July sales way down

[Donas64]

Sub to read at home!

 

[PolarBear]

I think in Canada they sell well. I can judge by financing rates that higher than on Mazda 3. Unfortunately I don't know numbers.

Mazda did mistake not introducing 5 spd auto from the beginning. It's not like it makes a big difference but people see that a lot of 4 cyl cars offer this. The same for MP3 support. EPA mileage doesn't impress either. Rear ducts should be from the beginning as well. My guess that 2008 will sell much better.

Saying that personally I'm still very happy with our choice

 

[coolmazda5]

However, if you look at the Rondo and Mazda5 dollar for dollar and feature for feature you would have to agree that you get more features for your $ with the Rondo. Of course quality with the Kia is always a concern, but today most buyers are looking for 'bang for the buck' as a primary option and quality as a second option especially if leasing a vehicle, and unfortunately the Kia gives them the advantage over the Mazda5. Mazda needs to beef up the options on the '5' and lower their price to better compete with the Kia.

Having said all that I'm a proud Mazda5/Mazda MPV/Mazda323 owner, and I would not buy the Kia, or any Kia for that matter, over a Mazda.

Just my 2c.
Anthony

Mazda in general did not do well:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123678711

I actually want KIA Rondo and Mazda5 models to sell well! Although Rondo looks horrible at least having "2 products to choose from the aisle" can establish better competition and the actual MAV model trend in NA (like in Europe or Asia).

But I agree, I have noticed that Rondo owners to-be don't care about the looks (exterior and interior) or drive-ability as long as it has a V6 or a premium sound. The car can look ugly but hey, it can seat 3 small people in the middle row (sleep).

IMO Mazda owners really enjoy their cars, how they drive and how they are designed, it is not just the functionality factor. I would be depressed knowing that I have to be driving one of those KIA carton milks on wheels for 5-7 years just because the engine is a V6.

And yes, Mazda marketing could do MUCH better. I think they should capitalize more on the fact that once you go Mazda, it is extremely difficult to go back.

 

[Zoom5Zoom]

Yup, here are all of the cars that had the same or bigger percentage declines than the Mazda5 during July 07 [not counting those being phased out by other models (like the replacement of the 500 by the Taurus); at least as far as the press releases I saw]:

Dodge Dakota
Acura RL
Mercury Grand Marquis
Lincoln Town Car
Jaguar X-Type

Anyway, my point is just that these numbers need to turn around, and fast for the 5, or I would doubt there will be a next generation of it here.

Ya know if I was to measure persons attitude like car sales and predictions well ya know what ...... I would still sleep at night.

Why don't you mr DB go find another car to bash as our 5 ROCKS as previously stated...I feel a subaru lover coming on

 

[jandree22]

I feel a subaru lover coming on

Hey, what's wrong with Subaru's?! lol (hitit2)

 

[AIMWO4]

I'm glad

I hope they stop selling them in the US altogether. I used to enjoy relative obscurity in a Saab 9-5 wagon... now they're all over Colorado. I hardly ever see a Mazda5, and I hope it stays that way. If I wanted what everyone else was driving, I'd go buy it. Who the heck buys a car hoping a bunch of other people will do the same? I don't need or want that.

Unless you're a Mazda salesperson, I can't figure out what the concern is here... you guys want a bajillion other 5's on the road so you can feel like you're driving just another Matrix? (scratch)

And I can't imagine that they won't continue with the 08's for those of you prospective buyers that might be worrying over this...

 

[Wytchdctr]

Id like to have some re-sell value.

The answer IMO

Make a few Mazdaspeed5s, it drives like a sports minivan. Not make its image that of a sports minivan.

 

[Bu11dogg2]

Hey, what's wrong with Subaru's?! lol (hitit2)

...I feel a subaru lover coming on

I'm here!!!!!! subaru sales weren't good either

 

[Rocket]

I thought Mazda only wanted to sell 15,000 per year in the US anyway. So, they are not straight-lining that based on one month, but given the funk the industry is in I don't think it is all that bad. And, as others pointed out, the Miata did not sell that much more! I am sure they are not going to kill off either.

 

[coolmazda5]

I hope they stop selling them in the US altogether. I used to enjoy relative obscurity in a Saab 9-5 wagon... now they're all over Colorado. I hardly ever see a Mazda5, and I hope it stays that way. If I wanted what everyone else was driving, I'd go buy it. Who the heck buys a car hoping a bunch of other people will do the same? I don't need or want that.

Yeah, I don't want it to be the next Camry either, but at the same time it seems that many of us bought it because of the model flexibility (MAV, space wagon, whatever it is) so I hope that the model exists one way or the other in 5-7 years, otherwise, if it doesn't survive, I'll need to buy an Odyssey or a Highlander as the family car (sick). For my family needs many sedans, Matrixes, hatchbacks, CR-Vs, RAV4s and not even Subarus station wagons made the cut (I love the Legacy looks [like the one posted earlier here] and its handling but, for the family sake, just try to comfortably get a baby on car seat in-n-out 3-4 times a day ).

 

[doctorz]

As soon as the oldest can safely go into the front seat, that pretty much eliminates the need for the third row for us. Our next family vehicle will probably be a wagon or sedan. Not that we're in the market for a new car anytime soon.

But I can't see this vehicle class going away entirely. It's been around in various guises for years--Colt Vista, Axxess, Expo, even the original Odyssey--and it's still here. What's changed is that these mini-MPVs are hot sellers in the rest of the world.