Mazda5 vs KIA Rondo comparisons and articles (merged)

Otherwise, the Mazda5 will end up like my old Protege5, an extinct species after just a couple years.

I'd think the 5-door Mazda3 was the logical successor to the Protege5. Hooray for the 5-door--I had a 5-door '88 Integra way back when and marveled at its practicality. (Unfortuantely, '99 was a bad year to buy a car if you wanted a 5-door.)
 
15-20K annual units is not enough to justify much marketing expense.

I'm not in the car industry but as on any other business this is a chicken and egg thing. Do you think you have the right product? Take the risk, invest in marketing and sell more. Do you think your product sucks or is not strategic for your business? Let go and focus on your cash cow, let's say Mazda3 and Mazda6 (as mentioned earlier).
 
You guys have short memories.

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123674934

15-20K annual units is not enough to justify much marketing expense.

The last 2 months' sales figures for the Rondo is comparable to Mazda's CX-7 and CX-9 sales figures. Mazda put on ad blitzes for those two models. It's pretty clear that Mazda does not care much for the 5.

Mazda's decision to bring the 5 over to the U.S. was quite influential. Since the arrival of the 5, Kia released the Rondo, Honda decided to bring the Stream, and it may also have convinced Toyota to put a 3rd row in the RAV4.

I really like my Mazda5, I just hope it's not an one-off model.
 
Now, I just remember when I was about to pick up my car. The dealer was selling Mazda and Hyundai (not KIA, but close enough) in the same facility. No offense, but even the showroom was so different from one to another i.e. Mazda had an RX-8 Shinka Special Edition, a 4AT black Mazda5 Touring w/Navigation, a copperish Mazda6 S and a sporty Mazda3 GT Hatchback, all of them Top-Of-The-Line models.

Many auto groups have setups like you described. In case of a customer not qualify for average price/credit vehicle (Mazda) they can refer the customer to lower price/easier credit (Kia/Hyundai).
 
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Many auto groups have setups like you described. In case of a customer not qualify for average price/credit vehicle (Mazda) they can refer the customer to lower price/easier credit (Kia/Hyundai).

Makes sense, business is business (boom07). As a matter of fact they also have KIA, but on different location:

http://www.sussmanauto.com/
 
The last 2 months' sales figures for the Rondo is comparable to Mazda's CX-7 and CX-9 sales figures. Mazda put on ad blitzes for those two models. It's pretty clear that Mazda does not care much for the 5.

Mazda's decision to bring the 5 over to the U.S. was quite influential. Since the arrival of the 5, Kia released the Rondo, Honda decided to bring the Stream, and it may also have convinced Toyota to put a 3rd row in the RAV4.

I really like my Mazda5, I just hope it's not an one-off model.
I will guarantee you that Mazdas sales projections for the CX-7 & 9 are 4 to 5 times lager than the 20K expectation for the 5.

Out of 16.5 Million vehicles sold in the US on an annual basis, 20K is barely worth mentioning (or advertising). Its a low to no risk strategy to placate dealers who lamented the loss of the MPV.

Unless the Honda/Toyota (& not the RAV4) direct competitors set the market ablaze for this type of vehicle, I don't think there will be another version of the 5.
 
I think there's still hope for the Mz5 in NA, but it would require $$$ that Mazda is unlikely to commit, or a tremendous spike in gas prices. Making a Plus One seat that meets USDOT crash requirements would be very useful and the 2nd gen Toyota Highlander and 3rd gen Honda Odyssey have shown how it can be done. ESC isn't cheap but the lack of it is a deal breaker for some people, at least offer it on the top trim level - I would have shelled out the bucks.

For better fuel economy, there's the 2.0 DISI. Finally, Ford has an upcoming 2nd generation hybrid setup which would probably give EPA ratings up in the 34/30 range (Escape/Mariner/Tribute FWD hybrid). Anyone want to pay $26k-$28k for a Mazda5 Hybrid, though?

