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Comments
"and can't understand why so many reviewers say it's underpowered. "
It isn't just the reviewers, many drivers today are on a power trip worse than what happened just before the 1974 oil crisis. Seems like today no one is satisfied unless they have at least 300 HP under the hood. I had a 1988 MX-6 with the 3-valve 4 cylinder engine and it put out approx. 122 HP and I and everyone who rode in it felt it had more than enough power. And we now have a Toyota Matrix with 130 HP that is just fine as a utility type vehicle. Won't win any drag races although when it is empty it can leave a few cars behind from a light.
I also drive a 5 year old E-class MB with the 3.2 liter 220 HP engine and if I had any more power on a a daily basis than that, I would be in serious danger of causing harm to myself or others. And that is a pretty heavy car..! I drove a MB SL500 with 305 HP a year ago and it has way too much power for people who don't know how to handle a car.
This power race is insane and the extra oil needed to produce the gas for these ravenous engines is not helping with the goal of reducing how much oil we import.
Bottgers and others: Take an extended test drive and try some hilly roads and on-ramps and then judge for yourself whether the engine in the "5" is good enough for what you NEED. More folks ought to think about how much power they NEED..
Off the soapbox..
I also wonder whether the people saying there is not much
power in passing are down-shifting.
They are right, going up a steep hill in 4th the 5 starts to
decelerate quickly. But then I find that if I manually down
shift to 3 the car can easily accelerate up that steep hill.
Nevertheless, I do know how to compute more accurate fuel economy, and the BEST MPG I calculated from my 5 was definitely 32.30. I had 420 miles on my 5, from a long highway trip, and the gas tank was empty (light on and everything, but still could have gone further if I wanted to risk it). I filled up with 13 gallons and this would give me 32.30 MPG. STILL pretty darned good and better than any MPV - and not THAT far from 35MPG.
Thanks.
I think the Kia Rondo gets 29hwy with its 4cyl. That's more like it. Mazda... good job, room for improvement.
I bought a 5 despite the relatively poor "official"
fuel economy.
I bought the 5 because people who owned Odyssey's
and Seinna were posting attrocious actual mpg
results of city (under 15) highway (high teens)
(see various forums).
For the 5 I found people were getting close to
the offical numbers and often better (see sub-forum
at edmunds)
I've driven 2500 miles and check my fuel consumption
carefully. In that times, I've never gotten below 20 mpg
and on pure highway driving (at high speeds 70mph)
I do get around 26-28 mpg.
People have reported higher than than when driving at
55 mph.
So the take home message is, do not rely on official
consumption numbers. Check what people are actually
getting. Maybe the Rondo in practise gets 35 mpg ...
consumption numbers. Check what people are actually
getting.
--------------------------------
I understand what you're saying and you're probably right. But it's very difficult to go by the mpg reported by individuals. It could be anywhere from 15 to 40. We need a reliable mpg system that is accurate. Maybe the new one will be.
When the EPA rates a 4300lb vehicle with 250hp and a 3300lb vehicle with 157hp only a mile or two apart, something is askew. The lighter vehicle should get at least 5mpg better. To make the sacrifice in size and power worthwhile.
As you say, maybe the fault isn't with the vehicle or its designers but with the EPA system. Because if the Mazda5 really is getting 28hwy while the Odyssey and Sienna are getting 20, that's acceptable. But it's too bad the EPA figures don't reflect that difference.
So on the highway, I'll get about 25mpg driving in the low 70s MPH with the Freestyle, and about 36mpg. If I keep the speed between 65-70 MPH, I'll get about 26mpg with the Freestyle and about 38mpg with the Fit. And around town I'll get in the low 20s mpg with the Freestyle and in the low 30s mpg with the Fit.
So based on the vehicle sizes, the 45% difference makes sense to me. Now something like a Mazda5 or Rondo are in between the Freestyle and Fit in size, so I would think that something of these sizes should be able to get at least what my Freestyle is getting, but I'd hope for something higher.
