Rear AC vents and 5 speed auto worth it
I have an 08 5AT and specifically waited to buy an 08 because of these two features. I came very close to buying an 06-07 model.
The extra gear in the transmission makes all the difference, whether your climbing a hill, passing another car, or just cruising in town. The extra gear allows the little engine the could(and usually does) maintain speed with less RPM drop between the gears.
The AC vents in the rear allow me to place the vents up front where I want them(as oppose to having the middle ones shoot air to the back of the van). Also, its cool they incorporated a separate fan control back there. There is simply too much distance for the cool air to travel without the rear vents.
Other benefits to the 08+ include better lighting for the instrument panel, standard auto AC, and the materials feel richer than the 06-07.
One negative is that the 08+ lose the center console cover for both the cup holders and the bin behind it. I liked that feature in my Mazda3.
I have an 08 5AT and specifically waited to buy an 08 because of these two features. I came very close to buying an 06-07 model.
The extra gear in the transmission makes all the difference, whether your climbing a hill, passing another car, or just cruising in town. The extra gear allows the little engine the could(and usually does) maintain speed with less RPM drop between the gears.
The AC vents in the rear allow me to place the vents up front where I want them(as oppose to having the middle ones shoot air to the back of the van). Also, its cool they incorporated a separate fan control back there. There is simply too much distance for the cool air to travel without the rear vents.
Other benefits to the 08+ include better lighting for the instrument panel, standard auto AC, and the materials feel richer than the 06-07.
One negative is that the 08+ lose the center console cover for both the cup holders and the bin behind it. I liked that feature in my Mazda3.
