Topic: Rented a Mazda 5 & loved it

[Slow_lane]

While out for a wedding in Vancouver I was supposed to rent a Toyota Yaris but instead was given a Mazda 5 for same price. I was pretty pleased.

I really liked it. It was easy to drive and had great visibility. It was much - much quieter and smooth riding than I would have expected. The only thing I found bad was lack of a dead pedal for my left foot. For a Zoom Zoom company I found this surprising.

We are a couple with no kids so I am more inclined to get Mazda 3 sport but I needed more room this would be at top of my list.

I loved having the opportunity to try it.

[johngenx]

The 5 completely negates the need for any of those stupid behemoths that people buy on the premise that they have three children.  It can seat six easily (yes, I am 6' and sat in the last row, though I admit that if you're 300lbs, you're going to have a hulluva time getting back there, but maybe you should walk anyway...) and with 5 people or less, carry an amazing amount of stuff.

My DREAM Mazda 5 would have a diesel and get <6L/100km.  My ULTIMATE DREAM 5 would have AWD and a diesel.

The whole concept is so perfect, I can't understand why all makers aren't selling their versions in North America.  I guess they figure we're all still addicted to stupid overweight crap-mobiles...

[JSCC]

The recent price drop of only $600 on the 2009 Mazda5 compared to the $2000 price drop on the 2009 Mazda3 indicates how successful the Mazda5 is doing in Canada.

[rrocket]

There really isn't anything NOT to like about this car...except maybe better fuel mileage.  But that seems to be a problem across the entire Mazda lineup.

Very good vehicle IMO...and you can get one with a stick which is pretty cool....

[JSCC]

There really isn't anything NOT to like about this car...except maybe better fuel mileage.  But that seems to be a problem across the entire Mazda lineup.

Very good vehicle IMO...and you can get one with a stick which is pretty cool....

Hopefully when they put the new 170HP 2.5L engine in the Mazda5, it would make things better.

[Ice]

The 5 completely negates the need for any of those stupid behemoths that people buy on the premise that they have three children.  It can seat six easily (yes, I am 6' and sat in the last row, though I admit that if you're 300lbs, you're going to have a hulluva time getting back there, but maybe you should walk anyway...) and with 5 people or less, carry an amazing amount of stuff.

My DREAM Mazda 5 would have a diesel and get <6L/100km.  My ULTIMATE DREAM 5 would have AWD and a diesel.

The whole concept is so perfect, I can't understand why all makers aren't selling their versions in North America.  I guess they figure we're all still addicted to stupid overweight crap-mobiles...

Completely agree!  I love the Mazda5...it looks good, its got the utility of a minivan with the sliding door, but its so much smaller.  The fuel economy needs to improve but I think thats a matter of a new transmission and the new Mazda 2.5L engine and that might just solve it.

Honda reportedly is going to bring the Stream over which is similar in size and concept.  I forget if it has sliding doors.  It should.  Couple that with a good Honda engine for fuel economy and decent highway performance.  That'd be a great family hauler!

[Angry Chicken]

The 5 completely negates the need for any of those stupid behemoths that people buy on the premise that they have three children.  It can seat six easily (yes, I am 6' and sat in the last row, though I admit that if you're 300lbs, you're going to have a hulluva time getting back there, but maybe you should walk anyway...) and with 5 people or less, carry an amazing amount of stuff.

My DREAM Mazda 5 would have a diesel and get <6L/100km.  My ULTIMATE DREAM 5 would have AWD and a diesel.

The whole concept is so perfect, I can't understand why all makers aren't selling their versions in North America.  I guess they figure we're all still addicted to stupid overweight crap-mobiles...

You are, of course entitled to your opinions.  I really like the Mazda5 too and came oh-so-close to buying a black GT with the leather package and the DVD player but.....it couldn't pull a trailer and it was under-powered with my whole family and their stuff on board.  Plus its gas mileage sucks when loaded because it's underpowered.  I wasn't willing to make all the compromises that this vehicle would entail for my situation.

