"Runaway smash hit" (?)

[twentysixtwo]

http://subscribers.wardsauto.com/management/competitors_expected_mazda5/


WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA – The Mazda5 cross/utility vehicle, introduced in 2005 and refreshed for ’08, has become a runaway smash hit for Mazda Motor Corp.’s North American unit, but the auto maker has no plans to localize production of the 6-passenger family hauler.
Mazda5 sales surged 44.1% for the year’s first six months to 11,977 units, compared with like-2007, helped along by U.S. buyers downsizing their vehicles in the face of gasoline prices surpassing $4 a gallon.


The article goes on to mention that sales of the Rondo are up 60%.

[dreamym5]

i ditched my 02 Honda Odyssey for my Mz5.. haha.. count me in...

[Wuster]

So does this means those of us who got ours back in 05 was just way ahead of the pack... :)

[Copper5]

I ditched my 2004 Freestar for the Mazda5... Shoulda bought the 5 first, instead of buying the used Freestar. Live and learn, I guess! :D

[skyhawk]

So does this means those of us who got ours back in 05 was just way ahead of the pack... :)

yes. we get to experience the problems so that they will be fixed already for the new comers.

[coolmazda5]

yes. we get to experience the problems so that they will be fixed already for the new comers.

What problems? Are you talking about the beta (experimental) model we bought? LOL

[skyhawk]

We had the 2006 and I think we joined in after that exhaust recall. I have the winter squeaks and the brake squeals that I'm hesitant to get dealer to 'fix' it. I figured all the nuts and bolts in our MZ5 was last 'torgued to spec' at the factory.. and the vehicle is working ok. 'If it works don't fix it' and 'what can happen will happen' is making me wary of taking my MZ5 to the dealer to have the 'nuisance' issues fixed. I envy the new MZ5 owners, with their new version of firmware, 5 speed ATs and LED backup lights.. And hopingly quite winter suspensions. :).

[Wuster]

Ahmen to that!

I took the TSB for the hesitation and squeaking front suspension in to my dealer. He performed both fixes, and the next day the MZ5 stalled 3 times while driving down the road. Took it back, and they can't reproduce the problem...fortunate for us, it appears that MZ5 to have "healed" itself, because it hasn't hasn't happened again in the past 2 month...

Moral of the story...if it ain't broken, don't fix it...

Thought having a silent front end is nice...

[fam]

I cant read the article, spill the beans!

[twentysixtwo]

For those who couldn't read it:

Wards Auto Logo

New Competitors Expected For Mazda5
By Tom Murphy
WardsAuto.com, Jul 18, 2008 10:54 AM Email a link to this articleEmail a link to this article Printer-friendly version of this articlePrinter-friendly version of this article

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA – The Mazda5 cross/utility vehicle, introduced in 2005 and refreshed for ’08, has become a runaway smash hit for Mazda Motor Corp.’s North American unit, but the auto maker has no plans to localize production of the 6-passenger family hauler.

Mazda5 sales surged 44.1% for the year’s first six months to 11,977 units, compared with like-2007, helped along by U.S. buyers downsizing their vehicles in the face of gasoline prices surpassing $4 a gallon.
Mazda5 first-half sales nearly topped CUV’s 2007 total deliveries.

Asked how many Mazda5s the auto maker will sell this year in the U.S., an enthusiastic Jim O’Sullivan, president and CEO of Mazda North American Operations, says, “As many as I can get” from the plant in Hiroshima, Japan.

“We’re not even advertising the car, and I have huge demand for substantially more production of (the) Mazda5, as well as (the) Mazda3, in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico,” O’Sullivan tells Ward’s here during a media preview of the all-new Mazda6 sedan.

This year promises to be a record setter for the Mazda5, as first-half sales nearly topped the model’s 2007 total of 13,718 units, according to Ward’s data. That figure represented a 20% drop from the 2006 total of 17,109 deliveries.

