Debating - Mazda5 or Mazda3

[kevinmoose]

New to the forum - lots of good info here. I came by because I've been researching the Mazda 5 as a replacement for my Odyssey which is great, but too big and thirsty. We have 2 kids and do take road trips, but we also own a Mercedes B200 which is more than adequate for that purpose with good cargo room and 2+3 seating. The B200 is considered a mini MPV in Europe and competes directly with the Mazda5, Ford C Max, etc in its more basic forms.

Anyway, drove a 5 stick shift and liked it - but didn't love it. The salesman said "why not try the Mazda3 Sport"? So I did. Loved it. Was willing to buy on the spot, but needed to think.

So, besides the obvious (6 pass vs 5 pass) does the 5 really have a huge advantage? I'm thinking I would like owning the 3 more, but would possibly regret the cargo room of the 5...but seriously it doesn't seem a whole lot different. The handicap of the 5, as far as I can see, is that if you want to carry anything more than a bag of groceries you can only take 4 people along for the ride. My B200 can handle (officially) 570L of cargo and 5 people, similar to an older CRV/RAV4, where officially the 5 can only handle 425L of cargo and 4 people. Apparently the 3 can handle 450L and 5 people...

Any advice as to how versatile you find the 5 is helpful. Real World MPGs aren't too great in the 5 compared to the 3 either, but that could be the 2.3 vs 2.5 engine.

 

[M3SPT]

Anyway, drove a 5 stick shift and liked it - but didn't love it.

4 years ago I was in the same situation. Felt the same about the 5 as you do and ended up with the Mazda3 Sport.

So, besides the obvious (6 pass vs 5 pass) does the 5 really have a huge advantage?

That is your big difference. Fast forward 4 years and we now have a Mazda 5. With the arrival of a 3rd child, the 3 just couldn't do everything we need it to from a cargo/passenger standpoint.

I will say that the 3 Sport is very flexible and you can fit a surprising amount in one. 8 ft ladder for example... with only 2 occupants though

Any advice as to how versatile you find the 5 is helpful. Real World MPGs aren't too great in the 5 compared to the 3 either, but that could be the 2.3 vs 2.5 engine.

A big difference between the 2 is how much my older 2 children LOVE the 5. They hop in, pick a seat and we are on our way. They see out better and I get fewer "are we there yet?" calls from the back. The 5 does eat more gas in similar driving conditions - but it is heavier and punches a bigger hole in the air. Still better than the other minivans I looked at.

Hope this helps.

 

[fam]

Ive owned 3 5's and 3 3's. lol...its true. Bought the S HB new in 04, wife leased an 05 i sedan, had a baby, stuck in lease, bought a new 5 and took a beating in trading in my 5 in 2005, her lease was up, bought a 5 for me, then bought an 08 5 for her, now got rid of my 5 (60k miles) and got a 2008 S touring HB off a good deal.

Honestly, I always missed my 3 Hatch while driving the 5. The 5 sits up higher than the 3. Its sluggish compared to the 3. Cargo in the 5 is considerably better with the back seats down, you can do a lot, with the mid row down, it served as my truck. 3 Hatch can haul some things but the 5 has stadium seating, but with 6 people you have NO storage, one soft duffle bag might fit behind that seat with it up.

It depends on your life style. If you have 2 kids and they are in boosters or child seats...the 5 is a must, if they are out of kids seats, get the 3. If you want to use it sometimes as a truck, or for camping, get the 5. If you want to still feel like youre driving a cool car and want something zippy get the 3. I have both (wife has the 08 5, and I have the 08 3 after a 5 year absense).


Honestly I missed that 3 S hb. Its the closest thing to a practical family sports car I can afford.

I averaged 27mpg per tank on my mostly hwy commute in the 2006 5 (4 speed not 5 speed auto), wife's can get 31-32 on hwy, but her commute is all city and she drives like a woman and gets 19-21mpg. The new 3 I literally just got so I dont know, but my 04 (4 speed auto) averaged 29, 08+ should be 30-32 hwy.


It all depends on your situation with family, what IS your situation?

 

[kevinmoose]

It all depends on your situation with family, what IS your situation?

2 kids, aged 3 and 6. Had the Big V so no more (nana)

Just not sure - the Mercedes should be large enough for virtually all family applications, but the 5 "seems" bigger although the stats show otherwise. However, you know what they say about statistics.....

 

[fam]

B200 looks to be about 8" to a foot shorter in the back. (1/3 meter?) Other than that dimensionally looks similar. I would go for fun personally. Your kids are getting to the age where you dont need sliding doors to buckle them in, you want your balls back and you already have something so close in size. Id get the 3 unless you see yourself needing a hair more room in the trunk (boot as you guys probably call it).

I need to get the big V...but..Im scared...and dont want a doctor touching my squirrel sized junk.

 

[mars1100]

Ahhh!! the big V.
at least they don't sit you naked on a stainless steel table anymore.

 

[fam]

I need to schedule it it but the bags of frozen peas arent on sale yet. Im finding any excuse although I know I dont want to see another baby as long as I live unless I can return it after a few minutes.

Did a super model perform yours?

