Interested in Mazda5

mitka

Member
Hi

I am Mazda5 curious.

I have three kids, that makes us 5 passenger family. We have Subaru Outback AT and MT Civic DX. I am looking for family car. Outback does not really fit 5 (with all the car seats and boosters).

I do not like minivans. I googled "minivan manual transmission" and discovered Mazda5 which seems close to wagon than to minivan. What is your opinion about fitting 5 passengers and corresponding gear/luggage for long trips in Mazda5? (typically camping) I understand that there is almost no cargo space w/ 3rd row seats up. If one 3rd row seat is folded, will it provide enough cargo room?

Next, I see that Mazda5 comes w/o roof rails. This is a pity given how small cargo space is. How hard it is to fit it with roof rails. Main purpose is to carry bikes and skis.

This weekend I am planning to check out Mazda5 at the nearest Mazda dealership, but wanted to hear your opinions as well.

Thank you
 
I would say the 5 is more a 4 passenger with lots of room for luggage and cargo, more than a 5 passenger vehicle. Unless the 5th passenger is quite small and doesn't mind sitting by themselves. All depends on the age of your kids. I have teenage boys, and it would be cruel for me to put them in the 3rd row! I bought the 5 to fit an occasional 5th passenger, but haven't used those seats in over a year now.

Roof rails are unavailable in NA, but Euro-spec 5's come with them. You can mount roof racks, instead. I use the racks and have carried all sorts of things, including lumber and sheets of plywood. Bikes and skis would be a snap.

IF your kids are under 5'4", and you can pack really light, camping is possible. Roof racks with a box or platform would be more than ample.
 
There is not much room in the third seat. The kid in the back row needs to be able to buckle themselves as it is tough to reach. Think of it as more of a "4+2" than a 6 seat car.
 
It might work for you, with 4+1 seats up you may still have as much cargo room as your Outback sans having to squeeze three child seats across one bench. I'm surprised you're having problems with that in your Outback. How old are your kids and what kind of car seat/booster are they in?

Remember, whoever sits in the back will have to know how to buckle their own seat belt, with cars seats in the 2nd row seats, you won't be able to fold them down for easy access into the back, although the aisle is plenty big for a small child to fit through.

Take the 5 on a very comprehensive test drive, meaning you gather all your car seats and typical cargo load you would need to carry and see if it all fits for you. A roof rack and box or basket will set you back an additional $700 but I highly recommend it for road trips and what not. Good luck with your decision!
 
As we have it now: Outback cargo space is 34.3 cu ft. Britax RoundAbout and Britax Marathon and a teenager squeezed in between or on the side. Normally all cargo space is used plus extras on the roof (like skis and bikes).
As I see it with Mazda5: two little ones in the second row and the thirteen year old is in the back. The seat in front of him is pushed all the way forward. One 3rd row seat is folded and space is loaded to the roof.
 
It was a similar family situation that brought me to the Mazda 5:

We had a Focus wagon (5MT ZTW), which was fine for 2 adults, 1 toddler, and (occasionally) an octegenarian parent. When the second child arrived, trips out for dinner with my father suddenly required 2 cars. Thinking dad won't always be able to drive, a larger car was needed...but I HATE big cars.

Along came the 5. 5spd, and a 4+2 seating configuration was perfect. I bought the Mazda roof rack and added a Thule ski box (small frontal area to minimize drag), and we've made a number of weekend trips with all five of us and our luggage. The two kids now fight over the chance to ride in the cool seats in the "very very back," and if needed I can help the little one with her seatbelt by reaching through the hatch. For longer summer trips, without Dad, we still plunk the box on the roof for room for more gear, and I can blast through the Canadian Rockies at 110 km/h (70 mph) up and down passes, while getting 28 mpg (US), and with a smile on my face the whole way.

What's not to like?
 
As we have it now: Outback cargo space is 34.3 cu ft. Britax RoundAbout and Britax Marathon and a teenager squeezed in between or on the side. Normally all cargo space is used plus extras on the roof (like skis and bikes).
As I see it with Mazda5: two little ones in the second row and the thirteen year old is in the back. The seat in front of him is pushed all the way forward. One 3rd row seat is folded and space is loaded to the roof.

You've got the cargo worked out. The 13 year old might find the back seat cramped after a while (especially as a 14 or 15 year old), and with the middle seat pushed forward even small ones will be kicking the backs of the front seats (and their occupants). Try it this way: teenager in the middle row, little ones line-astern middle and back row. If you need, you can buckle the belt around the little one in back by reaching through the hatch.
 
You could put the teenager in the back seat and both kids in the "way back". Fold down the other back seat and you have room for games and toys. Or mom can ride in the back and the teenager in the front. You can make it work.
 
If you get the 5 I dont think you will regret it. I have 4 kids, 16- 5'10", 15-6"1,10-4'10",9-4'5" and they fit just fine...now granted I dont go camping and need excess room for storage....but you can make it work.
 
Hi

I am Mazda5 curious.

I have three kids, that makes us 5 passenger family. We have Subaru Outback AT and MT Civic DX. I am looking for family car. Outback does not really fit 5 (with all the car seats and boosters).

