Regarding mazda handling and zoom zoom

[markuszoom5]

I was thinking about it the other day. What is so special about mazda handling anyways. I used to own a 2006 Jetta and thought the car had awesome handling and engine power vs gas mileage (30 mpg on manual 5 cyl), but the car was the seed of demon and devils child so I had to dump it. What it that zoom zoom that everybody feels when driving a mazda compared to other cars. I really need some examples. I do have to say though that my wife's 7 year old civic dances all over on the road.

 

[DougNuts]

It's proper suspension geometry, steering geometry and the sway bar connected to the struts to help with flat turn in.

 

[Vasy]

I do have to say though that my wife's 7 year old civic dances all over on the road.

I drove friends 2010m Civic for a few hours and I know what you mean. It is such a bad experience, I feel very tense while and very tired after.
I had to do it a few times and every time could not wait to get out.
I find Mazda 5 much more planted on the road and much more relaxing to drive. But when you turn, you just know the car has has the same idea as you and not the mind of its own.

 

[rodslinger]

What is so special about mazda handling anyways.....I do have to say though that my wife's 7 year old civic dances all over on the road.

I'm not sure it is easy to explain. But go drive something like a Corolla, Fiesta, Hyundai Elantra or similar then get back in the 3. I rent a LOT of cars for work and very few of them feel as crisp, responsive or give the feedback I get from any Mazda I've owned in the past. What you describe on your wife's Civic is what I feel in most everything else. A lot of these other cars just feel too soft, floaty, un-responsive and plain boring. I've always compared driving a Toyota Corolla to driving an Ambien. It is a rolling coma waiting to happen.

 

[njaremka]

"Zoom-Zoom" is a feeling that can't be described, but comes from the full interaction of suspension, power, driver input, experience, handling, etc. Mazda seems to be the only manufacturer that can combine the full experience into something enjoyable to drive.

 

[thaxman]

But when you turn, you just know the car has has the same idea as you and not the mind of its own.

^^THIS^^

No forcing. It wants to move the way you do. Other cars can have their understeer dialed out. I will be replacing the struts/shocks/sways/endlinks on my V70 in Nov. I expect it will suddenly feel like my 5 but with turbo power.
But the point is, Mazdas come this way, which is nice. Few everyman cars come this way, and especially not from Asia.

Also "zoom Zoom" is advertising BS. Remember, every marketer is a liar.

 

[thaxman]

In contrast to the Mazda5, my Accord VTEC felt large and floaty. The V70 does too, but when you are sitting down, it feels like you are in a Relax-the-Back store demo chair.
The CRX was frenetic with aftermarket wheels, cheap feeling with the stock wheels. The Subie felt light and the steering was very precise for its age, but it still didn't actually LIKE to turn when you asked it to. My T-Bird SC was fantastic, but like the V70, it felt heavier than it was (the Bird, V70 and Mz5 are all around 3600 lbs) although it didn't feel floaty except when accelerating hard.

 

[Secondtyme]

I find the proper engineering pays off most when conditions are at their worst. My 5 reacts in a predicatable, reapeatable fashion to poor road conditions (mostly heavy rain, we'll see about snow) I prize that reliable, controllable behavior above all other aspects of a car when it comes to handling. I had a Honda Fit that I modified the hell out of, suspension wise and, sadly, made the car into a knife-edged moster to drive in the wet. That experience made me really appreciate the way that the 5 communicates with the driver.

 

[hornsfan10609]

I think 'zoom zoom' applies more to the miata, RX and mazdaspeed vehicles. The Mini-van that is a Mazda 5, while much better handling than other vans, isn't exactly what Mazda was referring to

 

[rodslinger]

I think 'zoom zoom' applies more to the miata, RX and mazdaspeed vehicles. The Mini-van that is a Mazda 5, while much better handling than other vans, isn't exactly what Mazda was referring to

...says the non Mazda5 driver.....

 

[DougNuts]

I think 'zoom zoom' applies more to the miata, RX and mazdaspeed vehicles. The Mini-van that is a Mazda 5, while much better handling than other vans, isn't exactly what Mazda was referring to

Sure it is. Even the speed shop who put on my tires said "Wow, that thing has awesome turn in." That is a big part of why the 3 & 5 are fun to drive.
Back to what I mentioned earlier, there aren't many FWD vehicles that have the sway bar connected to the struts. Back in the 90s, that was something the BMW E36 M cars had that the base 3 series didn't.

 

[Silentnoise713]

It's proper suspension geometry, steering geometry and the sway bar connected to the struts to help with flat turn in.

+1. IMO, Mazda has great chassis engineers. The chassis dictates everything. How well it ride (stiff or some flex), how much cabin space you have to work with, and the geometry of the suspension components. Add in aggressive alignment, light weight, low power (yes!) and you have a car that 'feels' great.

Toyota, et all, is more than capable of making a better car but they put business first and not fall into a niche. IMO, the avg driver doen't really care about handling and the fact that these cars sell in the dozens confirms it.

 

[Rally Man]

You do have to give props to Ford & Volvo engineers for the development of the C1 platform too.

 

[steve333]

My 2013 Mazda 3i Sport Sedan didn't feel very sporty to me, except for it's sharp cornering. The ride was stiff and unsettling on bad roads and tramlined on the freeway. Hard to go zoom-zoom when you're afraid to go 70MPH.
Then I bought alloy wheels and new tires. Now, it feels like I bought a modern car.
All car manufacturers cheap out on oem tires but Mazda took it to a whole 'nother level of sucking.

 

[cburrell]

I just got pulled over in my 5 by a State Troop tonight on my way home. When I rolled down the window, the first thing he said was, " Sir I am pulling you over for speeding." To which I replied I didn't think I was going that fast. Then he said, " Sir, I have been following you since you got on the on ramp to 95, you were flying around the first set of curves on the on ramp at 60 mph, when it is a 35 mph construction zone. Then when you got on the final on ramp to 95 where it curves again, I clocked you at 78 in a 65 mph zone. Is there a reason you where driving so fast?" To which I made a ton of excuse and he let me go with a warning. The fact of the matter is that I was ZOOM ZOOMING not realizing that at midnight a cop was behind me. I guess he didn't appreciate all the tire squeal that was coming from my tires around every turn. I would have never tried to take those on ramps at the speeds I did in my 5 with some of the previous Toyota and Chevy vehicles I have own. They definitely didn't inspire confidence and their chassis would whine if I even tried to push them hard. But, with both Mazda's I own, and the others I've driven, they beg you to drive them harder and take it like a champ when you do, and come back ready next time for some more.

 

[Silentnoise713]

You do have to give props to Ford & Volvo engineers for the development of the C1 platform too.

Absolutely! Kudos Ford Europe (bc Ford US of that era sucked)!

 

[cburrell]

Interesting read on all the platforms that Ford and Mazda developed during the last decade. It is clear that Mazda's developing hands played a big part in most of the platforms. Seems that Ford leaned on Mazda's engineering chops way more than Mazda leaned on Ford's. Mazda need the cash which Ford provided, and Ford benefited from Mazda's Engineering chops!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_C1_platform,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_CD2_platform,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_CD3_platform,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_D2C_platform