Hey did anyone else catch the 5 on Motorweek a couple of Saturdays back?
If not, here ya go...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nYGnBlVD9g
If not, here ya go...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nYGnBlVD9g
Mazda5 on PBS' Motorweek...
- Thread starter dan4behr
- Start date
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- 2008 Mazda5 5MT Sport w/ Popular Package
Wow, that thing is fast, LOL 
But what about the handling, very respectable I would say (minute 4:00 to 4:23)
But what about the handling, very respectable I would say (minute 4:00 to 4:23)
Rockin03mp5
Member
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- '13 Mazda3 / '13 Edge / Your Mom
and they were using winter tires in the test
mazdaspeedster3
Member
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- Mazdaspeed3. 2008
That was pretty cool. We have been really really impressed with our 5. My wife who ussually could care less about cars has repeatedly mentioned how she loves it and will get another when the time comes...
Nice to finally see an updated review of the 5 from MW. Now, I have to say, that they just plain never meet a car they can't say something nice about.
That said, I have read the previous review and they do seem to like the 5.
I also have to admit I have watched a lot of MW over the years and watching the 5 carve the cones really shows the virtues of the Mazda suspension setup. In addition, the emergence lane change/swerve thing was pretty impressive, though there was a bit of tail wag. Most likely that was mainly due to the snow tires on the rig though. They looked to be the older Blizzaks which are similar the the Yokohama IG-10s I have on me Toyota Echo. This design seems to add bit of um "unpredictability" to emergency handling. I can confirm due to an incident where I had to perform a similar swerve at freeway speed that led to a violent series of fish tails. (another thread, but I probably won't buy that type of winter tire again because of that incident).
But I digress...
The 5 really can handle! In fact, I haven't really had much change to push it as it is the family hauler, but it has been a blast to go fast (around corners)
That said, I have read the previous review and they do seem to like the 5.
I also have to admit I have watched a lot of MW over the years and watching the 5 carve the cones really shows the virtues of the Mazda suspension setup. In addition, the emergence lane change/swerve thing was pretty impressive, though there was a bit of tail wag. Most likely that was mainly due to the snow tires on the rig though. They looked to be the older Blizzaks which are similar the the Yokohama IG-10s I have on me Toyota Echo. This design seems to add bit of um "unpredictability" to emergency handling. I can confirm due to an incident where I had to perform a similar swerve at freeway speed that led to a violent series of fish tails. (another thread, but I probably won't buy that type of winter tire again because of that incident).
But I digress...
The 5 really can handle! In fact, I haven't really had much change to push it as it is the family hauler, but it has been a blast to go fast (around corners)
"...Interior materials are of solid quality..."
This is incorrect - I've never seen such cheap plastic on a car before. Try rubbing your fingernail over your glovebox, you can leave a scratch it - I know, I did it while trying to rub out another scratch that happened because I dropped a soft-sided cooler into the passenger floorboard, the zipper rubbed (just rubbed) against the glovebox leaving a deep and permanent groove.
Maybe a scratch isn't noticible on black glove boxes, but on the sand (tan) colored ones it really sticks out. This is why I don't recommend the sand interior which I have - it's much too easy to get dirty (it's way too light) and the tan colored plastic trim is really cheap.
The interior quality is a big negative in my book, as are the rear tire issues but like I've said before the Mazda5 is all about compromise and overall I still like it. Lots of pros compared to a few cons.
Back to the video - nice handling scenes! Let's see a "full size" minivan do those moves! On the sharp curves the rear tires are vertical - I wonder if that's why they have so much tilt (camber)?
This is incorrect - I've never seen such cheap plastic on a car before. Try rubbing your fingernail over your glovebox, you can leave a scratch it - I know, I did it while trying to rub out another scratch that happened because I dropped a soft-sided cooler into the passenger floorboard, the zipper rubbed (just rubbed) against the glovebox leaving a deep and permanent groove.
Maybe a scratch isn't noticible on black glove boxes, but on the sand (tan) colored ones it really sticks out. This is why I don't recommend the sand interior which I have - it's much too easy to get dirty (it's way too light) and the tan colored plastic trim is really cheap.
The interior quality is a big negative in my book, as are the rear tire issues but like I've said before the Mazda5 is all about compromise and overall I still like it. Lots of pros compared to a few cons.