But that assumes that vehicle weight is the prime factor with mpg, but it isn't. Look at the tiny Chevy Aevo, which gets really poor MPG, so I think poor engine/transmission design will create poor MPG regardless of vehicle size. Mazda's in general have poorer MPG versus their rivals. Look at the Mazda3 mpg versus a Civic or Corolla. But then Mazda tunes their engine/tranny for performance vs MPG. And the Rondo poor MPG may just be because of a old engine/transmission design.
The Mazda Club Chat is on tonight. The chat room opens at 8:45PM ET Hope to see YOU there! Check out the schedule
OK, here's a real world example of upside down numbers..
I have a 2003 Toyota Matrix XR w/auto and on the highway it does no better than 26-27 mpg.. I also have a 2001 Mercedes E320 that on the highway delivers 28-29 mpg.
The MB is 220 HP and 4000+ pounds vs. the Matrix at 130 HP and less than 3000 pounds..
So much for the 5 mpg MORE !!!
Go figure...!
I am convinced that Toyota fudges their numbers a LOT... I even took it back to the dealer complaining of the poor economy and they returned it after testing stating it was fine and giving 31 mpg...!! Maybe going downhill with the engine off..!!
I have a friend with a Prius that gets around 40 mpg highway where they advertise 50 mpg !!!
Keep in mind that the car companies do the testing, not the EPA. The testing procedure is defined by the EPA but they let the companies do the testing..
Who do YOU trust ??
I love my Mazda5 for how quick it is off the mark.
I especially appreciate this after driving a Chrysler
PT cruiser and a Hyundai mid-size (can't forget the name).
Both these cars really struggle when taking of at
a traffic light, but my Mazda5 zips off.
HOWEVER, both these other cars cruise at 70mph at
about 2400 RPM but my auto Mazda5 does 70mph
at 3000 RPM.
Are the two connected? I think the Mazda5 gets not
great fuel economy perhaps because the engine works
harder to get to 70mph
Plus larger engines run at much lower RPMs on the highway, which equals less gas usage. Think about it. If you have a V-8 with twice the engine size of a 4cyl but the 4cyl is going 3200rpm vs the V-8 going 1600 rpm to keep the speed at 60mph for example, which would get the better mpg?
A v-8 does not necessarily run at half the rpm of a 4-cyl engine for a given speed. That is determined by the overall drive train ratio for that particular car. Both the V8 and the 4 cylinder may be loafing at 70 mph if they are lightly loaded, such as no passengers, no luggage, etc.. Other factors come into play at the hi-way speeds; tire pressure, wind resistance, etc..
Food for thought............
------------------------------------
IMO, every vehicle should offer an economy model and a performance model. For the Mazda5, that could mean the option of a turbo or a small V6. 200hp in a Mazda5 turbo would be very interesting. I believe Mazda should offer that option because many people like you are concerned that the 2.3 4cyl isn't enough for a vehicle weighing 3400 pounds and might be carrying 6 people.
Question: I've seen others talk a bit about roof racks, but has anyone tried the dealer installed roof rack? Do people like them. From the pictures, I wasn't too thrilled with the location, given the fact that their fixed. Wish one could have greater distance between the two bars. I ask because I haul a 17' kayak.
I know Yakima makes a custom kit, but I've heard that it rubs the paint off the rear doors or something to that effect.
I wish they made the 5 with roof rails so that you could add your own Thule or Yakima cross bars. Both the Odyssey Sienna and Freestyle (among others) offer them. Yes, it might hurt the 5's good looks, but it is still a mini-minivan and not a Miata.
Any thoughts.
And no, I didn't feel it was underpowered on the highway. Of course with 4 of my larger friends onboard.....
Thanks!!!!
Citroen has the Picasso also...
Seems the M5 isn't exactly the nicest place to spend time in if you intend to breathe. I bought mine to carry a couple of new babies in. Now what? Thanks Mazda, for using all those toxic flame-retardants. At least I didn't buy a Scion xB, which scores the worst.
Look elsewhere on that site for explanations of what the chemicals are, what they do to you and how they break down. If I keep the car, I'm thinking of getting it tinted and using a windshield reflector to keep the heat down. In the meantime, you'll see me with all the windows open....