Despite significant volume growth, the 4-cyl. Mazda5 remains a niche vehicle bound to sell in limited numbers. Volumes would have to skyrocket for months before Mazda North America could make a business case to produce locally the Mazda5 or its platform mate, the hot-selling Mazda3 subcompact.
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Mazda5 Sales Soar With ’08 Refresh

“We get tons of efficiency in sourcing both vehicles out of one plant” in Japan, O’Sullivan says. He recalls several years ago, when Mazda management asked the North American team if it would like to sell the tall and spacious Mazda5.

“’You would be creating a segment on your own, because the segment doesn’t exist,’” O’Sullivan remembers management saying. “It still is one of the fastest-growing segments in Europe – it’s a space wagon. We said we think there will be an opportunity because we foresaw back then we were trending more toward the European car market in the U.S.”

O’Sullivan is proud that Mazda is pioneering a clever new sector during a difficult economic period, when Americans are craving affordable functionality.

“Here we have probably the highest fuel-economy vehicle in the U.S. that carries six people,” he says. With its 2.3L I-4, the Mazda5 is rated at 21/27 city/highway mpg (11/8.7 L/100 km). Well-equipped models are available for under $20,000.

O’Sullivan says he expects other Asian brands to join the segment soon. “I guarantee you Honda, Toyota and Nissan will be coming to this market very quickly,” he says.

In Japan, Honda has been selling a comparable 7-passenger multipurpose vehicle, the Stream, for the past two years, but no plans have been confirmed to bring it to the U.S.

Likewise, the similarly proportioned Kia Rondo is finding success in the U.S. Its sales are up 60% so far this year, according to Ward’s data.

The Mazda5 also won a 2008 Ward’s Interior of the Year award for the light-truck category.

On other product fronts, O’Sullivan says Mazda continues studying whether to bring the B-class Mazda2 subcompact to the U.S. market.

And don’t count on Mazda North America to introduce another hybrid-electric vehicle or a diesel in the immediate future, although O’Sullivan says both technologies are “definitely on our radar.” Mazda’s only North American hybrid, the Tribute CUV, is available only in California.

The auto maker has a corporate goal to boost fleet fuel economy by 20% over the next four years.

“It’s a significant improvement for a company that sells a relatively high mix of small vehicles to begin with,” he says. “It’s a matter of weight, powertrain efficiency and rolling resistance, but not sacrificing safety and what ‘zoom-zoom’ represents.”

If Mazda pursues hybrids more aggressively, O’Sullivan says the vehicles must exhibit the kind of sporty driving dynamics Mazda customers have come to expect.

“Just because everyone is going in a certain direction doesn’t necessarily mean we have to go there,” he says. “We’re not a high-volume brand, so we’re not like Toyota (Motor Corp.), selling a significant number of vehicles per year. There’s scale that goes along with that.”

Industry observers also have urged Mazda, with its partial owner Ford Motor Co., to enter the fullsize truck market by offering an M-150, a version of the best-selling Ford F-150 pickup. “But it didn’t fit the brand,” he says.

Even if Mazda eschews the truck market, O’Sullivan sees a bright future for the CX-9 large CUV, as owners of fullsize SUVs seek to downsize. “Fuel issues will remain, but people still need 7-passenger carrying capacity,” he says.

Mazda has 650 dealers in the U.S., with about half selling Mazda vehicles exclusively.

tmurphy@wardsauto.com

[paging_drburgos]

So does this means those of us who got ours back in 05 was just way ahead of the pack... :)

Im an 06'er myself, but you can go ahead and call us innovators, leaders or wicked smaat (say that last one with a boston accent cuz it sounds better that way)

[simonnyc]

has anybody traded in or know of somebody who has traded in a 2006/2007 Mazda5? With Mazda5's picking up some traction in the marketplace, i wonder what this will do for resale values on used 5's.

[x10dude]

With only "11,977 units sold this year"... I'd hardly call the Mazda5 a smash hit, yet....

Even though the numbers are going up, it still is very very small volume to call it a smash hit. Maybe "up and coming".
I have yet to see a Mazda5 commercial... and most people that see my car ask "what is it, a miniature minivan?".. Second comment... "never heard of it."

