The 5 - Relaxing to drive, or what?

[FiftySix]

As soon as I got my second hand 2013 Mazda 5 with auto tranny near the end of August, I noticed how easy and relaxing to drive it is.

About two months later, that hasn't changed. I thought maybe I'd revert to my old semi-aggressive driving style, but the 5 kinda represses those thoughts.

Anyone else feel similar about driving their 5s?

 

[Secondtyme]

This is my second 5, and the auto trans damps down the "enthusiasm" more than a little bit. My first was a stick and i drove that one like i had just robbed a bank lol

 

[FiftySix]

This is my second 5, and the auto trans damps down the "enthusiasm" more than a little bit. My first was a stick and i drove that one like i had just robbed a bank lol

That does make sense.

My last car had a 5 speed stick with a 1.8L that had to spin above 3000 rpm to be effective. Plus it had stiffer springs, instant steering, and a stiffer unibody frame. That thing begged to be driven hard and it wasn't a sports car.

My wife's current Civic coupe is an automatic and it feels easy going when driving, but it can take a corner harder than my 5 can.

I tell you this, though. I like the 5 speed auto in my 5 better than the 4 speed auto in the Civic. The middle three gears in the 5 are downright seamless.

 

[tuanies]

Nope, I hammer my 6MT 5 like a dirty ***** every time I get in it.

 

[FiftySix]

Nope, I hammer my 6MT 5 like a dirty ***** every time I get in it.

LOL.

It really must be an auto transmission thing, then.

 

[Davicho]

Nope. I hammered my old 5MT and I hammer this 5AT in manual mode. In regular mode it's just ok. I would not call it a cruiser by any means. The seats are the least comfortable and supportive I've ever had in any of my cars and I've had about 25 so far and counting. I would have loved a GT with manual trans but only Canadians and overseas get those, we here in the US get screwed.

 

[FiftySix]

Nope. I hammered my old 5MT and I hammer this 5AT in manual mode.

No kidding! I don't know why my 5 feels like a cruiser to me but it does. I can give it the full throttle when it needs it and responds well, but it cruises so easily too.

 

[FiftySix]

So, tell me this y'all.

How about cornering?

When I try and flick my 5 into a turn I swear I feel the unibody frame twisting in protest. The springs on all four corners are fairly soft, too. My 5 likes smooth fast turns like highway sweepers, but it does not like flick and lock into position turns. I haven't dared to push it in a turn where the front is clawing for traction at full throttle where you keep it balanced with the steering.

Another thing I notice is when pulling away from stops the sliding doors creak like they're stretching rearwards. Then they will creak forward when coming to a semi-quick stop. Granted, this is all just noise as the doors seem pretty well latched. I figure this is just a sliding door thing as I remember every full size van I've driven do the same things.

 

[Davicho]

In all honesty I think that our Mazda5s outperform and out corner any other minivan and for that matter a lot of other vehicles out there. If you want to improve further I highly recommend doing what I did to mine. Relatively affordable and a huge improvement in handling. I have KYB Excel-G up front, KYB Gas-A-Just at rear, H&R Sport springs, MS3 26mm rear sway bar mated with Prothane sway bar bushings.

As far as the sliders creaking, yes that's a very known characteristic of our vans or I guess of any van. Just imagine the two huge gaping holes at each side of the body trying to keep the body from flexing too much.

 

[FiftySix]

Thanks for the tips, Davicho.

 

[chudzikb]

I'll let you know impressions on ride after a couple of hundred miles on the highway! Should be tomorrow night...

 

[Silentnoise713]

They call it a captain’s chair for a reason, it’s got fold away arm rest! The high seating position and high dashboard does not motivate sportiness. That said, I still drive it sportingly.

 

[tuanies]

So, tell me this y'all.

How about cornering?

When I try and flick my 5 into a turn I swear I feel the unibody frame twisting in protest. The springs on all four corners are fairly soft, too. My 5 likes smooth fast turns like highway sweepers, but it does not like flick and lock into position turns. I haven't dared to push it in a turn where the front is clawing for traction at full throttle where you keep it balanced with the steering.

Another thing I notice is when pulling away from stops the sliding doors creak like they're stretching rearwards. Then they will creak forward when coming to a semi-quick stop. Granted, this is all just noise as the doors seem pretty well latched. I figure this is just a sliding door thing as I remember every full size van I've driven do the same things.

I'm running Megan Racing coilovers + Mazdaspeed rear sway bar, handles well

 

[FiftySix]

They call it a captain’s chair for a reason, it’s got fold away arm rest! The high seating position and high dashboard does not motivate sportiness. That said, I still drive it sportingly.

I gotta admit, the captain's chairs are growing on me. They add to my inherent driving laziness.

 

[FiftySix]

I'm running Megan Racing coilovers + Mazdaspeed rear sway bar, handles well

Nice. I may think of doing something in the future like you and Davicho have done.

 

[FiftySix]

I'll let you know impressions on ride after a couple of hundred miles on the highway! Should be tomorrow night...

Sounds good. I do think the 5 rides great on the highway.

 

[Secondtyme]

I feel the 5 is one of the most engaging "family friendly" vehicles out there. The fact that they can be had for relatively little money,they enjoy a modest amount of aftermarket support,and they take miles like something in a much higher price bracket (at least for me they have) is sweet sweet icing on the sporty van cake. I routinely run away from "sports sedans" on the twisty mountain roads here in WV in mine and it always makes me smile.

 

[chandlerGTi]

Same setup as davicho but I have the JBR rear sway. I can't keep up with my friends in their autocross cars but it's still pretty fun to drive. It is not quick though so it becomes a keeping momentum game.

 

[thaxman]

They call it a captains chair for a reason, its got fold away arm rest! The high seating position and high dashboard does not motivate sportiness. That said, I still drive it sportingly.

I picked up an Odyssey. I can tell you now that while the Mazda5 pews aren't sport seats, they sure aren't "van seats." I don't even talk about getting into the Odyssey, I say to get ON. Like Lazy Boy armchairs, I tell you.

 

[torquelover]

The MZ5 is very sluggish, which is mostly the fault of the auto trans. It's also slow. Due to this, I'm pretty chill driving it until I hit some corners. On the highway the car would be better if it had less wind noise and better directional stability in windy conditions.

Comfort is okay, however I feel the pedals are too close, the seat bottom too short, and the armrest too close. I actually use the passenger seat armrest. It's as if the car were designed for smaller people. I drive with the seat all the way back, and the wheel all the way out.

The creaking doors I had too, as mentioned somewhere on here, I wrapped a little gorilla tape around the door catch on the b-pillar and it solved the creaking. Not pretty, but it worked. Might switch it out for electrical tape.