I drove the Mazda5 a few years ago when it first came out. Back then, I thought, “You know, if I had to haul kids around — with all their friends and gear — I would definitely want a vehicle like this.” It’s not exactly a minivan, not exactly an SUV or crossover, as SpringsWheels writer Kevin Carmody point out in his test drive today.

“It’s part minivan, based on its six-passenger capacity, complete with three rows — two, if you like, thanks to 50-50 fold third-row seats. Equally as impressive are the minivan-style sliding doors on both sides.

It’s part sportscar, too, with a lively, 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine that powers the trendy Mazda3 and Mazda6, along with the crossover CX-7, just to name a few.

And, with fuel economy that nears 30 miles per gallon, the Mazda5 defies characteristics of both a minivan and sports car. I guess it’s part sedan, too.”

With up to 44.4 cubic feet of cargo space and seating for six passengers, it’s definitely a vehicle for the driver that needs to move people, gear or both.

The Mazda5 got a face lift for 2008, with an updated exterior to enhance its wedge-shaped body and a five-speed automatic transmission that yielded much better gas mileage. The 2009 edition receives only slight refinements, including a couple of color changes.

But it hasn’t lost Mazda’s soul of a sports car. It has the engine as the CX-7 — “Think what (that engine) can do with the lighter (by some 500 pounds) Mazda5,” says Carmody. It also uses the same fully-independent suspension as Mazda’s sports car models.

“Call it what you want: a mini-minivan, Eurowagon or multi-activity sports vehicle. However you slice it, the 2009 Mazda5 provides plenty of options, versatility, style and, of course, with any Mazda, fun.”

You can read the full test drive here. Or test drive your own at Bob Penkhus Mazda Motor City, 1101 Motor Drive.

Photo courtesy of Ford

We recently talked about the most stolen vehicles. Now, a report showing the cities with the most car thefts has been released. The National Insurance Crime Bureau tracks metropolitan statistical areas for vehicle theft rates, determining them by the number of vehicle theft offenses per 100,000 habitants using the 2007 U.S. Census population estimates, the story from MSNBC.com says. Four of the top 10 cities for auto theft in 2007 are in California (all in the top five). So, you might want to think twice about parking your 1995 Honda Civic — or any car, really — in Modesto, Calif. if you’re attached to it.

The full story is here.

The top 10 car-theft hot spots

1. Modesto, Calif.

2. Las Vegas/Paradise, Nev.

3. San Diego/Carlsbad/San Marcos, Calif.

4. Stockton, Calif.

5. San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont, Calif.

6. Laredo, Texas

7. Albuquerque, N.M.

8. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, Ariz.

9. Yakima, Wash.

10. Tucson, Ariz.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau released its Hot Wheels 2008 auto theft report for vehicles stolen in 2007. As in previous years, thieves preferred to steal older-model vehicles. The top 10 most stolen vehicles in 2007 included decades-old models like the 1988 Toyota pickup and the 1989 Toyota Camry.

The full list (in case you want to avoid owning any of them):

10. 2007 Toyota Corolla

9. 1988 Toyota Pickup

8. 1994 Nissan Sentra

7. 2004 Dodge Ram

6. 1994 Acura Integra

5. 1994 Chevy C/K 1500 Pickup

4. 1997 Ford F150-Series Pickup

3. 1989 Toyota Camry

2. 1991 Honda Accord

1. 1995 Honda Civic

The reason older models are ripe for the lifting is that vehicles that were hot sellers as new cars a few years ago now need replacement parts — especially Ford’s F150 and GM’s Chevy C/K 1500 pickups, both popular selling trucks in the 1990s, according to this story from Forbes.

You can see a slide show of these “Hot Wheels” here.

When you think hybrid, you probably think fuel efficient. You probably don’t think fast. But some may be quicker than you think. This slide show from Forbes Autos runs down the fastest hybrids currently available. The vehicles on the list make the zero-to-60 trip in about 8 seconds or quicker, with two coming in under six seconds. The fastest is the Lexus GS 450h, hitting zero to 60 in just 5.2 seconds. That’s half a second quicker than the non-hybrid V-8 Lexus GS 460.