But there is an upside. There aren't too many on the road, so it's nice driving something no one else has.

[coolmazda5]

With only "11,977 units sold this year"... I'd hardly call the Mazda5 a smash hit, yet....

Even though the numbers are going up, it still is very very small volume to call it a smash hit. Maybe "up and coming".
I have yet to see a Mazda5 commercial... and most people that see my car ask "what is it, a miniature minivan?".. Second comment... "never heard of it."

But there is an upside. There aren't too many on the road, so it's nice driving something no one else has.

It depends to the perspective I guess

When I bought my 06 there were many commercials (TV and magazines) and sales were low, but when I bought my 08 there was zero advertising and they were selling many more.

If I have a product that sells by itself, the dealers cannot get enough in their hands to sell (production is on full steam in Japan and last month made it to the top 10 sales mover) then it is a smash hit to me regardless of the low volume...

Check this out. This is June I believe:

Top 10 Movers: Non-Luxury Sedans, Wagons and Hatchbacks

* 2008 Toyota Prius: 11 days
* 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid: 17 days
* 2008 Mazda5: 23 days
* 2008 Pontiac G8: 23 days
* 2008 Chevy Malibu: 24 days
* 2008 Chevy Impala: 29 days
* 2008 Toyota Camry: 31 days
* 2008 VW Jetta: 33 days
* 2009 Hyundai Sonata: 36 days
* 2008 Toyota Avalon: 37 days

On one thing we agree, I like how unique my grocery getters are in my area :D

[x10dude]

I would think Mazda would want to advertise even more now that the Mazda5 is gaining more traction in the market... no pun intended :)

But perhaps they figure it's too much of a niche vehicle and hard to really define.

Or maybe they are saving up their advertising dollars for the redesigned 2009 Mazda6.

[mountjonas]

the only problem our old 06 had was bad gas mileage. like, 20mpg on the freeway. our 08 seems to be better, but i have a sneaking suspicion that it's still not getting the advertised 27 mpg. oh well. it's a great car for our family.

[paging_drburgos]

the only problem our old 06 had was bad gas mileage. like, 20mpg on the freeway. our 08 seems to be better, but i have a sneaking suspicion that it's still not getting the advertised 27 mpg. oh well. it's a great car for our family.

i was getting 20mpg also for a year...but then i slowed down. now im getting between 25-27 MPG

[Sportwagon]

I would think Mazda would want to advertise even more now that the Mazda5 is gaining more traction in the market... no pun intended :)

Well, there would be no point in advertising for potential customers to check out the 5 if there is such a low inventory of 5s! ;)

I'm sure they are waiting for inventory to ramp up before advertising.

[x10dude]

Well, there would be no point in advertising for potential customers to check out the 5 if there is such a low inventory of 5s! ;)

I'm sure they are waiting for inventory to ramp up before advertising.

It's really surprising how little advertising there is for the Mazda5. Even in Los Angeles (probably the biggest car market in the country) the Mazda dealers don't even mention the Mazda5 in the ad section of the LA Times..On the weekends they have listed in the ads the Mazda3, 6, Cx-7, CX-9, Tribute, Rx-8, Mx5... but never a Mazda5.

It's like the car doesn't even exist!

[mrbwa1]

I have found it somewhat curious that Mazda does not advertise the 5 more, but if you think of it in context, the decision makes some sense. Mazda is a relatively small manufacturer, so a certain amount of sales are needed to turn a profit on a line of cars.

The Mazda 3 has to have a relatively low profit margin, but sells in large volume. the money is in sales of things like the Miata, RX-8 and then the CX9 and CX7. The 6 is a bit more curious, as it is built in the USA with mostly "FORD" parts. This should help the profit margin.

Mazda's biggest issues is that most cars are made in Japan and the economic reality is that importing cars into the USA does not make for a good return. Because of this, a vehicle like the 5 makes a much better return as a JDM vehicle, and certainly makes better return in the EU.