:sick:
http://media.ford.com/mazda/article_display.cfm?article_id=26425&make_id=227
2008 MAZDA VEHICLES AT A GLANCE
MAZDA5
Introduced in 2006, The MAZDA5 is a three-row, six-passenger multi-activity vehicle infused with sports car inspiration that efficiently transports people and equipment like a large SUV. MAZDA5 demonstrates Mazda’s infusion of stylish, insightful and spirited vehicles. The 2008 MAZDA5 adds a freshened exterior design, five-speed automatic transmission, rear cool air vents, improved gas mileage, arm rests, standard auxiliary audio input jack, and new interior and exterior colors.
The MAZDA5 is powered by an all-aluminum 2.3-liter, four-cylinder MZR series engine, producing 153 horsepower and 148 lb-ft of torque, shared with the popular MAZDA3. Inside, the MAZDA5 offers a flexible seating arrangement and a flowing wedge-shaped body with solid proportions, defining the vehicle as unmistakably Mazda. The MAZDA5’s large sliding doors and low floor allow for fluid ingress and egress, and a one-touch walk-in mechanism offers easy access to the third-row seats. Pricing for the 2008 MAZDA5 will be announced at a later date.
New or enhanced for 2008:
* Freshened exterior design
* Five-speed automatic transmission
* Rear cool air vents
* Improved gas mileage
* Arm rests
* Standard auxiliary audio input jack
* LED taillights (Touring and Grand Touring)
* New exterior colors – Copper Red, Golden Sand, Stormy Blue, Sunlight Silver, Crystal White Pearl
* Two new interior colors – Black or Sand
o cloth seat upholstery (Sport and Touring)
o leather seat upholstery (Grand Touring)
In addition, all 2008 MAZDA5 Grand Touring models will be equipped with standard:
* Security alarm
* Bluetooth hands-free phone system
* Auto on/off headlights
* Heated door mirrors
* Rain-sensing wipers
For 800 units/month it's not worth even bringing a '08 model. (Yes, of course Rondo is partially behind it, just like the managers in Mazda USA, who can't respond adequately)
Plus: There is a lot more people room in a M5 then there is in a M3.
Mazda Awarded First Place in Auto Bild Magazine’s “Quality Report” for the Third Year Running
HIROSHIMA, Japan— Auto Bild, Germany’s largest car magazine, has ranked Mazda in first place in its highly respected “Quality Report” for 2007, which was published on June 8. This was the third straight year that Mazda has been awarded first place in this annual report.
Here is an old site with some data I saw once:
http://media.ford.com/mazda/article_display.cfm?article_id=21731
Does anyone know if there will be changes to the condenser and compressor to make the system more powerful? I'm not sure that just adding more vents without the system having the capacity to push more cold air will be a big help.
By the time the 2008's come out, the weather will be cool and no one will be able to give the A/C a sufficient test for effectiveness on their test drives.
half of the sales a year/month earlier. Rondo is definitely eating it's share instead of creating a new market with joint efforts.
Before, and after, buying it I've seen some of the TV ads (Was it the Winter Olympics?) in the US and in Canada.
Here are some I remember. Note: Some findings are credit to some of the folks from a Non-Edmunds forum...
Old model:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_uz8VO08Rg
New model:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWHExiLhqWA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3BcFb_wJsc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14rMZbbHPIE
New model Asia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwH2X31Cpbk
Then we saw the MAZDA5 in the show room. And we went for it.
Grand Touring Station Wagon
(2.3L 4cyl 5-speed automatic)
$21,500 $20,117
Sport Station Wagon
(2.3L 4cyl 5-speed manual)
$17,735 $16,606
Sport Station Wagon
(2.3L 4cyl 5-speed automatic)
$17,735 $16,606
Touring Station Wagon
(2.3L 4cyl 5-speed automatic)
$19,350 $18,112
Touring Station Wagon
(2.3L 4cyl 5-speed manual)
$19,350 $18,112
Source
http://www.premacy.mazda.co.jp
or
http://www.premacy.mazda.co.jp/narrowband/