Upgrading from Mazda5 - Which car?

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mazda
Those upgrading from M5, which car are they going for?
3 row seat versatility with room for stuff and compact - what comes close?
 
An M5 is a very expensive BMW. But I'm pretty sure you're talking about a Mazda5 aka MZ5.

CX-9 is kinda the only other choice without spending GOB of cash on buying and feeding a vehicle with 3 rows of seating.
 
I didn't think the CX-30 had three rows of seats? I could be wrong though. If it does, that would absolutely be the answer.
 
Are you buying new or used?
What region are you located in?
Budget?

If buying new, I would guess that the CX-9 would be a good option if you're in the US. It certainly drives smaller than it looks, which makes it feel compact, even though it isn't. But you do have the option of getting the 360-degree monitor which can help with navigating tight spaces, and you can fold the mirrors in if needed.

If you're in Japan or Australia, you could also consider the CX-8, which is also a 3-row. It is smaller than the CX-9, which is 6.9 inches longer and 5.1 inches wider.
 
We went from our Mazda5 to a CX-9. It was the only move that gave us the 3-row seating we wanted, and the Mazda experience that the wife wanted. If Mazda had kept the Mazda5 or similar vehicle in the line-up, we might have stayed in that class.
 
The MZ5 is simply the perfect compact family vehicle. It does everything great, but it's a shame that hardly anyone bought one. I think I read that in the entire 10 year run of the van in America, Mazda didn't break 120,000 sold. And that's not 120,000 per year, that's 120,000 total. Truly sad.
 
The MZ5 is simply the perfect compact family vehicle. It does everything great, but it's a shame that hardly anyone bought one. I think I read that in the entire 10 year run of the van in America, Mazda didn't break 120,000 sold. And that's not 120,000 per year, that's 120,000 total. Truly sad.
It was a great vehicle. Even better that they offered a trim level with a manual transmission! The Mazda5 did have tremendous capability for its size and class. I always looked at it as a 3-row Mazda3, which it effectively was. However, we found it a little bit tight on certain occasions. On those same occasions, the CX-9 works superbly! I guess it depends on your needs, but I can certainly see why they didn't sell as many.
 
Mitsubishi Outlander -tight 3rd row but 2nd row slides for car seat Jenga. Psst, it's a Nissan Rogue :/. Wait for PHEV or (fingers cross, Nissans' 1.5T)
VW Tiguan -3rd row only with FWD (not sure what the hell VW is thinking).
Kia Sorento Hybrid -decently sized 3rd row, comparable to Highlander Hybrid

These are my candidates (B/c size matters) when I decide to stop fixing this thing...
 
USA🇺🇸 here:
What about Ram Promaster City Minivan, if you're buying a new vehicle?
I've seen it in the places where I expect to meet MZ5, i.e., California beaches, solo travelers, and young families occasionally.
What about Dodge Grand Caravan, if you're on a budget and buying used? It has decent power, however, it might be a bit too big, tho.


P.S.: I could have retrofitted the 360 camera setup on my 2008 Mazda 5 should I've spent couple of hundreds bucks more. However, I've chosen a more budget-friendly option and regret that a little bit now.
Chinese stereos with 360 camera functionality are more mature in their product development cycle now, with very good performance and UI/UX in general. I'm speaking from both the end user perspective and developer perspective.
 
The Odyssey absolutely is a nice van for sure. Far larger than your MZ5 though, so it's going to drive a bit differently.
 
I've heard that older Caravans are very reliable and last forever, easy to fix and also cheap and have powerful engine. Although, gas guzzlers.
Ford Transit Connect looks nice, although, from what I've read, they are not very reliable.

Personally, I'd be thinking about venturing to Canada to buy MZ5 2017, the last one it was available there.
 
I'd say its a bit different definition of "reliable". Things may break or fail, but from what I've seen the caravans won't leave you stranded and will be cheap and easy to repair, keeping the cost of ownership low. The Pacificas... we'll see how that plays out - I have 2 friends with the plug-in hybrid models and they look very appealing, but I want to see how they age first. Either way, I'm not in the market to replace my '12 for a while, and when I do it will need to be something plug-in (preferably hybrid, but we'll see what the charging network looks like at that point). Gotta get something in return for giving up the manual transmission
 
If money is tight, used Dodge Journey and Kia Rondo are similar size, cheap 3row cars.

Pacifica PHEV + AWD is a nice combo on paper, just need a leveling kit for more ground clearance. I would think a lot of these vehicles offer much nicer capacity but are pretty large. If these sizes are acceptable, why are folks here driving a Mz5 (that is not a stick)??

Parallel parking is an everyday battle for me so every inch matters. Also equally, if not more, important is tight turn radius!
 
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About 18 months ago I upgraded from my 2012 Mazda5 Sport to a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica van. I still have the 2012 Mazda5, which my wife drives, but getting another van-type vehicle was really the only way for us to go. There isn't any SUV that I think can offer the comfort, convenience, capacity, and capability to match a minivan. I don't require AWD and I get the same, or better, gas mileage in the 2018 Chrysler Pacifica as I do in the 2012 Mazda5.
 
I will be taking a look at Honda Odysseys and Ford Transit Connects after mine is done
I would not be seriously considering a Transit Connect as a replacement for a Mazda5. They are very expensive for what you get, with mid-level trim XLT models starting at $34K. And they don't even come with the desirable turbo engine anymore. All you can get is the 160HP 2.0L engine that used to be in the Ford Focus. You'll get cloth seats that don't fold into the floor and no power sliding doors.
 
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