Mazda MX-Flexa / Mazda5

perfectofc

Alright, where to start. I drove a Platinum Silver 5 tonight, fully loaded with Air and with the Automatic transmission.

One word to describe the drive?

Fun. Really fun. I want one.

I am kinda shocked to write this, but Mazda made driving a mini-van (and that's what this is, judging by the amount of room inside it) a fun experience. I loaded the vehicle with 4 adults and my two children, to simulate how I would be driving it at it's peak load.

Step 1: The highway. I drove about 10 minutes on the highway, and the acceleration was brisk and effortless. I checked the rpm's at 100km/h - 2600.

As the km/h flew past 120, I realised that the car wasn't hesitating under the weight at all. As the km/h neared 140, I thought maybe I should slow down a little. There was no "whine" of the engine and the wind/engine noise was minimal enough that I could communicate with my son in the back seat with no problem. The 5 passes this test with flying colours.

Step 2: The hill. I was a little skeptical that it would be as good as Isda reported up the hill. I mean, I've got a 3300lb car here with 4 adults and 2 kids in it. The 2.3 couldn't possibly be any good up the hill. Well... it was good. It wasn't great, and I could have used a little bit more power there, but this is quite a large hill we're talking about. I will give it a passing grade, but certainly not the flying colours that were given for the highway.

Step 3: Changing positions. First of all I was in the driving seat, and to expand on my previous point about the driving position I pulled up beside a Toyota Sienna (new model) and was almost at eye level with the driver of the Sienna.

I sat in the middle row, with my 5 year old son and baby in the third row behind me. 6 foot tall adult in front of me. Plenty of space to get comfortable and enjoy the ride. I sat in the back row, with my 5 year old son in front of me. Surprisingly, I COULD sit quite comfortably back there - BUT I wouldn't think anyone over six foot tall would be able to. My head was very near to the roof.

Man, what else? I hate doing this, because inevitably I forget things. The air conditioning was good, it cooled the car down quite rapidly once I figured out how to use it.

I took a few pictures of it, and will try and get them on a website as soon as I can. Gorgeous car, and it will be a *huge* hit in Canada. I can't wait to see the red one.

Questions?

hangaralf1

if you have the money, if fuel mileage isn't that great a concern, you are going to be disappointed with the five. i've driven the 3 and while it is a really good car (handles well, has decent pickup, and is laid out nicely) a 5, which is alot heavier, somewhat higher, won't handle as well, won't have that punch off the line, so it will be a practical car. it won't even have any real emotional oomph, per se. any initial emotion will wear off relatively quickly when you realize that it is just a mini minivan. you have to decide whether you want practical or panache from these choices. if i were you, i would go with the 'becca. (proven bombproof drivetrain, a certain exotic sex appeal, and a gorgeous interior)

if you were me, you would want the 5. i have four kids (and a wife), an odyssey (hers), and a corolla (mine). and while the 5 is not even close to being big enough for something like a long trip all six of us, it is perfect around town. the long trips and the major hauling is what my odyssey is for. i just want an economical car that i drive on a daily basis that can haul all of us in a pinch as well - like when the odyssey is in the shop getting a new transmission.

hangaralf1

i hear rumors of turbo or supercharger option next year? can anyone confirm this?

perfectofc

I can't see them doing that for the second model year of the car... they'll tweak it, and add the 5 speed auto/6 speed manual from the 2006 Mazda 3.

Like I said, this car is going to sell like crazy in Canada. We love our Mazdas.

coaster

Thanks for your views. Since my four year old car has less than 20,000 miles on it the fuel economy is secondary. But my present car is low to the ground and drives in a very sporty manner and I am hoping that the Mazda might be the nearest thing in a high seating car from a handling point of view. I must admit I am lured by the Tribeca interior which is really spectacular, especially the dashboard. The photos of the 5 show a dashboard that seems much less exciting than the 3 or the 6 and, in my opinion, the dark interior doesn't help. But those are only photos and I really am keeping an open mind until I drive the 5 next week. One thing I know for sure. I am 6' 2" tall and my back will not allow me to buy another car that is low to the ground with a seating position that doesn't allow for a natural position for the knees and legs.

amosanon1

Thanks!

1. I assume your baby was in a carseat. How was it getting the carseat and the kid into the back? Is it possible to access the back without folding the second row seat forward? Specifically, if the second row seats both have carseats installed, how difficult would it be to get someone into the third row? And if, instead, a carseat for a preschooler is placed in the third row, how difficult would it be to clip the kid in each time you take the car out?

2. With all three rows up, what is the cargo space like?

3. I don't really understand how torque, horsepower, and so forth work. But I do know that I don't like having a car that struggles to pass at highway speeds or that has trouble merging onto the highway with the A/C on. My 2000 4 cyl. Camry is fine (though a wee bit more power would be nice), but my 1998 Honda Ody just doesn't have the power. How will this one compare?

