Subaru vs. Mazda

[jthj]

Upshifts are slower than dsg but down is faster I think in practice.

 

[GJ-Molestor]

I run snow tires because they give me more control of the car. I don't see that as a bad thing.

my thoughts exactly. this guy thinks im a snow tire vendor or something. if you can't or don't want to afford winter safety and don't give a s*** about others around you, take the damn bus!

Upshifts are slower than dsg but down is faster I think in practice.

shifting up and down is still plenty impressive for a conventional automatic. the downshifts i find are responsive and beautifully rev matched.

 

[jthj]

Yea upshifts aren’t slow. I’d say this is the only planetary auto (non DCT) I’ve experienced that maintains the connected feel.

 

[GJ-Molestor]

Yea upshifts aren’t slow. I’d say this is the only planetary auto (non DCT) I’ve experienced that maintains the connected feel.

I am also a huge fan of BMW's ZF. it is tuned kind of similarly to mazda's where its very smooth and lazy driving around normally, but as soon as you punch the throttle the transmission immediately firms up and becomes extremely responsive.

ultimately, it is tuned a little better then Mazda's, but the one thing I will give the mazda is that those random downshifts I demand by stabbing the throttle out of nowhere while cruising, the 8 speed sometimes stumbles. it just wants to cruise in top gear, the transmission map is extremely conservative unless you are thoroughly confident with how much throttle you want. the Mazda will pause for a second in case you get back onto the throttle because it's a 4 cylinder.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

if you can't or don't want to afford winter safety and don't give a s*** about others around you, take the damn bus!

LOL, you love making these blanket statements.

To me, a couple/few times a year I might have to drive in snow, not worth it. The situations you described in other posts? I don't drive in a way where I end up in situations where I have to make sudden movements or crap like that in the snow. My current tires? No problems with slipping, braking, etc. None. 5 years now.

But go ahead and keep telling me I am somehow not giving a s*** about safety (says the guy who doesn't do a check before changing lanes). (lol2)

 

[jthj]

It also helps for when the roads just cold. In my area main roads get cleared but side roads are sketchy. It’s also worth noting all seasons are not all created equally. Some are scary in winter and some are decent. And I’ve managed many winters on all seasons too. There are some guys in the local ST group that keep the summer tires on and that’s bat s*** crazy imo lol

 

[Xeler8ing]

I guess I feel like I have more control by just putting it into the right gear and keeping it there vs using inputs from the brake or accelerator to get the transmission to shift. Its definitely not a dimwited auto though and does do a decent job on its own.

The transmission is quite smart based on my own driving experience not to mention the reviews here

 

[jthj]

I do like how when you get aggressive it adjusts and starts holding gears vs constant up/down.

 

[Xeler8ing]

(iagree)

 

[GJ-Molestor]

LOL, you love making these blanket statements.

To me, a couple/few times a year I might have to drive in snow, not worth it. The situations you described in other posts? I don't drive in a way where I end up in situations where I have to make sudden movements or crap like that in the snow. My current tires? No problems with slipping, braking, etc. None. 5 years now.

But go ahead and keep telling me I am somehow not giving a s*** about safety (says the guy who doesn't do a check before changing lanes). (lol2)

Im sorry, I mustve forgotten that everyone on this forum lives in god damn Colorado or something...

You cant possibly be serious when you proudly tell everyone that youve gotten by for years without the need for winter tires. For the longest time I wouldve agreed wth you, until I actually put winter tires on my car and tried it out. Ultimately, it depends on where you live but if it snows lots at once or more then just a few times per season, youd be silly not to buy the correct tires given said climate. Literally the only argument that youve made is I live in Colorado so I just get by with AWD and driving 20km/h the few times it does snow and I agree with you, but you cant be saying that to everyone as if they live in Colorado with you! Some people actually NEED winter tires and wont get by without them, like just about Everywhere in Canada. Im not buying it man. Theres absolutely no reasonable argument you can make to deter people from being safe and doing the right thing if they live in a snowbelt state.

By the way, that one time I had to swerve around a car I was driving 40-50km/h max like any normal person would be driving in a 60 zone with traffic - and this is not the first time that these winter tires helped me avoid an accident in the snow. Some idiot thought he could outrun me by making a right turn onto the street Im driving on but his tires just spun uselessly and he sat there blocking my way as I crossed the intersection. It was very unlikely I could have stopped in time and even if I did, there were cars behind me so I did a little drift around him. Dont just assume youre going to get away with all seasons every single winter, because no matter how careful and safely youre driving sometimes its the people around you that will make a stupid mistake. This is self explanatory dude..

 

[TinyTires]

GJ-Molester - I just posted a new topic: ALL SEASON vs WINTER TIRES. Go park it there!

