Options not available in the US but offered in EU

[krisztoforo]

I'm shopping for a new '12 Mazda5 and just puzzled about the lack of power sliding door and parking assist options. It's even more puzzling since these options are offered on the European models and you usually don't see a convenience feature that is present in EU but not on the US models (if anything you see the opposite).
They offer other less useful (to me at least) options like Xenon headlights, heated mirrors and moonroof, why leave out the others?

 

[Silentnoise713]

Is this the depression thread b/c theres not much you can do about these missing options. Best way to get a complete list is to check out Mazda.XX (XX=country of interest) and see what they offer. Not sure but I would think the Japanese models have every possible option available, no?

Top things I want but not avail in US:
Diesel engine
7th seat
Start stop
Roof rails
Options for manual owners
AWD

 

[othercarasaab]

I think part of the logic is price point, they seem to have targeted the Mazda5 to really be for people who want the size/fun of something like the mazda 3, but want the occasional versatility of the extra seat, and more trunk space.
This is opposed to going directly against the Odyssey/Sienna/T&C/Caravan. Given the typical American mentality of wanting larger vehicles, this makes sense (unfortunately).

I understand their target, they'd have a hard time selling these in volume at $30k, which is where they'd approach if they brought all the goodies. If it cost that much, I'd probably have gone to a bigger vehicle too, *sigh*.
That being said, I have 3 kids in the car all the time, and love the 'additional space' that it has vs fitting 3 across in a second row, like my Saab (3 can work in a sedan, but man it's tight with carseats today)

 

[mpvue]

I think this is the 'grass is always greener' syndrome; if THEY have it, I want it, and what I DO have, I DON'T want.
it's like which came first, the chicken or the egg?, for example:
the car makers say they don't offer many manual transmissions because people don't buy them, but then people say,well, if you offered them, we'd buy them! which came first? maybe a little of both.
as for automatic doors, I think this is just plain ridiculous; have we really gotten to the point as a society that we don't even want to be bothered closing a easy sliding door?
parking assist? I don't even know WTF that is! seriously, if you can't park it, you shouldn't be driving it.

 

[krisztoforo]

as for automatic doors, I think this is just plain ridiculous; have we really gotten to the point as a society that we don't even want to be bothered closing a easy sliding door?
.

It's not about closing it more like opening it, Next time try carrying an 8-month old in one arm, while holding the hand of a 2-year old and carrying an extra bag or two on top of that. Now if you had a car key with the option to open the sliding doors with a push of a button wouldn't that help a bit?

parking assist? I don't even know WTF that is! seriously, if you can't park it, you shouldn't be driving it.

Interesting view I must tell you. So with your logic cars should be sold without ABS, power steering, and only with a stick-shift and rear-wheel drive? After all everything else is unneccessary luxury for people who can't drive, right?
When our little one was a couple months old I could only calm her down in the car if she was sucking on my finger (thankfully I have long arms so I could reach her) and in this or similar occasions I definitely appreciate the wonders of computer assisted convenient features in my car.

 

[flcruising]

I'd prefer power doors at times myself, but really only when our 4yo sometimes has difficulty pulling the handle enough to unlatch it. When we ride with my mother (Honda Odyssey), I always open the doors and hatch 30' before we get to the vehicle, makes loading people and groceries that much quicker. We would use it every time if we had it, but without it, we don't really think about it.

 

[Heat]

I personally like the manual doors, and manual seats. Less things that can break.

 

[mpvue]

It's not about closing it more like opening it, Next time try carrying an 8-month old in one arm, while holding the hand of a 2-year old and carrying an extra bag or two on top of that. Now if you had a car key with the option to open the sliding doors with a push of a button wouldn't that help a bit?


Interesting view I must tell you. So with your logic cars should be sold without ABS, power steering, and only with a stick-shift and rear-wheel drive? After all everything else is unneccessary luxury for people who can't drive, right?
When our little one was a couple months old I could only calm her down in the car if she was sucking on my finger (thankfully I have long arms so I could reach her) and in this or similar occasions I definitely appreciate the wonders of computer assisted convenient features in my car.

I really don't see how you made the jump from parking assist to those other things...

parking assist is for people who can't park.

ABS is a safety feature, to avoid locking your brakes due to unforeseen road conditions. power steering is there so you can actually manuver a 3500+ lb vehicle. some people pick stick shift for simplicity, some for sport. rear wheel drive? fun, but not necessary.
AND I DO like power windows and A/C.
but if you can't park it, then you shouldn't be driving it.

btw, I have 3 little kids and find your opening argument pretty lame, sorry.