Thanks for your thoughts, perf!

odman

Another review, from the National Post, compares it to the old Axxess. One complaint with the manual transmission is that it is easy to bump the fan switch and shut it off. He says "Mazda insists on charging $105 for any colour other than black. White costs $200!".

BTW: the newspaper edition has an ad for short WB Caravans for $19,998 with 3.3, AC, CD, PW/PDL. I only mention this because the van segment is extremely competitive here, and the same situation limited the appeal of the Axxess and 1st Gen Odysseys.

http://www.canada.com/national/nationalpost/specials/driversedge/story.html?id=79f7460e-ed- 2a-470b-9105-5e3a8815d896

perfectofc

To answer the baby seat questions:

The carseat was easy to get into the back, I did most of the work from behind the third row with the back liftgate open. When it came time to put the baby (1 year old, so sitting forward now) in the seat, I folded down the second row and sat on top of it with the baby in front of me, buckling her in. It was pretty easy, with the amount of travel in the seats there is lots of room between the third row and the second row when the second row is fully forward.

With all three rows up, there is very little in the way of cargo space. Perhaps enough for one hard suitcase, and some soft bags around it.

I had NO problems with acceleration or passing power in this car. I am used to my '97 Protege, with its 1.5L engine, so that might have something to do with my impression there. I felt like the car had more to give me when I was going 140km/h.

Hope that helps - I encourage you to go and drive one if you can!

smaria

Thanks for posting the review!

As far as cargo space goes, this review confused me. It says that the cargo space is 4 cubic feet when all seats are up, and 15 cubic feet when the 3rd row is folded down. The 15 cubic feet sounds small to me (the 5-door Mazda 3 has 17 cubic feet of storage space, and the Mazda 5 is bigger, right?).

Anyone know if the numbers in the review are accurate?

Thanks!
Steve

jazvan

The cu ft numbers in the article seem consistent with the official volume number. They say 15 cu ft behind the 3rd seat and 30 more cu ft with the 2nd folded down for a total of 45. The official volume number is 44.9 cu ft. 15 cu ft wouldn't surprise me 'cuz it's only about 40-41" between the wheel wells (same as the Mazda3) and the folded seat cushions are taking up floor space. We know the ceiling is higher then the 3 but the raised floor may be eating up the gain.

FWIW
-Jaz

ateixeira

Absolutely agree there, though I got that from the Tribeca, it just feels like a million bucks when you sit behind the wheel. I love that interior.

Still gotta drive the Mazda5 to judge it. I've driven several Tribecas and they didn't disappoint.

-juice

isda65

Yep I agree the Tribeca feels like a million bucks because it costs a million bucks too from where my wallet stands For this price I don't think we even ought to compare a Tribeca with an entry-level economy-car like Mazda5. The Tribeca is the real deal.

rorr

"They say 15 cu ft behind the 3rd seat and 30 more cu ft with the 2nd folded down for a total of 45."

Shouldn't that be 15 cu ft behind the 2nd seat rather than the 3rd?

wheelz4

I think the #'s are out of whack, or maybe measured from below the window line.
Even the max of 45cu ft. seems small when compared to a Focus wagon, for example.
Oh, and while the Tribeca may not cost $1million, it's virtually double the price of the '5', so not really a fair comparison at all.

ateixeira

Agreed, and the CX-7 will probably go head-to-head with the Tribeca.

-juice

coaster

I totally agree that a comparison may be unfair but I still feel that Mazda can hold its own in many areas. First of all, it has a 4 year/48,000 mile warranty rather than 3 year/36,000 miles on the Murano and Tribeca. Secondly, my driving is 95% city and suburbs and a smaller, more maneuverable car is a big plus. When I drove the Mazda 6 with the 4 cylinder engine I did not feel that it was an economy sedan. When I sat in the 3 I really liked the interior. The only problem is that the seat was a little short in the thigh area but that is common for so many cars, especially from Japan. Everything is a trade-off when you compare cars, regardless of price. So the Mazda is still on my short list.
In my view, paying more than low 30's for any car is a waste of money since the selection is so large. But paying less, especially $10,000 is another consideration.

ateixeira

True, but Nissan and Subaru have a longer powertrain warranty than Mazda. Even trade IMO.

I do think the Mazda5 would make a good city car, the others would have longer legs for highway cruising tho.

-juice

drspongklong

Those numbers are completely wrong. Cargo space for Mazda 5 when third row is folded is 44.4 cu ft. Here's a comparison of cargo spaces behind second row seats for some compact SUVs. Honda CRV - 33.5 cu ft, Ford Escape - 29.3 cu ft, Mitsubishi Outlander - 24.4, Subaru Forester - 29.6 cu ft, Toyota RAV 4 - 29.2

rorr

Possibly.