 

[AIMWO4]

If you are going to use the Mazda for grocery runs, get a 5. If not, get a 3. I have 3 kids and still manage to somehow fit a cart full of Costco groceries in my 5.

 

[x10dude]

From your description, my advice is get the 3. With your Mercedes B200 it sounds like you already have the "cargo haulin'" need fulfilled. With the Mazda 3 you'll have the "fun to drive" need fulfilled. The Mazda5 is fun to drive compared to a big minivan but it's not that fun compared to the 3.

If you bought the 5 you'll probably always think about "what if..."

 

[fam]

its unanimous, the weirdos on the internetz are telling you to buy the 3.

 

[Heat]

You already have a 5-seater, you need something that can hold at least six. What the Mazda5 is good for is when your kids are a little older and go someplace with friends, or say you have a friend and one kid with the four in your family. The sixth seat won't get used all the time but it will get used. Also, the seats fold down individually so if there are only four or five people in the Mazda5 you have plenty of interior cargo room.

Or stay with the Odyssey for another 18 months and see what the Ford C-Max looks like.

 

[coolmazda5]

Don't you still need a car seat and a booster seat? Have you checked the space in the back seat?

Anyway, if you already have a long trip/permanent family hauler and the new Mazda is not needed for that on a daily basis (like me, I need to share kids' chores with wife so we need the same car-seat configuration/space/etc.)) then a 3 is OK. I have 2 kids on car seats...

 

[fam]

We scared him off. ;-) Then again, its Friday night over there so he's probably in the club getting tipsy.

 

[Mazda5wannabe]

Had I not had two 6' teenagers in the house, I would have gone for the 3 Sport, but the 5 has better 2nd row seating space and a higher profile. Folding the boy/men into the rear seat of a 3 seemed cruel when I tried it. We are all happy with the 5, even though we mostly use it as a 4 passenger vehicle.

 

[DynoBunny]

I want to get a 5, I have a ms3 and I had a 5 for a month and loved it. It was just a fun car, I think because it's a mini mini van, I didn't expect it to have a sporty feel to it, buy I loved tossing that thing around the back roads on the way to work. I like the double door design, it was so easy to load things in and out, my daughter loved it, and the interior design was laid out very well. I get things done in my ms3 but I wouldn't mind having a 5. I only have 1 kid, so I don't even need the extra seating :lol:

 

[coolmazda5]

I want to get a 5, I have a ms3 and I had a 5 for a month and loved it.

I can trade you one of mine for that MS3, screw the cramped space for the kids

 

[kevinmoose]

We scared him off. ;-) Then again, its Friday night over there so he's probably in the club getting tipsy.

No - just working away. Over where? I live in Toronto! (So I know how far 8" is...that's what she said)

I guess the B class Merc probably confused the American members - we have them in Canada (14000 of them apparently since 2006) but they are not sold in the states. Besides, if I lived in Europe I'd get the Diesel version of the 5 and enjoy 50+ MPG.

But yeah, I do call the back of the car the "boot". "Trunk" seems so...giant 1970s Cadillac to me.

No, the Odyssey is the same Alabama built, torque converter destroying, power steering pump eating gas pig that is sold south of the border. Worst purchase i ever made and is driving me away from a long relationship with Honda (the B200 was the first step, this car is the next)

I think the "3" is the way to go. Thanks for the input - it seems like basically a wash between the two on all fronts, so may as well grow the balls back (since they are just there for decoration anyway.

Good forum. Way better than all the whining and moaning on the Odyssey forums. Reminds me of Benzworld - lots of enthusiasts.

 

[fam]

Yeah we are enthusiasts, we have good brand loyalty but thats because the product has been worthy of it. I was originally a mustang guy most of my life...but life happened I moved up to O friggin Hio right at the michigan border and needed a second car to do winters (bought a cheap focus zx3 hatch), and from there the mazda3 hatch was like a combination of both for me. If I was rich all I would have are 3 cars in my garage (new mazdaspeed3 for daily driver, 67gt500 fastback elanore clone, and a new gt500.....hmmm....maybe 4..and maybe a road race rx8 for track driving ;-).


If you can grab a mazdaspeed3 hit one up (ive found low mileage in 08's for high 15's low 16's around here). Or even better if youre buying new.

Good luck. 3's are fun. If they ever make a mazdaspeed5 that could be worth a look to fuel both fires.

 

[thaxman]

Good forum. Way better than all the whining and moaning on the Odyssey forums. Reminds me of Benzworld - lots of enthusiasts.

Back when I thought I had to bite the bullet and emasculate myself w/a van purchase, I would only accept the 99-04 Odyssey as it was the least van-looking of the group. Thankfully their forums woke me up to their bad trannies, so I started doing impropmtu quizzes of Odyssey owners at the fuel pump. It was 50/50 as to who had already been through at least 1 trans, so I said the probability was too high & got a mini-mini-van w/a clutch instead! This thing is cool enough to not have to check for my sack every time I get in the driver's seat.(boom05)

 

[DynoBunny]

I too have strayed from the Honda world, after owning a Mazda I'll never go back. I have one Integra left in the driveway, however I don't think that one is going anywhere soon.