Sharing the stand with the Shinari sports saloon concept at this month’s Los Angeles Auto Show will be the North American version of the Mazda5 minivan. Shown for the first time to the public at the Geneva Salon this past March, the new Mazda5 gets a swoopier design with flared front fenders and a trio of three side creases starting from the front door and continuing all the way back to the tail lamps.
It features sliding rear doors and seating for six passengers in three rows of seats. From what we can tell, there aren’t any visible styling changes over the European model.
Under the skin, however, it’s a different story. Whereas the EU-spec Mazda5 is offered with a choice of three engines including 115HP 1.8-liter and 150HP 2.0-liter petrols, plus a115HP 1.6-liter turbo diesel, the North American model is powered by a 157-hp 2.5-liter MZR I4 engine, which can be paired with either a manual or automatic transmission.
More intel including pricing and availability for the Mazda5, which will be sold as a 2012MY in the States, will be announced at a later date.
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