HotRodSaint said:
So do you have any proof that Mazda is "dumping" the Mazda5 into fleet sales?
Because last years numbers make it appear that fleet sales was part of their marketing strategy from the very start.
Do you have any proof that fleet sales was part of the marketing strategy from the very start?
Per my article, in the first 10 months of 2006, fleet sales accounted for about 28 percent of all Mazda5s. Your data increases that to 32.1% by years end, and for the first half of this year it increased again to 43.8%, according to the data provided by the thread starter.
So going by your logic, roughly 18+ months after launch, the marketing plan has failed, as the ratio of retail to fleet has increased not decreased. And even with all those moved to fleet use the Mazda5 year to date sales are still off by 8.8% (as of April 07)
http://media.ford.com/newsroom/release_display.cfm?release=25949
and at a discount versus retail so profitability is reduced. Add to the fact that the 5 was expected to sell a relatively small 20K units; Why is anyone still arguing the point?
HotRodSaint said:
If I were to guess, which is what we are all doing, then I'd guess that Mazda knew there was going to be a small niche for the Mazda5 and that fleet sales would make the volume high enough to justify the costs of bringing the car to the US.
My educated guess is that the Mz5 is a victim of bad timing, bad press, low sticker fuel economy and for most Americans its just not the right vehicle.
First, its a tweener, not a full size minivan but not a small compact either (& as a compact its a hatchback which historically has never found much appeal to Americans).
Second, just as the model was released minivan sales/registrations started to tumble, and for Mazda its replacing the larger and arguably more functional MPV. So there goes your loyal repeat customers in a shrinking sales base.
Third, the well publicized heat shield recall right after launch (one of my coworkers commented on that right after I bought and showed off mine).
Fourth, EPA fuel economy ratings arent much better than a traditional minivan and worse than subcompacts. Real world (in my use & to my pleasant surprise) it is much better and in line with subcompacts, but when your doing your research, heresay goes out the window, and you tend to rely on the systematic method of the EPA.
Now Im not going to say that the Mz5 is the greatest thing on four wheels but none of the above (including resale) bothered me because the vehicle was purchased to fill a need not a want. I was ready to live with some significant compromises as it was the best fit for those needs that I could find. However, I am pleased with what you get for the price (functionality of a minivan without the size & cost, good handling with communicative steering, better hp, torque & interior volume vrs subcompacts) and happy that a lot of those compromises I though I had made, have not come to fruition (thanks to the good highway mileage and range & overall fit & finish).