The rest of the list:

• Lexus LS 600h L (5.5 seconds)
• Nissan Altima Hybrid (7.1 seconds)
• Lexus RX 400h (7.5 seconds with front-wheel drive, 7.3 seconds with all-wheel drive)
• Toyota Highlander Hybrid (8.1 seconds)
• (Tie) Chevy Tahoe Hybrid and GMC Yukon Hybrid (8.3 seconds)

But if you want a really fast hybrid, take a look at the Scorpion. It’s a hydrogen hybrid that gets up to 40 miles per gallon and reaches zero to 60 in a mere 3.5 seconds. It’s not currently available, so it doesn’t technically make the list above.

Consumer Reports considered road tests, reliability and safety, then picked these vehicles as the best in their categories:

Top vehicle: Toyota Prius ($24,000)

Top pickup: Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Crew Cab ($27,000-$39,000)

Top small SUV: Toyota RAV4 ($23,000-$30,000)

Top small sedan: Hyundai Elantra SE ($18,000)

Top midsized SUV: Hyundai Santa Fe ($22,000-$31,000)

Top family sedan: Honda Accord ($22,000-$31,000)

Top minivan: Toyota Sienna ($24,000-$37,000)

Top upscale sedan: Infiniti G35 ($33,000-$35,000)

Most fun to drive: Mazda MX-5 Miata ($27,000)

Top Luxury Sedan: Lexus LS 460L ($77,000)

Most of these top 10 are reasonably priced (depending on trim levels and options), and the list offers a variety of types of vehicles (Consumer Reports isn’t telling you you have to drive a tiny economy car). But, there is only one American car company on the list, and Hyundai, who until recently wasn’t considered top notch has two vehicles on the list. Hyundai’s Elantra beat out the Honda Civic EX and Mazda 3 in the small sedan category, while the Santa Feedged out the Honda Pilot among midsized SUVs.

To read more about each vehicle, visit this slide show on msnbc.com.

Photo courtesy of Toyota

Forbes has a list of 10 great vehicles for taking a road trip. “Just as there are many destinations that beckon from the open road, there is an equally large assortment of vehicles in which to make the journey. Based on our test drives of virtually every model on the market, we highlight 10 vehicles that ForbesAutos editors think are well suited to specific types of road-trips, from a family vacation to carting the kids off to college and taking that well-earned getaway as empty nesters.”

Best for family vacations: Toyota Sienna
Best for trips for two: BMW 650i
Best for college road trips: Scion xB
Best for camping: Land Rover LR3
Best for fuel economy: Toyota Prius
Best for towing: GMC Yukon Denali
Best for moving the kids: Lincoln Mark LT
Best convertible: Jaguar XK
Best overall: Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec

For full descriptions and a slide show, click here.

Regardless of the type of vehicle you drive, here are some tips for smart vacation driving (from ARA Content):

* Have your car thoroughly checked out before going on a long vacation road trip. Be sure tires are properly inflated, oil and oil and air filters are fresh, and the air-conditioning is working properly.

* Drive smoothly and considerately. Aggressive driving — fast starts, excessive speed, abrupt maneuvers and constant braking — is not only dangerous, it significantly increases your vehicle’s fuel consumption.

* Only use premium fuel if your car’s manufacturer specifically recommends it for your engine type. Regular fuel costs less and premium will not improve your fuel efficiency in anything but a high-performance engine.

* Look for gas stations that offer pumps with vapor-recovery nozzles. They look like black plastic accordions attached to the nozzle. These curb emissions. Likewise, never try to “top off” your tank with these nozzles. They’re designed to shut off when the gas tank is at its optimum fullness. Continuing to pump could lead to overfilling and spilling.

