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Mazda5 Changes You'd Like To See
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Comments
thanks
The car was at the dealer for a month to repair a passenger compartment water leak that soaked the front passenger carpet and caused a terrarium effect in the car in humid weather.
The switchblade key fob does not work. It has been reprorgrammed three times and still does not operate correctly. I also am 6'6" and it makes a huge difference in leg room esp at the knee.
The Toyo tires rated at something like 140mph are terrible. In NE PA when it is wet and around freezing they do not grip at all. The tires were replaced with all weather Goodyears and the problem no longer exists. At the time of repalcement, 7,200 miles, half the tread was gone on the Toyo front tires.
When it is cold on start up the suspension moans, groans and bottoms out for the first hour of driving time. Brakes squeal as well. Clutch in/out is not smooth and becomes rouhg when cold.
My air conditioner was insufficent in hot weather with five people in the car on a trip in hot humid weather. In late summer I had the windows heavily tinted and this seemed to help the problem.
Interior materials are cheap and scratch easily. The car is used for my wife and kids and is subject to harder wear than I would give it my self.
All though small, the standard shift knob has a shift pattern indicator on the top of the knob that spins around mysteriously on its own. Not that I use it, but it reminds me of the lack of quality control that apparently went into this car.
Bought the factory rubber mats which lasted about 2,500 miles before they wore through where my heel rests.
Great car to drive on trips, good gas mileage, great styling especially with tinted windows etc. But a disappointment overall.
Called Mazda about all of this and the dealer as well and according to them I am the only one to complain about these issues.
I would prefer that the 2nd row be a bench seat. How come Mazda doesn't offer this as an option?
Wish list: all the good stuff available overseas, starting with the 2.0 DISI motor + 5AT combo for better fuel economy, ESC/TRAC, and those nice-looking roof rails. I hear the some folks in the disabled community were hoping for the power sliding doors.
1)another outside key slot on passenger side door in case the drivers side key slot jams & I have no fob/fob battery dead;
2) less cup holders, to be replaced by more cubby holes;
3) the front door cup holders replaced by longer cubby hole;
4) the cupholders on top and rear of console eliminated to allow expansion of centre console storage space. I find the glove compartment humongous and centre console too small.
4) driver's centre cup holder to have removable, washable bottom inserts. Right now the foam padding is glued and therefore can't be washed.
5) Is it possible to have arm rests on doors for 2nd row? Or is this not possible since the 2nd row windows wind all the way down?
6) a more sensitive automatic windshield wiper. It works, but is too intermitent, even after adjusting to most sensitive setting
2. I agree with the centre console as they could easily make it much larger and the passenger could use it as an arm rest.
4.the center cup holders need a rethink for sure.
5. The arm rest in the door would interfere with door opening
6. totally agree
I'll pay more attention to the front door pulls now, since I haven't noticed anything yet.
The Karakuri seat would be perfect for our (soon to be) family of 7. Is there a way to get this thing put in aftermarket. Maybe in Canada.
6 speed manual or more spread out gears with the 5 that are available. How is it that 5th gear manual has a lower gear ratio than the 4 speed auto?!? Most of the time gears 2 and 4 are unnessary so I just skip them. So it really is a three speed.
Smaller gas engine or diesel engine for better fuel economy.
Rack and Pinion steering, a nimble car/van like this needs a responsive steering with good road feed back. The current power steering interposes a video game (mushy) feel to the driving experience. Where's the zoom zoom?
I've heard that the karakuri seat isn't allowed for safety consideratings, so why doesn't Mazda make the 2nd row a bench seat like the Kia Rondo?
And what type of steering does it currently have? Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but are you asking for no power assist?
I bought it because it was the only 6 seater that had manual steering, and passable gas mileage. I have 4 children all under 6 and we do not have any trouble with space. A roof rack takes care of unusual storage needs.
Here's a little trick if you want to see what your Mazda5 is like without power steering:
While cruising at 40 mph, release the throttle and push in the clutch. Turn the engine off and immediately re-start the engine. when the engine is re-started while at cruising speed, the steering system warning light will illuminate and you will have no power assist. Power assist will resume once you drop down to Disclaimer: I don't recommend that anyone attempt this without fully understanding the consequences. Also, to protect my butt, this should only be done by a professional driver on a closed course.
I tried steering after turning the engine off/on at speed. It is marginal for steering straight, I wouldn't want to make any turns that way. At the slow speed, the assist turns back on without warning, even when turning, which can be surprising. At least professional drivers on a closed courses tell me so.
In my previous post I mentioned purchasing the car because it had manual steering, I meant to say manual transmission. I like the extra efficiency/control it provides (~28MPG).
Well, I'm not sure what mechanical drag you are referring to in the hydraulic system but it's not because the assist is just shut off electrically.