I thought I saw rumors that the Honda Stream was coming over without its 3rd row, so that makes it a tall station wagon. We'll see how the Toyota crossover does, but the rumor is that it's going to come with the 3.5L V6 only so it won't be in the Mz5's price range.
 
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I was just skimming through this thread and thought I would add my 2 cents.

One thing most of you are not aware of is that ALL of Mazda's Japan factories are running at full capacity. Meaning they couldn't possibly build another 3, 5, CX-9, CX-7, MX-5, RX-8 even if they wanted to. They are scheduled to build "x" amount of Mazda 5's and that's all they can build. They are currently having no problem moving the allotted amount, so that's why no big push on the marketing. I believe the 5 out sells the Rondo in Canada, but if KIa is selling 3000 Rondo's a month in the US Mazda doesn't have the production to touch that. They would have to stop building 3's to build more 5's.
 
One thing most of you are not aware of is that ALL of Mazda's Japan factories are running at full capacity. Meaning they couldn't possibly build another 3, 5, CX-9, CX-7, MX-5, RX-8 even if they wanted to. They are scheduled to build "x" amount of Mazda 5's and that's all they can build. They are currently having no problem moving the allotted amount, so that's why no big push on the marketing. I believe the 5 out sells the Rondo in Canada, but if KIa is selling 3000 Rondo's a month in the US Mazda doesn't have the production to touch that. They would have to stop building 3's to build more 5's.
a) double and triple shift full cap?

b) Roughly 50% of US sales is going to low profit fleet. A better move by Mazda, based on your observations above, is to reduce US Mz5 allocation and increase the Canadian allotment.
 
I was just skimming through this thread and thought I would add my 2 cents.

One thing most of you are not aware of is that ALL of Mazda's Japan factories are running at full capacity. Meaning they couldn't possibly build another 3, 5, CX-9, CX-7, MX-5, RX-8 even if they wanted to. They are scheduled to build "x" amount of Mazda 5's and that's all they can build. They are currently having no problem moving the allotted amount, so that's why no big push on the marketing. I believe the 5 out sells the Rondo in Canada, but if KIa is selling 3000 Rondo's a month in the US Mazda doesn't have the production to touch that. They would have to stop building 3's to build more 5's.

I second that.

Now lets see how many of those so called 3000 per month Rondoo's are still running after 3 yrs on the road.....(gun)
 
a) double and triple shift full cap?

b) Roughly 50% of US sales is going to low profit fleet. A better move by Mazda, based on your observations above, is to reduce US Mz5 allocation and increase the Canadian allotment.

I heard they are paying the big looneys there... ;)

mazda5 is not a critical ingredient of Mazda in NA, so as long as they keep it coming in 5MT, I'll be happy.

Check this out:


Mazda North American Operations said Thursday its October U.S. auto sales rose on higher demand for its Mazda3 and Mazda6 models.

Mazda sold a total of 22,201 vehicles in October, up 17.8 percent from 18,843 in the same month of 2006.


http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/11/01/ap4290940.html
 
558! Woooo!

With those numbers I now feel like driving a hand made limited edition Rolls Royce :D.

I think the fact that many people are waiting for the 2008 model and the 2008 is showing until sometime in Dec (?) is part of this... for example I would not like to get an 07 now (or back in Oct) knowing what the 08 will come with.
 
Well, we just got our 07 a couple weeks ago and I don't regret it. Yes, it would've been nice to wait for the 08 but we saved alot of $$$. Around this time of the year, they always have the best deals so they can clear out for new coming models.

I know I'll end up installing the 08 bumper eventually so.... It'll end up looking like one anyways.... (evil)
 
At the present rate Mazda revises the interior, I won't get a MZ5 until 2010 (7 passenger seating).:rolleyes:

Also at that rate you'll may be the lucky one buying the 7th out of the 10 sold in the US by that year (headshake :D
 
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