July 2008 Business Week Reviewing the Mazda5

[remarquian]

Overall favorable, but they don't get the Zoom-Zoom in the 5.

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/jul2008/bw20080711_125369.htm

 

[skyhawk]

as per the review :.."The Mazda5's third row is mainly for children, and with it in place there's virtually no space in back for luggage. If you're planning a long trip with more than two kids, chances are you're going to have to buy a roof rack to accommodate everyone's baggage.."

I disagree with the above. During our trip via I-15 from coutts alberta all the way to S. Diego, the wife and our 10yr-old were in the third row. No complaint of back ache or discomfort. In fact they could stretch their legs towards the middle above the 2nd row tray. lolz.

I was considering a roof rack. But knowing my family, we could have filled the roof rack, and they will still decide to cram every space available in the MZ5 with additional stuff. Plus the owner's manual did mention about maximum weight allowable for the MAZda5.

 

[AO928]

I just read the article, and thought of it mostly as a back handed compliment with a strong caveat to check out the Kia Rondo, which if you ask me is BUTT UGLY!

 

[coolmazda5]

No Zoom-Zoom? (sad2). I've rented a lot of cars (sedans, SUVs) and in comparison the MZ5 is not a sports car, but has very decent zoom-zoom (and it is not just a 500HP engine what makes a car zoom-zoom IMO)

 

[coolmazda5]

Kia Rondo, which if you ask me is BUTT UGLY!

Agree, very similar people mover functionality, but no sliding doors and ugly as sin . but not too discredit, better A/C, V6 option and synthetic looking leather seats if you are into that bug.

 

[fam]

AC is soo incredibly weak on all the mazdas ive owned (2 3's and 2 5's)
Since ford is stealing your 6 chassis for all its american cars, cant you steal a ford AC.
My mustang's and even my old 88tbird AC's would condense water on the interior vents it got so cold. Amazing.

 

[skyhawk]

The Mz5 is a zoom-zoom vehicle. Proof of that is I often forget there is a baby amongst my passenger. I tended to tag-along with trucks, suvs, the big ones.. going downhills in winding roads, with the gps beeping the 'over the speed limit warning'. Then I come to my senses and face reality that there are 6 of us in the car which is 4 cyl. 2.3 vehicle. So I let go of the fast lane and drive at 'minimum zoom-zoom level' that's still enjoyable.

 

[AIMWO4]

He's a moron. Got stuck... LOL

Did he drive a stick or auto? I live in Colorado, drive a 2007 MT (Sport), and have no problem in the snow. It must be my tires. The 5 isn't really a minivan anyway. It compares more to a wagon with sliding doors. I doubt many people with larger minivans actually have adults sitting in the 3rd rows either. The 3rd row is for kids in most every minivan. What's wrong with adding a cargo box for $7K less than paying for a larger gas guzzler? And... How many miles did his test drive model have on it? I get about 25-26 MPG in mixed driving. I get over 30 MPG on the highway. I say go buy something else made in Korea or the US. We all know they'll last longer than anything assembled in Japan. Let me be one of the few 5 owners.

 

[themagni]

Agree, very similar people mover functionality, but no sliding doors and ugly as sin . but not too discredit, better A/C, V6 option and synthetic looking leather seats if you are into that bug.

If you have carseats in the middle row, it is physically impossible to enter the back row of a Rondo. This means you can put your carseats in the back and have to move them to put anything in the back, or you can put your carseats in the middle and have to move them to get to the back row.

On the 5, we keep the carseats in the middle and we can still have people sit in the back row without moving the carseats around.

We checked out the Rondo while deciding on our 5; we didn't even bother taking the Kia for a test drive.

 

[twentysixtwo]

Whatta freaking moron. Writers like this are why we're in such a mess in the US on fuel consumption. First off, the US spec gets 0-60 in the low 9 seconds, not ten plus. In Europe the two gas engines are 1.8L and 2.0L which get (on the Euro drive cycle) 30 and 31 average miles per gallon! the 2.3 getting 24 average (on the US drive cycle) suddenly looks like a lot thirstier.

 

[rweatherford]

If you have carseats in the middle row, it is physically impossible to enter the back row of a Rondo. This means you can put your carseats in the back and have to move them to put anything in the back, or you can put your carseats in the middle and have to move them to get to the back row.

On the 5, we keep the carseats in the middle and we can still have people sit in the back row without moving the carseats around.

We checked out the Rondo while deciding on our 5; we didn't even bother taking the Kia for a test drive.

+1 !!!!!!!(boom06)