 I wanted to upgrade to a bigger car than our Honda civic, which was getting a little small for our two kids and their friends. I was very interested in the Odyssey, but learned from friends that the gas mileage in NYC was under 15 mpg. I found out about the mazda5 and am hooked. It's really easy to park (it's only a foot or so longer than the civic) my kids love bringing their friends along for a ride, and quite spacious when all the seats are folded down.