest minivans and it's about 14 inches longer than the MPV.

The MPV is sleek and aerodynamic for a minivan. It boasts a coefficient of drag of just 0.34; that means it's not quite as boxy as you might expect a minivan to be. The low drag coefficient contributes to the MPV's very low levels of wind noise as well as its fuel efficiency, which is improved for 2002. The appearance of the MPV is enhanced by its big wheels: 16-inch alloys on LX, 17-inch wheels on ES. The outside mirrors are on the small side; bigger mirrors would be better.

MPV offers a higher level of quality over the Kia Sedona. You need only yank on the door handles of the MPV and the Sedona to see an example of this. The MPV sports high-quality body-color door handles that are easy to grab and feel good and substantial in your hand; they are among the best door handles on any vehicle. That does not describe the Sedona's door handles, however.

Yank on the handles on the sliding doors and the MPV opens up nicely. The doors are easy to operate manually. The power sliding doors on the ES model make like far more convenient. They can be opened or closed by pressing buttons on the driver's left, in front of each rear passenger, or by yanking on the inside or outside door handles. For safety, a defeat switch allows the driver to lock everyone inside. A beep lets you know a door is being opened or closed and the doors will stop closing if they sense any obstructions, such as a foot or hand.