 

[thaxman]

1st off, I hate to see arguing in the forum. We are all here b/c we really like the thing we have in common - the Mazda5.
That said, sometimes, technology is just going too far. This car is by far the easiest I have ever parallel parked. Of course, the CRX did not have power steering, or it would rule supreme. But the 5 has an excellent turning radius, appropriate wheelbase for its track, and moving the car around in tight spaces is a joy. Don't like parallel parking your 5? Come drive my LWB Ram for a week! To be truthful, there are cars that just don't need it. This includes the new Focus. I agree: if you can't park it, leave it in a lot and walk.
Of course, I suppose that what the OP meant is backup sensors. I have my own opinions about that, too - particularly that all those little dots in the bumper are really ugly - but I suppose that with the relative height of the windows and the smallness of the rear windows, that they could be useful.

There: compromise.


But as has been said above, I think it mostly comes down to price point. In Europe, the vehicle competes with a whole slew of similarly sized MPVs that all offer near-lux features. Here, the same features would push the price to the point where it would be competing with stripped-out full-size (mini)vans, and I suppose that often it would lose the comparison based merely on interior space.

 

[Orangutan]

It's not about closing it more like opening it, Next time try carrying an 8-month old in one arm, while holding the hand of a 2-year old and carrying an extra bag or two on top of that. Now if you had a car key with the option to open the sliding doors with a push of a button wouldn't that help a bit?


Interesting view I must tell you. So with your logic cars should be sold without ABS, power steering, and only with a stick-shift and rear-wheel drive? After all everything else is unneccessary luxury for people who can't drive, right?
When our little one was a couple months old I could only calm her down in the car if she was sucking on my finger (thankfully I have long arms so I could reach her) and in this or similar occasions I definitely appreciate the wonders of computer assisted convenient features in my car.

Sounds like your problem is children, not doors.

 

[krisztoforo]

1st off, I hate to see arguing in the forum. We are all here b/c we really like the thing we have in common - the Mazda5.

I agree, this conversation veered off-topic and there is no point of continuing, I probably shouldn't have started this topic to begin with. Peace everyone.

 

[markuszoom5]

Yea if you had a third hand to push the button on the remote.

 

[German_Mazda5]

Is this the depression thread b/c theres not much you can do about these missing options. Best way to get a complete list is to check out Mazda.XX (XX=country of interest) and see what they offer. Not sure but I would think the Japanese models have every possible option available, no?

Top things I want but not avail in US:
Diesel engine
7th seat
Start stop
Roof rails
Options for manual owners
AWD

I'm from Germany and I have a 2006 Mazda5 2.0 Diesel. (Sorry about my English!) My car has some extra equipment (Xenon, GPS incl. rearview-camera).

Diesel engine:
The Mazda-diesel has a "diesel particulate filter". It is a problem, if you drive short hauls because of the recovery system. If the filter breaks down you pay 2.500 Euros (3.500 US-$).

7th seat:
This seat sucks after 10 minutes, because it is too small and uncomfortable. And you cannot use a child-seat for this middle-seat.

Start-Stop-System:
Does not work (yet) in a Mazda-Diesel. Would be useless in winter because of the auxiliary heater in the Mazda-Diesel. You would need a campfire to get it warm in the car when using start-stop-system.

Roof rails:
This is quite good! Don't want to miss it!


Some things are useful others do not! And please do not compare European-versions and US-cars.
Price for my Mazda5 when it was all-new in 2006: 30.000 Euros (42.000 US-$).
Would you buy a Mazda5 for more than 40k in the US???

Kind regards

 

[Silentnoise713]

I'm from Germany and I have a 2006 Mazda5 2.0 Diesel. (Sorry about my English!) My car has some extra equipment (Xenon, GPS incl. rearview-camera).

Diesel engine:
The Mazda-diesel has a "diesel particulate filter". It is a problem, if you drive short hauls because of the recovery system. If the filter breaks down you pay 2.500 Euros (3.500 US-$).

7th seat:
This seat sucks after 10 minutes, because it is too small and uncomfortable. And you cannot use a child-seat for this middle-seat.

Start-Stop-System:
Does not work (yet) in a Mazda-Diesel. Would be useless in winter because of the auxiliary heater in the Mazda-Diesel. You would need a campfire to get it warm in the car when using start-stop-system.

Roof rails:
This is quite good! Don't want to miss it!


Some things are useful others do not! And please do not compare European-versions and US-cars.
Price for my Mazda5 when it was all-new in 2006: 30.000 Euros (42.000 US-$).
Would you buy a Mazda5 for more than 40k in the US???

Kind regards

Welcome and thanks for your feedback. Always nice to hear from folks on the other side of the pond.

Given your feedback, I still want these features! b/c they suite my needs. To sum it up, think NYC, in-laws who don’t believe in owning cars, and trying to get everyone together to go out to eat –occasionally.

I wouldn't pay 40K for this car (unless it was truly polished up like a Lexus/Mercedes). What I would like to have is the 'option' of choosing some of these items. I don't care for xenon or built-in GPS.