I find it somewhat odd that the 5 is basically the same vehicle worldwide, other than ending/transmission choices and Right-Hand Drive. Most vehicle lines are completely different between markets (Ford Fusion/Ford Mondeo/Ford Falcon). Heck there are 2 different Ford Focus setups worldwide. Yet Mazda sells the same care everywhere (please oh please send me a Mazda 2 for the USA).

If Mazda is pumping out the same car worldwide, and only producing them at 1 factory, then there is a certain capacity for production. Once made, this production run has to be distributed to different markets. Business dictates that more units go to the higher profit markets.

To make a long story short, the real question is: Why Does Mazda Sell the 5 in the USA at all?

My suspicion is that the Limited volumes are there to replace people who would have bought the older MPV and need a little more than a 3 hatchback, but aren't wanting the CX-7. With no advertising overhead, but a strong viral campaign, Mazda can keep moving the 5 units that are allocates and have the potential to cross- and up-sell to other lines.

I love my 5, but I also love the relative exclusivity of the owner's circle.

[x10dude]

...Mazda's biggest issues is that most cars are made in Japan and the economic reality is that importing cars into the USA does not make for a good return. Because of this, a vehicle like the 5 makes a much better return as a JDM vehicle, and certainly makes better return in the EU.

I love my 5, but I also love the relative exclusivity of the owner's circle.

Totally agree. Mazda probably makes much more selling the 5 in Europe and Asia.

Interestingly, Yahoo listed the most popular cars in 2008 so far:
http://finance.yahoo.com/loans/article/105594/Top-10-Sellers-for-2008

Interestingly Mazda5 sales is about only about 1/9th of the #10 Chevy Cobolt.

But I did spot my first Mazda5 today!

[skyhawk]

To make a long story short, the real question is: Why Does Mazda Sell the 5 in the USA at all?

My suspicion is that the Limited volumes are there to replace people who would have bought the older MPV and need a little more than a 3 hatchback, but aren't wanting the CX-7.

I love my 5, but I also love the relative exclusivity of the owner's circle.

Exactly how we got the MZ5. The odyssey trim that we could afford was the lowest configuration. i.e. steel wheels, and way uglier than the odyssey touring we used for the road test.

So we had to check out the MPV.. and at the dealer show room, the MZ5 was
beside the MPV.

Mazda 5 GT 2006 A/T. Fully configured to Saskatchewan driving. Block heater, fog lights, A/C, and remote starter. The roadtest was just a formality.. we had decided all along. There was the satisfying feeling of being the 1st amongst my friends to own this type of vehicle'.

[coolmazda5]

There was the satisfying feeling of being the 1st amongst my friends to own this type of vehicle'.

I'm still the only one among my friends to own these type of vehicles (freak) (lol2). They don't know what they are missing ;)

[Antonio DiMarco]

What problems? Are you talking about the beta (experimental) model we bought? LOL

I was lucky enough to get one of the first 2000 5's in 06 and lived through the exhaust system recall. We also dealt with the hesitation, 2 bad Recirculation Emission pumps, two bad rear door locks (one per side), cowl creak and 65 mph droan that was cured with a redesigned engine mount. Despite these small issues, after 45,000 miles the 5 has never left us stranded and remains tightly screwed together and a blast to drive. We just took it to the White Moutains and it took the altitude and curves like a champ. To top it all off my wife just sent out the last payment on the 3 year loan. So the 5 will be ours free and clear.

What's even more rewarding is having great stories to tell others who have looked at Mazda. I still gush over my dealership's (Sentry West) first-class CS. And never miss an opportunity to contrast someones horror story about their car with Mazda's first-class handling of the exhaust system recall. People are AMAZED when I tell them how Mazda gave us all brand new MPVs and a $500 check for the trouble.

What I do feel bad about is that those who are just "discovering the 5" (in the US) will have to settle on the 5 speed auto instead of the 5 speed manual we got with ours. That is unless they only want a sport model with zero options.

[x10dude]

I was lucky enough to get one of the first 2000 5's in 06 ...

