Lack of arm rests, and the evil center console

[paging_drburgos]

Do any of you wish you had lets say 3 more arm rests in your 5?
The first one didnt bother my wife, but i sure as hell would like to have an arm rest on the passenger seat. Everytime my co-workers get in the car somehow im always finding their arms sitting on my arm rest. (poke)
The other two would have to go in the back seat. I sat in the back while cleaning the interior and so that i could get a feel for the middle row. I did find it roomy and comfortable but the lack of side arm rests bugged me. It seemed like wasted space. They could have easily added folding arm rests to those seats. Someone in another thread mentioned that they arent there because of the side curtain airbags but i dont buy that.

Also this has bothered me from the moment i took my 5 off of the lot. Im 6 ft tall and my right knee is constantly rubbing against the center console. I've tried just about every seating position possible and cant really seem to keep my leg off of the darned thing. Anyone else experiencing this?

 

[Wuster]

I think the knee rubbing on the center console is a design flaw for both the 5 and the 3. I'm only 5' 7" and I had the same knee rubbing the center console problem with both cars.

As for the arm rests... All I can say is that it's good to be the driver.

 

[1 PHAT 5]

I thought maybe it was just me, but the knee rubbing on the center console and the missing arm rest is kinda annoying. Over all I am happy with the 5, just a few minor things that bug me. I wish the arm rests where a bit longer also. Oh well. I am getting used to the car the way it is.

 

[markii]

Hit on the biggest issues right here. I am 6'1 (or 6'2 with shoes). First, the pedal placement makes it difficult to drive for someone that has wide feet (and wide shoes), I tend to drive without shoes, which is fine. I also drove without shoes in the mazda 3. The center consoles on both are in an annoying spot. You can get by with less leg room if you have room to swing your leg. The mazda 3 wasn't too bad since it had slightly longer leg room. The mazda 5 lacks leg room and has the annoying center console. It is fine for short drives, but I hope on any long drive I take I can use the cruise control a good bit.

Now I don't actually drive all that much, so it is no problem letting my wife be the primary driver, but then I don't have the armrest as a passenger.


But I still love the vehicle. Something just seems right about it. Also liked my mazda 3, but the 2 kids and a dog made a difference. Surprisingly, for some reason, I think the 5 is funner to drive than the 3.

 

[X10James]

Anybody want to start a petition for more arm rests? I think that was a ludicrous omission! Whats their excuse?

The center console thing isn't as big a problem for me as far as resting my leg on it, but something isn't right with the placement of the petals or seat or something. It's not comfy to drive for a long time and it is hard to get your shoe from the accelerator to the brake without getting it caught. They need to do a little revision under there for sure.

 

[jandree22]

First, the pedal placement makes it difficult to drive for someone that has wide feet (and wide shoes).

Bingo. My work shoes have wider soles and barely fit. My sneakers, though, don't have the wider sole and fit w/o complaint.

I've found that my driver's side center armrest gets in the way of my shifting, so I don't even use it unless I'm on a long distance trip in 5th. Surprisingly, I don't mind driving without it. I try to keep both hands on the wheel anyways.

But yeah, besides the driver, everyone else only has one to use... and for the middle row, you're leaning towards the aisle... most people like to lean towards the window. Oh well, nothing's perfect I suppose

 

[Zoom5Zoom]

passenger seat no armrest official reply= center concole clearance for the top

Rear Seats outboard armrests offical reply= Side curtain obstruction

Ok well that is all..... I don't have curtains on my 5 nor do I use the console

 

[P_bouchr]

My official reasons for this: cut production cost to get a nice car as cheap as possible lol...

About the center console, I like to have something to put my knee against. When I get in a vehicle that doesn't have this, I find it weird not to have any place to put my knee against. And i'm 6'...

 

[X10James]

cut production cost to get a nice car as cheap as possible

Yea, I"m afraid this is probably the case. Most car companies have designers that are able to design parts that fit together

It's not really so sad that the first year models didn't have them, but it is starting to be sad that they haven't gotten it fixed in the second year.

I guess no other car with a center console or a side curtain air bad have arm rests either.. right?

 

[1 PHAT 5]

Oh yeah, i forgot about the pedal placement. It is just wierd, not only are they a bit to close together, the gas pedal is much farther back than the brake pedal. I'm 6' 280lbs so I am a large guy but fit ok in the 5 and i am the primary driver and use this car for work. Long hours doing security work so I spend a crazy amount of time in my 5. I also wish the drivers seat bottom cushion could angle up a bit more. Just a few minor annoying things in a nice vehicle. yeah, and again the lack of a front passenger arm rest is so wrong, especially since the center console is so low. Maybe an aftermarket option will be available soon, like there was for the Scion Xb.

 

[Mazda5wannabe]

I'm 6'1" and the 5 fits me like OJ's glove should have. I like the upright driving position, and my knee only rubs the center console if I want it too. I have the seat adjusted to the farthest position, and can see where someone taller would be a bit cramped.

I don't use armrests at all. In fact, I find using the driver's armrests distinctly uncomfortable. I thought the pedal placement a bit weird at first, but it was only a matter of a few trips to get used to it. My kids find the middle row seats quite comfortable, and Son&Heir #1 is almost the same size as I am. When asked about the lack of a door armrest they just shrugged. I've noticed they don't bother with the center armrests either.

 

[X10James]

heh, well it's true if you dont use them anyway then you wont miss not having them But I"ve taken a couple of long drives now where my wife and I have switched off driving. (she loves the 5 too and has stated to me that it feels as responsive to her as her 6 cylinder zippy 2001 accord which uses way more gas but doesn't really go much faster) and I DO miss the passenger side one when I"m sitting there.

In the back I can imagine some issues of it being more difficult to get through to the back with 2 arm rests in there. And you probably couldn't fold up that fold out middle console thing without putting them up. But those should be fixable.

 

[Kid Red]

The knee rubbing is the way I like it. I drove a car where my knee didn't rub and therefore had no support and I ended up with a stiff knee after a few hours of driving. I use that to support my leg, it's individual driving style I guess.

My wife has just learned to creep her hand onto my arm rest. They should be able to make a center console taller, and allow both people to rest on the console.

 

[paging_drburgos]

They should be able to make a center console taller, and allow both people to rest on the console.

Yeah they should.

 

[jandree22]

They should be able to make a center console taller, and allow both people to rest on the console.

Not to mention allowing for more console storage space, to boot

 

[bazooka joe]

there is a jdm site that sells a taller arm rest...it's not black but grey...i thought of buying one but didn't....i'll see if i can find the site...

 

[Kid Red]

Ah, too bad it's not black!! I'd like to see what it looks like nonetheless.

 

[Kid Red]

Not to mention allowing for more console storage space, to boot

That's true. Not much storage for non drink items.