Back to the video - nice handling scenes! Let's see a "full size" minivan do those moves! On the sharp curves the rear tires are vertical - I wonder if that's why they have so much tilt (camber)?
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I would agree. Interior is not of high quality, but this is an entry level 'mini-van' or space wagon as my kids call it.
No power doors, power liftgate or high quality anything... but it's a great family hauler and for the money spent - it's worth it. Small children can ruin a $35K Honda Odyssey or they can ruin a $20K Mazda5.
You pay for what you get, and I'm content with the Mazda5. I'll make a few upgrades, but for the most part - we are very happy with our purchase.
Rockin03mp5
Member
- :
- '13 Mazda3 / '13 Edge / Your Mom
have you guys been in a chryster? they cost a lot more and their interiors are crap!
this stuff is strange, yes, but fit and finish is great.
this stuff is strange, yes, but fit and finish is great.
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- 2008 Mazda5 5MT Sport w/ Popular Package
+1, Of course is not the best quality plastic (looks platicky, specially the Sports) but the design and finish seem better than many of the rentals I've driven, and that is including all brands and models, like a Nissan Altima and a Toyota Sienna.
True - I only paid $16,500 for my Sport with 3 years 0% financing. That's why I call the Mazda5 the great compromise - great design layout, good gas mileage, relatively fun to drive, but really cheap interior plastic, wheel issues, and expensive keys. Overall though, for the price, it is a very good car. But the interior plastic is pathetic.
Wait a second, Mazda used a lower quality plastic for the Sports, or do the Sports just have more of the plastic?
I think it is the same. It comes down to subjective taste. Some think it looks fine, some don't
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- 2008 Mazda5 5MT Sport w/ Popular Package
Same plastic, but no leather shift knob nor leather steering wheel. Also, they don't have the metal gray plastic trims on the door handles (inside), they are just plain black (which I actually like better BTW
)But as somebody mentioned earlier, just look at the price of a Sienna. Last time I parked next to one which still had the dealer window sticker, my wife laughed and said: "hey you can buy 2 of these for the price of one of those, and these ones look better"
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But as somebody mentioned earlier, just look at the price of a Sienna. Last time I parked next to one which still had the dealer window sticker, my wife laughed and said: "hey you can buy 2 of these for the price of one of those, and these ones look better"
Fortunately, not all Siennas are that expensive. In the US, the price difference between a base Sienna and a base 5 is about $6k. This drops to $5k if you opt for the automatic transmission in the 5.
As for build quality -- initially, I really thought Mazda did a nice job. After 15 months of ownership, I'd say that I've never driven a car that had more annoying noises (squeaks, creaks and crunches) than the 5 -- not even a 15 year old Chevy Blazer. Even a worn-out pinion bearing in that truck (at 197,000 miles) caused less vibration than the 5 has with "balanced" factory tires @ 50 mph.
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- 2008 Mazda5 5MT Sport w/ Popular Package
I actually rented a Sienna, check the report, it was OK, but not really a wow thing:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123688195
Yeah, as per the squeaks, my 06 started to have them intermittently and corrected under the TSB, not brought back (yet, almost 4 years ownership).
The 06 vibration is virtually gone with the new tires (old tires started to give it some). The 08 only has vibration under very cold weather when tires are very cold), and that one does not squeak. My old Civic, decent interior finish, but that thing's suspension squeaked like there was no tomorrow...
Your review is reasonable, however, I get considerably better mileage than you reported.
I routinely average (in my 2007 Sienna) >25 mpg over 2500-3500 mile family trips, that inevitably include 2-4 hours of stop-n-go in large cities. At 60 mph I easily get 27 mpg. In town, I get closer to 20 mpg. On my last trip, with a medium size tent trailer (2000 lbs.), I averaged 20 mpg over 350 miles (the wind wasn't hurting me that time).
For comparison, I generally get 28-31 mpg, in mixed suburban/city driving, with my 2008 5. The best I've gotten is 34 and change -- it's only been on one highway trip (which was <300 miles long).
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Of course, compared to a Sienna, 9 seconds is still really slow.
VenomDesign
Member
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- Mazda 5 GT Pearl White '07
Don't forget that they were on the winter tires and with a automatic tranny. 
The driver did push the 5 at the limit in cornering 
The driver did push the 5 at the limit in cornering New Posts and Comments
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