Which is exactly where I found myself, this car purchase. Driving enjoyment was WAY DOWN on my list, hence my choice.
That said, I wonder if Mazda isn't also creating a few excuses, there...they absolutely cannot compete with Lexus, MB, BMW, etc. in many ways, and insulting people by trying to pigeon hole them as "herd mentality" isn't going to convince anyone otherwise.
That said, I did have a friend who bought a RAV4. I asked her "why not a CX5"? and she said "Is that a Toyota?" "then that's why not."
Her logic was that toyotas have always been stellar for her with great reliability, so why change? I found it very hard to argue against.
I don't think Mazda is looking to compete with Lexus etc, we all know it's not a luxury line - but at the same time you have to wonder if they're truly competing with the honda's & toyota's of the world either - the problem they run into is that brand loyalty & reputation you mention with people like your friend, and in the current climate honda & toyota have that reputation as the safe bet, the sure to get you from point a to point b car that everyone feels comfortable with...mazda for the most part seems to fit more of a niche market - people who can't or won't go luxury, but don't want the standard fleet cars you see so many of on the road, it's a happy medium that allows one to be somewhat unique without breaking the bank and for many of us once we've had that fun to drive experience that's where the brand loyalty comes in