I just checked the Mazda website for the MPV which list the following:

17.2 cf behind 3rd row
53.7 when 3rd row folded
127.0 when 2nd and 3rd row folded.

If the Mazda 5 only had 44.4 cf with both rows folded, thats only 1/3 the volume of the MPV. That CAN'T be right. The 44.4 number makes sense though if that is the volume with 3rd row folded.

drspongklong

With all the decent reviews I read here, I can't wait to see and test drive one for myself. For sure, I like the looks, the size is perfect for me. According to the reviews I've read here, the power is ok, noise is minimal. If I get a good price for my trade in, bye bye Matrix.

drspongklong

Didn't I say 44.4 cu ft with 3rd row folded?

audia8q

I had mixed emotions about the MZ5 until I drove it. It looks better in person than the pictures and my initial driving impressions were very positive. I wasnt looking for whats wrong with it or whats great about it....I just got in a drove around for an hour or so....when I got back to the dealership I ordered a cardinal red MZ5 touring for my demo.

passenger volume 97.734 cubic ft.
cargo volume 44.368 cubic ft
total volume 142.103 cubic ft.
headroom w/o. mooroof (f,m,r) 40.7/39.4/37.1
headroom w/ moon (r,m,r) 38.9/39.2/37.1
shoulder room (f,m,r) 55.5/55.6/49.2
leg roof (f,m,r) 40.7/35.2/30.7
hiproom (f,m,r) 52.9/58.3/40.9

rorr

Appreciate the good info, but now I'm even MORE confused.

You've listed the passenger volume at 97.7 cf and cargo volume at 44.4 for a grand total of 142.1 cf

But on Mazda's website for the MPV, it lists the MPV passenger volume at 134.7 cf and cargo volume at 17.2 for a grand total of 151.9 cf. Does this mean total volume in the MZ5 is only 9.8 cf (about 6%) less than the MPV??? I thought there was a bigger difference between the two than that.

Based on the numbers for the MPV, I assume the MPV volume was measured with all 3 rows of seats up which is why the passenger volume is very large and the cargo volume small. Based on the numbers you've presented, it certainly doesn't APPEAR to be measured the same way for the MZ5. Can you confirm the seating configuration for the MZ5 which would yield the numbers given?

smaria

It sounds reasonable to me that the interior volume of the Mazda 5 might be only 6-10% smaller than the MPV. Anyways, the total volume numbers (142 for the Mazda 5 and 152 for the MPV) both come directly from the specs on Mazda's web site, so I believe them.

To help visualize the sizes of the cars, I've put in some pictures below. The scales of these pictures below aren't EXACT, but they're pretty close. I based the scaling on the exterior height and length measurements of each vehicle. As you can see, the Mazda 5 looks a little like an extended Matrix (but much nicer than the Matrix IMO), and not all that much smaller than the MPV:

isda65

Cool!

bwaters

Thanks, the visual comparison is great. I'm liking the phantom blue more and more... Let's see, a phantom blue sport with power moonroof, wind deflector and cargo net...
$18,785 on Build a Vehicle. Drop the moonroof and wind deflector and it's $18,035... Wonder what we will actually pay...">

jazvan

I stand corrected.

-Jaz

jazvan

The #'s don't add up for me either. The 98 cu ft passenger volume has to include at least the 2nd row. My understanding from reading the review is that the 44 cu ft cargo space is with all seats folded. So then 142 cu ft is not correct. Some of the space is being counted twice. If 98 cu ft represents just the 1st and 2nd row and it has 15 more cu ft like the review stated then we have about 113 cu ft.

-Jaz.

subearu

That is one cool sizing perspective - thanks for putting it together!

-Brian

perfectofc

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mazda5/

yustas

They measure cargo space up to the windows. That's why it is small.

yustas

Thanks for the pictures! Have more???

perfectofc

I'll be taking more - some of the Cardinal Red model, and some of the Strato Blue.

charlotte7

That visual comparison was great--thanks! Me, I'm now leaning a bit more towards the MPV or the Chevy HHR. I think the 5 is just sort of ugly, from the pictures--it *does* look like an extended Matrix, and I've always thought those were hideous. I'm not thrilled with the plain colour selections, either. I will still drive a 5 though before I make my final decision, and I'm not planning on buying until towards the end of the year.