What's even more rewarding is having great stories to tell others who have looked at Mazda. ...

Maybe it is good that the 5 will probably always be a "niche" vehicle and what brought Mazda back from the brink was when it stopped trying to be a Toyota or Honda. Small companies can provide that type of service when needed.

[mrbwa1]

Maybe it is good that the 5 will probably always be a "niche" vehicle and what brought Mazda back from the brink was when it stopped trying to be a Toyota or Honda. Small companies can provide that type of service when needed.

I think you have a very good viewpoint. It seem that the new new Mazda (the first new mazda was the early 90s) has really picked a focus and ran with it. Every day I drive home past the BMW dealership and have come to the realizations is that Mazda is positioning itself as the BMW for the people. Everything int he lineup (other than the Ranger and Escaper er... B2000 and Tribute) are built around driving dynamics. Even most auto reviewers acknowledge this fact, often comparing the Mazda3 the "other 3." There is even the Mazdaspeed division to mirrir the BMW M-series.

That said Mazda isn't so much emulation BMW's products as it is emulating it's strategy. Mazda is basically getting back to it roots. Sure the RX3 was a rotary powered curiosity, but the rotary was chosen to provide for performance and handling gains, not to simply be different. But where else can you get a sportwagen with sliding doors? Heck, where else can you get a sportwagen with a MT option that handles this well for under $20K... NOWHERE.

I don't care that it's really a van. It's a car that tho whole family can fit into and still gives a spirited Sunday afternoon drive. It's a car than makes the wife and I choose to take the scenic route. It's a VAN than can 4 wheel drift though a tight bend (learned that on accident and probably won't replicate anytime soon). In short it, is the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing; flying under the radar due to its van like packaging. It is also an increasingly rare example of a manufacture building the car that people want and selling it to just that demographic, rather than building the best compromise and trying to sell it to everyone (Dodge Journey, Toyota Camry, etc).

And oh yeah, they build the 5 is some wild colors...

[Antonio DiMarco]

I think you have a very good viewpoint. It seem that the new new Mazda (the first new mazda was the early 90s) has really picked a focus and ran with it. Every day I drive home past the BMW dealership and have come to the realizations is that Mazda is positioning itself as the BMW for the people. Everything int he lineup (other than the Ranger and Escaper er... B2000 and Tribute) are built around driving dynamics. Even most auto reviewers acknowledge this fact, often comparing the Mazda3 the "other 3." There is even the Mazdaspeed division to mirrir the BMW M-series.

That said Mazda isn't so much emulation BMW's products as it is emulating it's strategy. Mazda is basically getting back to it roots. Sure the RX3 was a rotary powered curiosity, but the rotary was chosen to provide for performance and handling gains, not to simply be different. But where else can you get a sportwagen with sliding doors? Heck, where else can you get a sportwagen with a MT option that handles this well for under $20K... NOWHERE.

I don't care that it's really a van. It's a car that tho whole family can fit into and still gives a spirited Sunday afternoon drive. It's a car than makes the wife and I choose to take the scenic route. It's a VAN than can 4 wheel drift though a tight bend (learned that on accident and probably won't replicate anytime soon). In short it, is the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing; flying under the radar due to its van like packaging. It is also an increasingly rare example of a manufacture building the car that people want and selling it to just that demographic, rather than building the best compromise and trying to sell it to everyone (Dodge Journey, Toyota Camry, etc).

And oh yeah, they build the 5 is some wild colors...

But with Mazda around I can never rationalize the extra purchase costs and long-term maintenance costs of those euro brands.