*Try to pack light and avoid putting anything on top of your vehicle. Rooftop storage may increase the risk of rollover in some types of vehicles, and increases drag, which lowers fuel efficiency in all kinds of autos.

Over at Jalopnik today they have “Seven New Cars We Wish Were April Fools’ Day Jokes.”

“Some are poorly-styled and ill-conceived, while others seem to fill no foreseeable niche other than a need to show they’re doing something, anything.”

I’d like to see a longer list that includes vehicles that get less than 15 miles per gallon or those that take up as much room on the road as a bus and spew out as much exhaust as a freight train.

And because this list is comprised of all new cars we don’t get the all-time greatest April Fool’s Day Jokes that people actually drove home. My cousin spent her college graduation money on a brand-new Yugo way back when. I almost cried.

If you want to laugh or cry over a terrible car you — or someone you love — once owned, comprehensive lists of lemons and “crap cars” exist in book form. There’s “Crap Cars” by Richard Porter, “Automotive Atrocities: Cars You Love to Hate” by Eric Peters and “Lemon!: Sixty Heroic Automotive Failures” by Tony Davis.

Today, most of us couldn’t imagine buying a car that isn’t equipped with seat belts and air bags. In fact, you can’t find a new car without that basic equipment. And you won’t find a car made in the past 40 years that wasn’t equipped with seat belts. “The seat belt, made mandatory by Congress in the 1960s, set off a revolutionary leap in automobile safety and dramatically reduced lives lost in crashes,” says this article from Forbes Autos. The article goes on to say the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has implemented a standard making electronic stability control equipment mandatory in all vehicles, estimating that the universal adoption of this technology by 2011 will save 10,000 lives a year.

The cars our parents — and perhaps we — grew up with were larger and heavier but not necessarily safer. I remember hearing horror stories in drivers’ ed of drivers impaled on steering columns and passengers flung from rolling vehicles. Needless to say, those stories convinced me to wear a seat belt.

Forbes lists the following as the top 10 safety features of the future:

1. Electronic stability control
2. Collision mitigation
3. Blind spot/lane-departure warning
4. “Smart” cruise control
5. Rear-looking cameras and radar
6. Tire-pressure warning gauge
7. Two-stage air bags
8. Rollover protection
9. Active head restraint
10. Post-collision assistance

The first six are preventative measures. But because accidents are sometimes unavoidable, the other four are designed to reduce or mitigate injuries in the case of an accident.

Ford Taurus Telematics and Safety Concept Car has reconfigurable displays which enable customized IP design and functionality that also allow the viewing of images from the Blind-spot, TrafficView, Backup, and forward facing cameras. Photo courtesy of Ford

Most of us probably spent New Year’s eve with friends and loved ones, remembering the year past and toasting the one to come. Maybe you made resolutions to get in shape, eat better, watch less television or spend more time outside. While you’re at it, here are some resolutions for your car (if you’re not already doing them):

1. Check tire pressure once a month. Correct inflation pressure is critical for good fuel economy, safety, maximum tire life, and proper vehicle handling performance, says the Car Care Council.
2. Obey the left lane law. Common traffic-flow conflicts in Colorado occur when slower-moving vehicles occupy left-hand travel lanes of divided or controlled-access highways, especially during periods of heavy traffic volume.
3. Buckle up and make sure all your passengers are buckled up before you put the car in gear. A seatbelt can keep
   you in your seat in the vehicle, preventing serious injuries and death. And it’s the law.
4. Regularly check tire tread. Excessive wear can result in a loss of traction, especially on wet and slippery roads.
5. Never drink and drive. Under even the best of circumstances — excellent physical, mental and emotional conditions — alcohol clouds the mind, delays reactions and blurs vision.
6. Move over for emergency vehicles. Colorado’s Move Over Law was put into effect to protect police and other emergency workers, including paramedics and firefighters.
7. Be prepared for winter weather. Know how to drive on ice and snow and take extra precautions when heading out.
8. Have a safe and happy new year.