In other parts of the world, small station wagons with a high roof and a small third row seat are fairly common. But when Mazda introduced its 3-based 5 model to the US, it is difficult to find a direct competitor for it. No other small hatchback/wagon includes third-row seating or a sliding door, and no other minivan is as small, and it is rare to find one with a four-cylinder engine or such a low sticker price.

However, a match can pop up. Thanks to a substantial rebate, the 4-cylinder version of the Dodge Caravan comes from a sticker price of almost $3,000 over a comparable (or as comparable as possible) Mazda5 to within $50 according to CarsDirect. Furthermore, the 5’s much more compact dimensions yield it a negligible gain in gas mileage over the  Caravan, the engines are of a similar size, and the wheelbases are only five inches apart.

Mazda considers the 5 a closer competitor to such hatchback/wagons as the Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix, and even 2WD SUVs like the Honda CR-V. But none of them have a third row seat or a sliding rear door.

For this comparison, the two inexpensive and fuel-efficient vehicles with sliding rear doors and third row seats are examined as the cheapest minivans on the market. Each has its own set of strong advantages, approaching the target in a very different way, but one seems to perform this task best.

Read on to find which this one was, and why.