 

[GJ-Molestor]

I do like how when you get aggressive it adjusts and starts holding gears vs constant up/down.

agreed, i find the transmission tuning is excellent with the newer models and the gearing is very well tuned. first gear is short on these cars which really helps get the car going off the line in comparison to a camry/older CVT accord. the first 3 gears of the transmission are short, peppy and well calibrated for passing in the city with the very immediate torque delivery of the 2.5L. you will always find the right gear for the situation you're in and the drivetrain just loves what it's doing, emitting a lovely sound with very sharp throttle response and linear torque as you get into the powerband. you get the feeling that this vehicle was bullt by some extremely passionate engineers focusing on a harmonious driving experience between the driver and all of the various workings of the vehicle connected together as one. sure some stiffer suspension would help and the stock differential on all FWD mazda's with the 2.5L is not well engineered for aggressive on-throttle cornering, but everything is well tuned together for spirited daily driving, even if you are trying to pass and get somewhere quickly.

lastly, I can't help but gush over the brilliant chassis in the cx-5/mazda 6, which is admittedly outdated but still very competitive and offers a fantastic blend of straight-line stability blended with very direct and responsive cornering prowess. it's stable and compliant, yet extremely communicative and responsive when you need it to be - a paradoxical blend of two incompatible traits reminiscent of a fine BMW chassis. the mazda 6 feels eerily similar to a previous gen e90 3 series in this regard. I just absolutely love how Mazda tuned the suspension to be agile below highway speeds yet firm and stable on the highway. mercedes for example, feels sluggish and improperly damped unless you are attacking corners going 80km/h+,

my main point about these cars is how mazda blended two seemingly incompatible opposites- sport and handling with efficiency and comfort so perfectly, these cars like the mazda 6, cx5, cx-9 seem to fill a very satisfying gap for some buyers where they have the money to afford a much more luxurious vehicle, but can't justify spending the extra money and settle with the sensible fun mazda instead.

GJ-Molester - I just posted a new topic: ALL SEASON vs WINTER TIRES. Go park it there!

no thanks dude.

 

[ColoradoDriver]

I’m sorry, I must’ve forgotten that everyone on this forum lives in god damn Colorado or something...

You can’t possibly be serious when you proudly tell everyone that you’ve gotten by for years without the need for winter tires. For the longest time I would’ve agreed wth you, until I actually put winter tires on my car and tried it out. Ultimately, it depends on where you live but if it snows lots at once or more then just a few times per season, you’d be silly not to buy the correct tires given said climate. Literally the only argument that you’ve made is “I live in Colorado so I just get by with AWD and driving 20km/h the few times it does snow” and I agree with you, but you can’t be saying that to everyone as if they live in Colorado with you! Some people actually NEED winter tires and won’t get by without them, like just about Everywhere in Canada. I’m not buying it man. There’s absolutely no reasonable argument you can make to deter people from being safe and doing the right thing if they live in a snowbelt state.

By the way, that one time I had to swerve around a car I was driving 40-50km/h max like any normal person would be driving in a 60 zone with traffic - and this is not the first time that these winter tires helped me avoid an accident in the snow. Some idiot thought he could outrun me by making a right turn onto the street Im driving on but his tires just spun uselessly and he sat there blocking my way as I crossed the intersection. It was very unlikely I could have stopped in time and even if I did, there were cars behind me so I did a little drift around him. Don’t just assume you’re going to get away with all seasons every single winter, because no matter how careful and safely you’re driving sometimes it’s the people around you that will make a stupid mistake. This is self explanatory dude..

Lol. You say not everyone lives in Colorado (Denver specifically), and then continue to make blanket statements.

I have never discounted winter tires use in any of my posts. I have simply defended myself when you insinuated I was somehow putting others at risk. I have not.

I have already stated multiple times there are situations I would have liked them. One being if I still lived in the mountains. The other being last year. Last year in fact, I had to make a road trip to San Francisco and back....in January. Was unemployed for 5 months at the time, soon to start a job in 2 weeks but even so couldn't spring for snow tires. Even so, some common sense driving, not speeding like a demon, I did not slip even once or have problems braking when I needed to in the heavy, heavy snow west of Reno on I-80 around lake Tahoe, or on the way back through snow in Wyoming. Damn impressed with the tires I have and how well they have done for being all seasons.

That alone was the one situation I wanted snows, couldn't get them, and was otherwise just fine on these.

I know how to drive treacherous conditions. It's what I learned where I lived for 14 years at 9000 ft up in the mountains at the base of several 13 - 14er mountains. I know what I am doing. And if I am ever in those situations again (up in the mountains, road trip in the dead of winter) damn straight I'll be getting some.

Just down here in the city? Useless expense.

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

Im sorry, I mustve forgotten that everyone on this forum lives in god damn Colorado or something...