The reason the car is hard to turn is because of the steering rack gear ratio. If you put the rack from your 79 RX-7 on the Mazda5, the steering force needed would be much too hard for the weight of the Mazda5 front end. So your 20:1 ratio would likely go up to 24:1. The Mazda5 is 16.2:1 and is 2.9 turns lock to lock. Using 24:1, you are now at 4.3 turns lock to lock. Try selling that to a customer.
I think the only real solution here would be a variable control drive by wire system with no mechanical linkage. I think we'll see that on the Mazda5 in about 15 years.
Of course the drive by wire has possiblity but you would still lose "road feel" and exchange for the "video game" feel, which was the source of my original complaint. But if the control algorothm was tuned enough some good effects are possible. I know on my RX 7, the steering ratio increased as the wheels deflected. So driving straight and fast was smooth, but turning to park was fast. That car was a beauty to drive, but I could never get more that 22mpg out of it.
Probably correct about customers, without power assist it's either too hard to park or takes too many turns (depending on the ratio selected), I just wanted to remove the dead feel of the steering and removing excess weight/complexity.
All the concerns I had in 2006 and 2007 were resolved in 2009. Just not enough power for me. And it doesn't need to be a rubber burning machine. Just to feel safe merging lanes, or get out of a tight spot. I'm thinking the new 4 cyl Mazda6 engine with 170Hp will probably do it.
However, I am not holding my breath, since in its current incarnation, with the top 2.3L engine, reporters say, the chasis barely keeps up under hard acceleration.
So I guess, unless the frame is re-engineered (and price increased), I'll have no luck.
At any rate more power always = to happy faces.
- I just rented a 2009 mazda6 with the 2.5L, nice not a big power difference IMO, the Mazda5 is very well geared to keep up with its weight vs. power (at least the 5MT)
Chassis issues under hard acceleration? I own 2 and never hear of that before (I don't use them for autocross or similar though )
3 years holding off to buy one? Wow, I admire your patience nonetheless
Third row winter climate control needs improvement -- I have a 2009 with factory windows. Third row warm-up times are non-trivial, on cold mornings. Once the sun comes up, and the car is warm to the back, heat is needed in the front, and the cold air fan (w/o compressor engaged) is needed in the back.
The squeaks and creaks, and the 50 mph vibrations need to be fixed.
I'd like 20.
I am only looking at safety, not head snapping... and all that, people like to exaggerate with.
I test drove a 5 with me, my wife and the sales guy. Accelerating to freeway speed seemed to happen in slow motion. It took the entire ramp, floored to match the traffic speed. If the freeway would have moved any faster, I would have had a hard time merging. At 65Mph, playing with the acceleration pedal up and down all the way to the floor did not make the car feel like it. 10 seconds for 0-60 is nothing to write home about. and that's with the car with a skinny driver. Load it and that time goes out the window, and THAT"S the problem.
I answered a Mazda survey online about improvements to some future vehicle. One of the questions was, if would be willing to pay 400 more for more power and 400 more for more torque. I answered yes to both and I'm hoping they were talking about the 5.
Stability control ought to be at the very least an option on an 'family oriented' vehicle, and I'm kinda bugged that you can get it on a Mazda 5 in Europe, for example, but not here. The full-size minivans like the Sienna and Odyssey are way too big for our needs, and we're not big SUV fans, so the 5's a great option....
For now I'm assuming I have to wait for the next redesign. But when is that?
I have to return a CX7 lease at the end of September ('love the power in this one). What do I do? I'm thinking of leasing a 5 for 2 years until they make a new one... But I've been doing that with the CX7....
They did fix that bad center console and added arm rests to the second raw. SO I consider the interior done (I was also hoping for the third jump seat in the second raw). Just a bigger engine, stiffer body, diesel option and manual transmissions for all! Not that hard!
Now diesel on the other hand, I wouldn't hold your breath!
2. Change the power window motor so that it does not impact the outward leg of the person sitting in the second row.
3 change the instrument cluster to be more visible i.e. and good example is the Camry white with black numbers.
4. Make one of the 12v accessory plugs to be working while the car is off. This would allow such things as mobile phone charging and solar dash chargers and such things to work with the power off. They could put a simple red led on it when the circuit is active (passive) as a reminder.
5. change the middle basket thing that comes out of the seat to one that pivots up out of the floor to that is can be used as an arm rest for both middle seats and when they are down it make the floor flat without a big hole in it. It could also be able to pivot forward and back into the floor to aid in entry to the third row.
6. Offer the reverse camera to aid in backing up.
7. Change the roof top railing to the rest of the world one. The one that runs the length of the car and is more aero dynamic.
8. Change the middle console for the front two seats so it is one that can be used by both occupants and can be high enough to allow the rear venting to still run under it. This will also allow a few areas like the first generation. Also to put a 12 and a 110 volt plug in there for charging mobile phones and running video and gaming things in the middle row.