My overweight crap-mobile 2007 Hyunda Santa Fe can pull a trailer, haul all our stuff *and* return pretty decent fuel mileage all at the same time.  I made two recent sorties from Ottawa the last 2 weekends, one to Presqu'ile Provincial Park (500 km round trip) and another one to Syracuse NY (400 km round trip)  The trip to Presqu'ile we averaged 12.5 l/100km loaded to the gunwhales with camping stuff, my wife and two adult-sized kids and with a rooftop box and hauling a 2200 pound tent trailer.  The trip to Syracuse, minus the trailer we averaged 11.1 l/100 km, or about 25 mpg.  Overall, the vehicle's highway average is about 9.5 l /100 km (we have the 3.3 litre with AWD) and it's one year old so the engine is nicely broken in.    While you're talking about everyone's overweight crap-mobiles, why don't you look into the published fuel mileage figures for the Mazda5.  Google for people's real-world mileage results with this vehicle and you'll find that they're not that impressive to be honest...another factor that went into our decisions.

BTW, we ended up compromising and buying a Galaxy Grey 2007 Mazda3 GT Sport 5-spd w/ sunroof for our second car.

Hopefully your ultimate dream Mazda5 w/ AWD and a diesel is equipped with a turbo. 

[G35X]

I have driven earlier model Mazda5 (4-speed automatic) many times and like it very much. Interior plastic finish is better than my G35X.  Transmission position indicator in auto mode is nice and the way slide doors pull in automatically is smooth and shows quality.  The only thing I am uncomfortable with is the non-linear gas pedal response.  It is too nervous as you step on it.  Maybe this is to give an impression of strong start-up… too gimmickry. 

[johngenx]

The vast majority of SUV's never tow anything.  Most full sized Yukon-type units do little more than haul mommy or daddy and the kids to the soccer pitch and then solo commuting.  Massive waste of space/energy.

True that the Mazda 5 has poor fuel economy.  However, the idea is right.  A compact unit that can seat 6.  What it really needs (and I pointed out) is a more economical driveline.

As for power, I tested a 5 quite extensively, and it doesn't need more power if you're not towing (which is not its mission).  Sure, it's no rocket when fully loaded, but that's fine.  It all depends on your expectations.  We climbed a bunch of mountain passes in an old VW Westie with a fraction of power of the 5 packed to the walls with people and gear.  Yeah, we couldn't pull much more than 60km/h on the steep bits, but what's the rush?

[Mitlov]

Either Automobile Magazine or Car & Driver is shoehorning a Mazdaspeed3 drivetrain into a Mazda5, and making chassis tweaks so it can handle the power.  That should be an amazing vehicle, and one I'd loooooooove to own if I had three kids.

[rrocket]

^^Tri-Point Engineering has made a VERY good turbo kit for the Mazda 2.3L engine.  In one of my import mags, the fitted the kit to a regular Mazda3 and raced it on the track vs. a Speed3.  The Tri-Point car was quicker.  The kit includes everything you need to make it work on "any Mazda 2.3" and sells for $4K.  That seems a much cheaper route to take IMO...

[Leviathan]

True that the Mazda 5 has poor fuel economy. 

I did a quick poke around edmonds.com mileage reports for the Mazda5 and see highway as high as 35MPG and anywhere from 18-25 city. Hardly sounds poor... Just what kind of mileage do people think it should get?

[Mitlov]

^^Tri-Point Engineering has made a VERY good turbo kit for the Mazda 2.3L engine.  In one of my import mags, the fitted the kit to a regular Mazda3 and raced it on the track vs. a Speed3.  The Tri-Point car was quicker.  The kit includes everything you need to make it work on "any Mazda 2.3" and sells for $4K.  That seems a much cheaper route to take IMO...

That's awesome.  Any chance that'd fit on the new 2.5?  A second-gen Mazda6 with a turbo would be damn close to my dream family sedan...

[Angry Chicken]

True that the Mazda 5 has poor fuel economy. 

I did a quick poke around edmonds.com mileage reports for the Mazda5 and see highway as high as 35MPG and anywhere from 18-25 city. Hardly sounds poor... Just what kind of mileage do people think it should get?

That's the point.  The published figures vary greatly from the realworld results that people are seeing.  This is a signficant caveat with any vehicle, but in the Mazda's case folks are seeing an even bigger discrepancy than one would expect.    My Santa Fe has published figures of 11 l /100 km city (about 25 mpg) and 8.3 l /100 km highway (about 30 mpg).  Do I see those figures ever?  No.  How do they compare with the little 4-banger Mazda5?

Mazda 5:  18-25 city    /    35 highway
Santa Fe:    25 city     /     30 highway
----------------------------------------------------
                 18 city     /     25 highway  (observed)

I rest my case.

/Eric

[Thinking Out Loud]

I'm loving mine with the 2.3 and 4 speed auto.  More so if it had the 2.5!

 

[Bullet Blue]

I never drove a 5, but I sat in one in the showroom when we were car shopping and was quite impressed. When we came back from our test drive (of the 3) and went in to talk numbers, a family of 5 were all packed into the 5 in the showroom and they kept saying how impressed they were with room and such. It would definitely be near or at the top of my list if I had 3+ kids 

[Angry Chicken]

I'm loving mine with the 2.3 and 4 speed auto.  More so if it had the 2.5!

 

Honestly, I think it will get better mileage with a 2.5.  Great little car.  Love the form factor and how much stuff you can pack into it (and people too!)  I do agree that there are *lots* of people out there who buy gargantuan ground-pounders who never tow, haul or pack enough to warrant their carbon footprint.  I think the Mazda5's carbon footprint is a little too big for its size but....with a bigger engine and another cog in the automatic (and why not the manual, too) it could be that much better.  Why not a hybrid too?

/Eric

[Slow_lane]

   I had the Mazda for 24 hours and drove from Victoria to Duncan BC and back Victoria airport. Just about 100% highway (but hilly). I did 164 kms and when I filled it up it took only 12 liters. That works out to around 7.3 /100 kms. That 38 miles per gallon. It is better than I do in my 4 cyl Accord.

   That seems pretty good to me. No idea what city driving would result in.

[Leviathan]

That's the point.  The published figures vary greatly from the realworld results that people are seeing.  This is a significant caveat with any vehicle, but in the Mazda's case folks are seeing an even bigger discrepancy than one would expect.    My Santa Fe has published figures of 11 l /100 km city (about 25 mpg) and 8.3 l /100 km highway (about 30 mpg).  Do I see those figures ever?  No.  How do they compare with the little 4-banger Mazda5?

Mazda 5:  18-25 city    /    35 highway
Santa Fe:    25 city     /     30 highway
----------------------------------------------------
                 18 city     /     25 highway  (observed)

I rest my case.

/Eric

Looks like yer mixing imperial & US gallons as the folks on edmonds.com will be reporting in US gallons. 11L/100 is ~ 21MPusG, 8.3L/100 is ~28MPusG so your observed is ~15MPusG city & ~21MPusG highway - quite a bit short of the Mazda5. Did I miss something?

[Angry Chicken]

That's the point.  The published figures vary greatly from the realworld results that people are seeing.  This is a significant caveat with any vehicle, but in the Mazda's case folks are seeing an even bigger discrepancy than one would expect.    My Santa Fe has published figures of 11 l /100 km city (about 25 mpg) and 8.3 l /100 km highway (about 30 mpg).  Do I see those figures ever?  No.  How do they compare with the little 4-banger Mazda5?

Mazda 5:  18-25 city    /    35 highway
Santa Fe:    25 city     /     30 highway
----------------------------------------------------
                 18 city     /     25 highway  (observed)

I rest my case.

/Eric

Looks like yer mixing imperial & US gallons as the folks on edmonds.com will be reporting in US gallons. 11L/100 is ~ 21MPusG, 8.3L/100 is ~28MPusG so your observed is ~15MPusG city & ~21MPusG highway - quite a bit short of the Mazda5. Did I miss something?

Ummm nope.  I'm Cdn and I converted to miles per imperial gallon.  Simple trick.  Divide the mileage rating in l / 100 km into the number 281 and you get the approx. miles per imperial gallon. 

Not to be a jerk about it, but I think you're missing my central point.  If you Google about Mazda5 mileage seen by real people, you'll find that real-world mileage is somewhat (maybe even a bunch) less than the published figures, much as they are with the Santa Fe.  *I* am saying that is interesting to try to compare the Santa Fe to the Mazda5 and with a bit of hocus pocus and spin worthy of a politician you can make them seem comparable.   A little tongue-in-cheek perhaps?

Besides, the Santa Fe is hardly a land-bruising leviathan.  I own a 2007 Mazda3 GT and a little Honda CRX Si.  And (as I said) I obviously like the Mazda5 too.

/Eric