You cant possibly be serious when you proudly tell everyone that youve gotten by for years without the need for winter tires. For the longest time I wouldve agreed wth you, until I actually put winter tires on my car and tried it out. Ultimately, it depends on where you live but if it snows lots at once or more then just a few times per season, youd be silly not to buy the correct tires given said climate. Literally the only argument that youve made is I live in Colorado so I just get by with AWD and driving 20km/h the few times it does snow and I agree with you, but you cant be saying that to everyone as if they live in Colorado with you! Some people actually NEED winter tires and wont get by without them, like just about Everywhere in Canada. Im not buying it man. Theres absolutely no reasonable argument you can make to deter people from being safe and doing the right thing if they live in a snowbelt state.

By the way, that one time I had to swerve around a car I was driving 40-50km/h max like any normal person would be driving in a 60 zone with traffic - and this is not the first time that these winter tires helped me avoid an accident in the snow. Some idiot thought he could outrun me by making a right turn onto the street Im driving on but his tires just spun uselessly and he sat there blocking my way as I crossed the intersection. It was very unlikely I could have stopped in time and even if I did, there were cars behind me so I did a little drift around him. Dont just assume youre going to get away with all seasons every single winter, because no matter how careful and safely youre driving sometimes its the people around you that will make a stupid mistake. This is self explanatory dude..

(blah)

 

[Xeler8ing]

(gah) not this again!

 

[Unobtanium]

Yea often downshifting into a corner is done to have better traction at a higher (or current) speed so braking would seem, imo counterintuitive. With the awd at least you can sometimes get better cornering with throttle on in the same gear vs throttle off depending on your speed and how sharp your corner is.

The CX5 is a front-heavy chassis, so your front tires (especially given AWD) are going to determine cornering speed. I will approach an actual 30mph corner at 50-60, hit the brakes, the transmission will upshift, I will enter the corner at around 23-25mph, and then transition to the gas. Exit the corner at 30mph. I find this works plenty well.

I just don't get the "I don't have time to hit the gas, so I like to fumble around for a little switch and then hit the gas, so fast!" crowd, lol

 

[Xeler8ing]

The CX5 is a front-heavy chassis, so your front tires (especially given AWD) are going to determine cornering speed. I will approach an actual 30mph corner at 50-60, hit the brakes, the transmission will upshift, I will enter the corner at around 23-25mph, and then transition to the gas. Exit the corner at 30mph. I find this works plenty well.

I just don't get the "I don't have time to hit the gas, so I like to fumble around for a little switch and then hit the gas, so fast!" crowd, lol

The switch speeds up the response time. Hitting the gas by itself does a good enough job but the switch makes it even better. If it wasn't needed, it wouldn't be there

 

[jthj]

Plus once you’re familiar you don’t have to fumble. You downshift before so that when you hit the gas it’s more instant and you have more precise control. In my opinion anyway. My other car has a manual so there is that too.

 

[7eregrine]

Again, how old are you GJ? Because you sound like a kid. 22? 25?

You can’t possibly be serious when you proudly tell everyone that you’ve gotten by for years without the need for winter tires.

I can't even believe this comment. Not exactly anything worth being proud about but yes, I can tell you I've gotten by in a WORSE climate then you live in with FWD cars and all season tires. It's true! There were even at least 10 years where I got by in Winter with RWD cars! I know, your young mind is probably blown right now because your BMW was such a cow in the winter that it scared you into buying snow tires. But hey man... some of us CAN DRIVE. Sure, RWD living in Cleveland Ohio is no picnic. Sure, I was actually stuck downtown one night because my 1987 Trans Am (with the 5.7 litre detuned Corvette engine *insert Tim Allen growl MAH AAH MAH) couldn't get up any of the downtown on ramps... yea, I literally couldn't get up them...I had to back down. Luckily my job was cool and put me up at Stouffers Hotel or the night... ******* STOUFFERS...a $200/night hotel!...but I digress...
Did I ever wind up in a ditch? In my 1974 Firebird? In my 1987 Trans Am? In my 1982 Firebird? In my 1987 V8 Ford Thunderbird?
No.
Did I ever wind up in a ditch in any of those cars?
No.
Did I ever in any way pose a danger to anyone else?
No.
Did I have issues getting around some times? Sure. But I was smart about it. Maybe I wouldn't go out that night. Maybe I'd wait a few hours for plows to do thier business.

Some people actually NEED winter tires and won’t get by without them, like just about Everywhere in Canada.

Ah bulls***.

I’m not buying it man. There’s absolutely no reasonable argument you can make to deter people from being safe and doing the right thing if they live in a snowbelt state.

bulls***. Have you heard of FWD? Wow what a difference THAT made when I sold the Thunderbird and got a 1994 Saab 900. OH your RWD BMW sucked in winter? Really? I'm shocked by this...
And snow tires are the only answer? Just stop.

By the way, that one time I had to swerve around a car I was driving 40-50km/h max like any normal person would be driving in a 60 zone with traffic - and this is not the first time that these winter tires helped me avoid an accident in the snow.

Ohhhhh, one time. Dude, get over your wonderful self.

 

[jthj]

Can we just be done with this topic already.