9. Change the sunroof to one that slides into the roof (there is loads of room) this will allow for a reasonable opening and will cut down on the wind noise generated by it.
10. THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT sort out the suspension. People are sick of the creaking and now it seems that the struts are defective.
11. Send the dealerships to personality updates. The blatant lying 'oh no one has every complained about the noise or what ever the other service bulletin is'. It is called customer service training in case they are not sure how to look up the courses.
I could go on but I think it will be too long for anyone to read lol
I do not even hope that much for a stronger engine. The rummor is that the current one is top limit (even over) of what this chasis can handle.
I plan to get one in September and customize it. Especialy in the electric dept.
I will add an always on 12V aux. Also a computer (probably MSI wind or so). I just realize, that it would not be healthy to cut the poawer to a PC when you turn the key OFF. Ha ha.
I havent spent much time with a 5. What's with the electric windows motor and the leg? And what about the roof top?
I think that the 5 is a designer (product designer)'s dream. It's big enough, but not a cruise ship. This can be turned into an incredible swiss knife of a car. I think Mazda is just trying to keep the price down.
I like the 5 so much that I'd wait if I knew the 2010 would have DSC. Listening? ;>) I can't wait forever, though...
I've been hopping in different leases since I saw the 5 in 2005. I keep waiting for them to improve it.
The good thing is that they fixed most of the interior problems with the 2008.
I'm still waiting for a slightly bigger engine and manual transmission on Touring.
I need to buy something in September when the current lease is going out... PLEASE!
Also agree with those who mention the instrument cluster. I cant recall any previous car that I spend this much time turning the backlight on and off. It seems, with the light on it's too bright at night, OK in daylight; with the backlight off it's too dark in daylight, OK after dark. Maybe move the light-control-stick projecting from the cluster, next to the trip-odo reset stick, and onto the steering wheel? Or maybe I need a photo-transistor, a relay and a schematic?
And, while I wasn't aware what the mechanical marvel was called until reading a post in some forum somewhere. It was pointed out that the stiff chassis which makes the car handle less boringly also makes it fairly easy to spin the inside front tire when turning on less than smooth,flat roads and that that situation could be remedied by a limited-slip differential. This spinning-tires-thing (maybe also a Toyo issue?) makes me feel like the car has plenty of power, if only I could get it applied to the pavement successfully.
-Power drivers seat with 2-memory function as an option in the Luxury Package (same as the Mazda 3's Luxury Package)
-Engine, I don't care if it's 2.3 or 2.5, but the 6 speed manual would be nice.
-Return of manual transmission to upper trim models in the US.
-HIDs as part of the Luxury Package in Canada.
-60/40 2nd row seats with a 3rd seat and a fold down arm rest, while retaining the fore/aft and reclining motion, come on Mazda ingenuity you can do it!
That's about it really, maybe a MazdaSpeed 5 priced under $35,000 CAD for us hardcore speed freak parent types. *drool*
Mazda MPV 2004-06: 189.5 in (4813 mm)
1.) More power. This engine and transmission are great. Quick to rev, quick to shift. With 170hp, it would be even better. Yep, just another 20hp. Strike that, I want the turbodiesel engine from the european version. Only 143 hp, but 260 ft.-lbs. of torque! The current 2.3 engine is 153hp and 155 ft.lbs. of torque. Torque is what you feel. Oh yeah, it also gets 40+ mpg city for the diesel.
2.) A bit more bass for the audio system or a premium speaker/audio option. You have to turn it up fairly high to get any bass out of it.
3.) Auto up window on drivers side at least.
4.) A better horn. This one sounds really "wimpy". It's loud, but it doesn't have any "authority" to it.
Some of this is nit-picking, sure, but it's the small things that sell cars and can sway me from one to the other. None were dealbreakers, but will be missed.
Although I disagree on the MPG comment, maybe its just me but My MZ5 is constantly at 22-24 city MPG running on Shell Gasoline. If I am not mistaken Siennas and Oddys are aroung the 16-18 city MPG and it takes a lot more money to fill up too (larger tanks).
At the same time I might be reluctant... the 5 is easy to manouver around the city and the extra 5-6" might make it a bit more difficult.
I get at least 22 city MPG in my 5 when my full-size minivan driving acquaintances are complaining about under 18 MPG... the 5 still wins as it is right now.
The Mazda5 is not the most fuel efficient (we have to keep on mind that it is still heavier than a Mazda6) but I can get pure highway MPG of around 28-31 driving conservatively. And I wouldn't dare to compare it to a Sienna at all (which I have rented), good torque but that is a real gas guzzler. I got a mix of 16-19MPG when renting, and advertised it has a poor 17-23MPG