[coolmazda5]

Exhaust recall?? Whaat?? ... LOL, mine was 4 weeks old, and I was fuming, but oh well, the 3-4K miles I put on that MPV, the Warranty reset by 5 months and the $500 check paid back :)

Anyway, I believe the Mazda Canada President summarizes it all:

I don't ever see Mazda as being a mainstream company. We were [once] a mainstream company and we failed. We found our souls when we realized we weren't going to out-Toyota Toyota or out-Honda Honda; when we decided we were going to be our own company. That part of our soul that we found back in 1999 to 2000 is going to lead us for the next 10 to 20 years, so that we continue to push ourselves [toward the] enthusiasts, the people who are emotionally connected to their cars [and who are] not just buying transportation. [This] will help differentiate us from other players that are going to enter the market that are not here today as well as those companies that are here but are trying to be everything to everybody. We are the brand choice for automotive enthusiasts. We're not trying to be the biggest.

http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/story.html?id=725951

[Antonio DiMarco]

Exhaust recall?? Whaat?? ... LOL, mine was 4 weeks old, and I was fuming, but oh well, the 3-4K miles I put on that MPV, the Warranty reset by 5 months and the $500 check paid back :)

Anyway, I believe the Mazda Canada President summarizes it all:

I don't ever see Mazda as being a mainstream company. We were [once] a mainstream company and we failed. We found our souls when we realized we weren't going to out-Toyota Toyota or out-Honda Honda; when we decided we were going to be our own company. That part of our soul that we found back in 1999 to 2000 is going to lead us for the next 10 to 20 years, so that we continue to push ourselves [toward the] enthusiasts, the people who are emotionally connected to their cars [and who are] not just buying transportation. [This] will help differentiate us from other players that are going to enter the market that are not here today as well as those companies that are here but are trying to be everything to everybody. We are the brand choice for automotive enthusiasts. We're not trying to be the biggest.

http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/story.html?id=725951

Nice to know that Mazda has found themselves. And nice to know they will be building the same type of cars for the forseeable future.

[Antonio DiMarco]

Exhaust recall?? Whaat?? ... LOL, mine was 4 weeks old, and I was fuming, but oh well, the 3-4K miles I put on that MPV, the Warranty reset by 5 months and the $500 check paid back :)

Anyway, I believe the Mazda Canada President summarizes it all:

I don't ever see Mazda as being a mainstream company. We were [once] a mainstream company and we failed. We found our souls when we realized we weren't going to out-Toyota Toyota or out-Honda Honda; when we decided we were going to be our own company. That part of our soul that we found back in 1999 to 2000 is going to lead us for the next 10 to 20 years, so that we continue to push ourselves [toward the] enthusiasts, the people who are emotionally connected to their cars [and who are] not just buying transportation. [This] will help differentiate us from other players that are going to enter the market that are not here today as well as those companies that are here but are trying to be everything to everybody. We are the brand choice for automotive enthusiasts. We're not trying to be the biggest.

http://www.nationalpost.com/cars/story.html?id=725951

We got a call from the dealer exactly one day after we picked up our 5 to tell us that there was a problem but Mazda did not have any idea what it was but we needed to return the car ASAP.

[Antonio DiMarco]

i was getting 20mpg also for a year...but then i slowed down. now im getting between 25-27 MPG

Is that they will guzzle gas when you push them hard. Still they can be fuel efficient when they need to be. My 3speed can get under 20mpg when I throttle her but will return 32mpg when I take it easy. The 5 has always hovered at 23mpg in mixed driving. But I see a huge difference between when I drive and when my wife drives. When she drives it get's closer to 30mpg.

[mrbwa1]

Exactly how we got the MZ5. The odyssey trim that we could afford was the lowest configuration. i.e. steel wheels, and way uglier than the odyssey touring we used for the road test.

So we had to check out the MPV.. and at the dealer show room, the MZ5 was
beside the MPV.

About the same here. My wife loved the Oddesy EX-L, but we couldn't rationalize the base price and dismal fuel economy. We went to the Mazda dealer because they have a "new" 2005 MPV still on the lot and drove it. Not bad, but then drove the 5. It was a Goldilocks kind of thing. the wife liked it so much we even considered buying then (though weren't going to buy for 6 more months, and didn't buy for I think 5 months)


Is that they will guzzle gas when you push them hard. Still they can be fuel efficient when they need to be. My 3speed can get under 20mpg when I throttle her but will return 32mpg when I take it easy. The 5 has always hovered at 23mpg in mixed driving. But I see a huge difference between when I drive and when my wife drives. When she drives it get's closer to 30mpg.