Remember a few months ago when we were having a discussion over whether or not an MPV could be had for $18K? One of our local dealers (Roger Beasley Mazda South) is advertising base model MPVs for $16,995 now plus $1000 off that if you use Mazda financing. They are desperate to get rid of the MPVs, apparently. Given that I can get the S-plan too, the MPV is currently a better deal than the 5, and I'd like the 200 horsepower. After seeing the 5 and the MPV in the visual comparison, I don't feel like the MPV is so much bigger anymore.

baby101

Hi,
i want to know how high is the seating position?
Is it about the same height level as a compact suv such as CRV or RAV 4?

bjerry

I got a call from the dealership, they had a Mazda 5 in. I took my son down for a test drive on Thursday. Went back again Friday to talk business. Finished the deal today. I pick up the car in a week. There aren't a lot of them with manual transmissions.

Anyway, I'm very excited.

nowakj66

Sounds great, bjerry! What part of the country are you in? I am in central Ohio and there are no Mazda 5s here yet. One dealer said mid July to mid August for arrival. I need to check the other. Anyway, congrats on the purchase!

bwaters

"There aren't a lot of them with manual transmissions."

So, if we wait until August or September to order a phantom blue with manual transmission we could be in for a long wait? I'd like to see how the sales of manual vs. automatic compare for the first few months.

perfectofc

Congratulations! Any information on what model exactly you bought? Colour, options, etc?

bjerry

I'm in Seattle, Washington. The car will be the Touring model in Charcoal Gray. It'll be a 5 speed manual with aftermarket leather.

mazda6s

Often the dealers are the worst source of information about when the cars will arrive - unless you talk to the guy who actually orders the cars and he's honest.

wheelz4

Our local dealer has one....in the silver, kind of champagne colour. Saw it on a Sunday, so dealer was closed & I could just do a walk-around. Think I could live with eveything about the exterior (even the "tuner taillights" don't look too bad in person) except for the side sills. They don't integrate well with the front or rear bumper extensions (the sills hang down 1-2" lower) and are so thick & chunky, they look like two big slabs of plastic, very out of place.(The Mazda3's sills are a little more subtle). To compound the matter, the lower portion of the doors slants inward and doesn't reflect the sun, whereas the sills reflect the sun and seem even more emphasized. If I was buying one, I'd definitely remove them (it doesn't look too hard). But that won't be happening until a few things change inside: 1: a light-coloured interior option, as the black is too dark and claustrophobic. 2: a front passenger armrest is needed (why is it missing?) and 3: a 5 or 6 speed automatic. The vehicle looks good, the size is about right (certainly wouldn't want it any smaller) but Mazda needs to address a few things and improve the gas mileage a bit to snag me as a buyer. Maybe next year??

perfectofc

"a front passenger armrest is needed (why is it missing?)"

When I drove it, I wondered the same thing. My wife and I came to the conclusion that if it was a standard, that you would hit your arm on the passenger armrest while shifting.

perfectofc

Take some pictures of it when you get it! :-) :-)

smaria

Just curious: did you get the Mazda5 at MSRP, above it, or below it?

Since the Mazda5 is brand new, I assume there's not much negotiating room on the price? I'm trying to get a feel for this since it's possible I might buy one soon after they become available in my area...

rlawrence

"Just curious: did you get the Mazda5 at MSRP, above it, or below it?"

Funny you should mention that. On my way home after a softball game last night, I decided to make a detour and stop by one of the Mazda dealers. They had a white Touring edition with AT on the lot marked up an extra $2995 for "early release, limited supply." The dealer also added another $995 for "paint and interior protection." The aditional $4000 in markups brought it to almost $25,000. I laughed to myself in disbelief at what I saw.

I know this is not necessarily the proper forum for inquiring about pricing or dealer sales practices, however I have a hard time believing this tactic will endear customers. Plus, if you're not a customer who wants the features that only the Mazda5 can offer - smaller footprint, manual transmission, sporty style - you are not going to even consider it if you can get a larger MPV or some other make for the same price.

I know it's early, but I want the Mazda5 to do well so that other carmakers will be encouraged to introduce smaller vans here in NA. Unfortunately, dealer shenanigans could dampen that hope very quickly.

bwaters

Just curious: did you get the Mazda5 at MSRP, above it, or below it?

I'm in the same boat. It would be strange purchasing a 5 for a thousand or two more than a MVP (earlier thread had an MPV at less than 17k). I'm still not interested in the MPV, but this would give my wife more impetus to test drive the MPV along with the 5.

audia8q

Our first one has been released to the trucker and should be here by the end of the week....I'm very excited.

So those of you here in the Northeaset....the wait is almost over. They are shipping from the port.

bjerry

I got it at MSRP, not including the aftermarket leather I ordered. I wouldn't pay a dealer's mark-up. I knew they wouldn't go below MSRP and I wouldn't go above it, so, we're both happy.

charlotte7

That is so ridiculous. I would never, ever pay above MSRP for a car like the 5--a major part of it's appeal for me is the lower price point. If I can get an MPV for 16K, why on earth would I pay 25k for a 5?

:mad: