Mazda5 competition brewing?

[Whidbeyone]

Death of the Nissan Axxess

Although Nissan dumped the Axxess in the US when the Quest was introduced, it continued to be sold in Canada, where people know that bigger isn't necessarily better, until 1995. The Mazda5 is a clone of the Axxess; similar weight, dimensions, horsepower and the sliding doors. It's about time the US woke up to the utility and economy of microvans.

 

[zoomzoom mazda5]

Mazda5 rules!!!!!!!!!! zoomzoom(cheers)

 

[G-Papi]

I wish Mazda would test market the Scrum in North America. I'd get one in a heartbeat - just as a daily driver.
http://search.netscape.com/ns/boomframe.jsp?query=mazda+scrum&page=1&offset=1&result_url=redir%3Fsrc%3Dwebsearch%26requestId%3D142388fe39ed99ee%26clickedItemRank%3D10%26userQuery%3Dmazda%2Bscrum%26clickedItemURN%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.scrum-wagon.mazda.co.jp%252F%26invocationType%3D-%26fromPage%3DNSCPToolbarNS%26amp%3BampTest%3D1&remove_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.scrum-wagon.mazda.co.jp%2F

 

[Kansei]

scrum wagon ftw! I love kei cars, you gotta realize how tiny that thing is though. 0.6 litre engine yay

 

[G-Papi]

.6 litre ~ but Turbo-ed . . . Got Boost?

 

[G-Papi]

How'd you like to pimp that out?

 

[~JoJo~]

i will stick with my mazda5 thank you.

 

[the_saint]

I wish Mazda would test market the Scrum in North America. I'd get one in a heartbeat - just as a daily driver.

Oh my god, that's awesome! Don't know if I'd drive one, but I love it!
WTF is up with the name though? Scrum??

 

[G-Papi]

Maybe they have rugby moms instead of soccer moms.

 

[~JoJo~]

Oh my god, that's awesome! Don't know if I'd drive one, but I love it!
WTF is up with the name though? Scrum??

isn't this the scion XB?

 

[Kansei]

isn't this the scion XB?

much smaller.. like thing toyota yaris hatch but taller

 

[JimboNC]

Wasn't the Axxes the van without a B-pillar (none) and didn't the car mags say it was dangerous in T-bone crashes because of that? With safety regulations like they are it was probably cancelled.

The 5 is the best looking small CUV and that's what sells it. If it looked like any of the others shown here would you buy it? I don't think so.

Europeans like the "space wagons" because families can afford only one vehicle and it has to be dual-purpose, i.e. with a hatch and folding seats for Ikea shopping, where they sell do-it-yourself furniture assembly. Europe still has narrow streets in cities and villages that's why the gas filler is curbside. Some villages have gas pumps on the sidewalks at the curb. The reason they prefer the 1.6 litre engine is because of fuel economy and taxes, some countries tax based on engine size as opposed to the value of the vehicle.

The Mazda5 is an accumulation of new technologies, engineering, and design which had to wait for the right marketing conditions and high fuel costs to bring it to market in North America, especially in the USA. Americans got tired of cheap hatchbacks Japan was dumping on us because they didn't sell there. With better qaulity and design they are selling once again.

Now, if they would only offer two interior trim colors, such as black and beige or light gray, they would sell even better. And a redesign for the front passenger seat with inside armrest.

 

[a10thunder]

I love the concept of "space wagons" and bought the first example available in the U.S. If Honda or Toyota offered their own versions, I would probably go with them. The Mazda5 is a decent vehicle, but the powertrain is still a few generations behind Honda and Toyota. The new RAV4's V6 gets better mileage than my Mazda5's I-4 for goodness sakes!

 

[doctorz]

I love the concept of "space wagons" and bought the first example available in the U.S. If Honda or Toyota offered their own versions, I would probably go with them. The Mazda5 is a decent vehicle, but the powertrain is still a few generations behind Honda and Toyota. The new RAV4's V6 gets better mileage than my Mazda5's I-4 for goodness sakes!

In defense of the Mazda5, I find that real-life mileage matches or exceeds the EPA numbers, and reports of 30+ mpg seem to be common. The EPA rating is a strange thing indeed. I can't imagine in the real world that a V-6 SUV would match a lighter four-cylinder vehicle.

But your point is well taken. Honda and Toyota do seem to be able to squeeze more smoothness and efficiency from their engines. Had the Honda Stream or Toyota Corolla Verso been available in the US, I'm not sure we would have picked either over the Mazda5, but we would have given them pretty close looks.

 

[Kansei]

In defense of the Mazda5, I find that real-life mileage matches or exceeds the EPA numbers, and reports of 30+ mpg seem to be common. The EPA rating is a strange thing indeed. I can't imagine in the real world that a V-6 SUV would match a lighter four-cylinder vehicle.

Plus you need to use premium fuel with the Rav4, new Camry, and any car that uses that new Toyota V6.

 

[irloyal]

Oh my god, that's awesome! Don't know if I'd drive one, but I love it!
WTF is up with the name though? Scrum??

Scrum is Japanese for "WTF is This?"

 

[Kansei]

Scrum is Japanese for "WTF is This?"

(first)

 

[jandree22]

...and I thought the xB was a box (lol2)

 

[G-Papi]

It looks like fun for a daily driver that has to park at the grocery store parking lot.