Ironically, it's the opposite for me. I guess I'm an economy maximizer, whereas the wile just drives. I can tell you that A/C + city driving = about 20MPG. Still we did a 300 mile road trip with A/C on back country roads we managed about 26 MPG. And I can tell you we weren't taking it easy; we both drove spirited (not hammering the gas/throttle, but traveling at moderate pace)

[x10dude]

About the same here. My wife loved the Oddesy EX-L, but we couldn't rationalize the base price and dismal fuel economy...

We have an older model Sienna before they got massive in their remodel a few years back. The new ones won't even fit in our garage.
I think the WHOLE minivan segment got way too big. I don't even think there is a Minivan that is under 200" in length... As a result, they all get dismal MPG.

That's probably one reason the 5 is growing in popularity.
But, in my mind the Mazda5 will have finally "arrived", once I stop getting puzzled looks on my friend's faces when I tell them what car I bought... :)

[starlightmica]

I think the WHOLE minivan segment got way too big. I don't even think there is a Minivan that is under 200" in length... As a result, they all get dismal MPG.

When gas was cheap and big vans cost little more than small vans, buyers went for the big vans. The smaller 4-cylinder short wheelbase Chrysler got the axe last year, and most smaller V6 powered vans were gone even earlier - MPV, previous gen Villager/Quest. The short-wheelbase Kia Sedona is cheap but has the same 3.8L V6 as its sibling and is just as thirsty.

The Mazda5's sales to individuals are still very small - fleet sales were 47% the first half of 2008, up from 44% in 2007. That translates to about 1000 Mazda5's finding new homes monthly, compared to 12,000 Honda Odysseys. Not a runaway success hit by any means.

With $4/gallon gas, I do expect 4 cyl vans to return. Honda is looking at bringing the Stream or the smaller JDM Odyssey (= continuation of 1st gen US Odyssey) stateside, and Ford might be bringing over the S-Max, just in time to go up against the new 2011 Mazda5.

[mrbwa1]

The Mazda5's sales to individuals are still very small - fleet sales were 47% the first half of 2008, up from 44% in 2007. That translates to about 1000 Mazda5's finding new homes monthly, compared to 12,000 Honda Odysseys. Not a runaway success hit by any means.

Large Sales != Smash Success. From a business standpoint, the 5 could very well be a major success. without an advertising budget or competition pressuring add features, the overhead would be pretty small. the real questions are:

1. What is the projected sales by Mazda and where do actual sales fall vs this projected target

2. What is the profit margin on the various 5 trim levels and how many much be sold of each to meet a profitability goal?

The recent US economy has shown that car manufactures can push massive volume at deep discount and fail to turn much if any profit. So for argument's sake, let say the Oddesy is pressed by the competition on price enough to have a profit of $100 per vehicle. $100 x 12,00 sold = $12,000. for argument's sake, lets say a 5 returns $1200 profit x 1000 sold = $12,000.

Even fleet sales may seem a non-issue as they generally generate little profit. But, if that increases the vehicle base, it can be seen as a bit of a viral marketing campaign (though a rather unconventional strategy)

Unfortunately, I do not know the true numbers to really put this in perspective. I do, however, find it interesting the Mazda is incorporating asked for features into a vehicle with little competition and reasonable small demand. Why would you bother to make a cash cow better unless you had a forward thing strategy? Perhaps Ford's adventure with teh Gen 1 Focus has shown Mazda how NOT to manage a product line.

[x10dude]

Latest August Auto sale figures are out:

"The MAZDA5 multi-activity vehicle posted a 39.7 percent increase versus last August, with 1,324 sales, its best August since launch. Year-to-date, MAZDA5 sales are up 43.3 percent, proof-positive that the MAZDA5 is the right vehicle for today's market."

Still only 14K+ Mazda5s sold year to date but it's definitely growing in a down auto market.