Mazda says sayonara to the Mazda5

Slow sales and burgeoning buyer interest in compact crossover/SUVs have led to an official end of the run for the diminutive but versatile Mazda5 "mini" minivan. In a terse one-line obit tucked into an expansive release outlining updates and revamps to the rest of its 2016 lineup, Mazda note only that: "There are no plans at this time to bring a replacement Mazda5 to the U.S. market beyond the 2015 model year." 

Also: Class of 2016 — New Cars Ready to Roll 

First sold here as a 2005 model and last redesigned for 2012, the Mazda5’s unique 2x2x2 three-row seating along with its surprisingly spacious and easy-to-configure cabin made this spritely little hauler well suited to the needs of young, active lifestyle buyers. Unfortunately, that group never fully embraced its charms and sales hit a peak of around 22,000 in 2008 before declining to just over 6,200 for the first half of 2015. That drop combined with Mazda’s need to focus its limited marketing resources on hot new products like the CX-3 and MX-5 pretty much sealed the fate of the Mazda5.