Next, I see that Mazda5 comes w/o roof rails. This is a pity given how small cargo space is. How hard it is to fit it with roof rails. Main purpose is to carry bikes and skis.

This weekend I am planning to check out Mazda5 at the nearest Mazda dealership, but wanted to hear your opinions as well.

Thank you


Most of us have had their Mazda5 undergo the torture tests.

Here's one thread on the mazda5 adventures.

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123712076
 
Thanks a lot for your feedback!
I'm just back from dealership. Mother Nature presented Chicago area with some wet snow today, so it was interesting to see how it handles in a bit of sleet. Dealer (Continental Mazda) did not have MT car in the lot, so we test drove AT Sports. I liked how it drives and handles even with AT.

All family fits well.

There is still concern of small cargo space for long trips, but w/ roof basket added seems workable.

I am 6' 200 lbs, so the seats feel a bit tight (hip room). E.g. I cannot put a seat belt on w/o raising the arm rest first. Folding armrests feel a bit flimsy, so is sliding door. Otherwise I was very pleased. First row seats have adequate legroom and comfort. Headroom is better than in Outback (or it felt like it).

As my wife does not want to part with Outback, I think I will go thru and get ourselves stick shift Sports trim w/ roof rack. Just need to sit on the idea for a while.

Thank you all very much!
 
You can check inventory, including searching for only Mazda5's with manual transmissions, at www.mazdausa.com

and what prices are you seeing in Chicago? I live in Springfield, Illinois and ended up buying in St. Louis at Bommarito West. The Bommarito chain is advertising a 2010 Mazda5 with manual transmission for $16,500. http://cdn.travidia.com/rop-ad/9074521 before tax, title, license, doc fee which adds up to right at $1,500 for an Illinois resident. So, right at $18,000 out the door.
 
Just to chime in: We replaced a '93 Legacy wagon (you never said what year Outback mitka, so I can't compare since each generation grows a tiny bit) and we actually fit 1 car seat: middle, rear facing, then diff fwd facing) + 2 booster seats np. The older kids (8 & 4 were OK in the outboard boosters, though the middle child could not get to her own seat belt latch. The Legacy had ALOT of room for a small wagon. The '97 Accord wagon, though 3" wider, was a joke by comparison. Anyway, b/c the 5s configuration, trips that would have left the tailgate area about 3/4 full in the Legacy may have felt a bit cramped to the now-9-year-old stuck all by his lonesome in the back back. But all it takes is some books-on-tape ripped into an mp3 player to solve that problem. The new configuration is a little nicer for when the kids are cranky, though I have that xtremely rare family where the kids can sit hip to hip to hip and not fight and poke each other. My OTHER ride may be of interest to you though - the Volvo V70. Its HUGE inside, can come with 2 built-in booster seats to solve the bulky plastic booster issues, and is also availabe w/the roof racks. My mpgs in the 5MT 250 hp V70 is about 20 city/27 @80 mph, where the 5MT Mazda5 is as much as 24 city but only 21-25 mpg @ 80mph. The 5MT has a very close ratio trans, and is a blast around town, but will cruise Western States freeway speed @ 4000 rpms!
We are about to be 2+4 family-wise, so I can soon give feedback on the 5s versatility when @ full occupancy.
 
Ah yes, western state "freeway speeds"! Fun stuff, where prevailing traffic runs 5-10 over the posted 75...or more, in Montana, as we experienced a few times.

CX-7 at those speeds dropped into 17-18 range, rapid but expensive travel. 60-65'ish was 23-24 mpg but such a yawner with so much ground to cover.

We're taking our 5 to ND in July, 4-up plus the big dog, I'm expecting it to be a bit more efficient.
 
Just to chime in: We replaced a '93 Legacy wagon (you never said what year Outback mitka,...

It is 2004 Outback.
Three car seats in the back would not be a problem, but one kid is a teenager.
Two car seats in the back seat tend to move together leaving just a squeeze of a space for a third person to sit. Which in itself is not really a problem were it not for the fact that kids start fighting after about 1 hour of driving.

I have found MT Mazda 5 for $15,995. Deal expires March 31st.

One of the concerns I have now is this: I see folks here starting a 100K mile club like it is something of an achievement. To me 100K is nothing to be proud about. My Civic is 219K, Outback is 100K. No issues whatsoever. Both cars on original suspension. Civic only got new drive axle and tranny rebuilt (after I powershifted it like an idiot) when it got 206K.

How reliable are Mazda5. I see people having issues w/ suspension and plastic trim and electric on 2006, 2007 models. These are new cars IMO.
 
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To chime in on the 100k mile club, it's just because it's quite an achievement for vehicles that are so new since the oldest Mazda 5s around are only 5 and a half years old.

The 06s suffers from the usual first years jitters where things still need to be worked out. A lot of these items were worked out. My 07 is pretty solid @ 65k now. I don't expect Mazda to be Toyota reliable (my old Corolla was at 228k and still running very strong when I sold it) but I figure it's a small price to pay for a car that fits the bill: versatile, practical, and fun to drive.
 
#1: $16 Large for a new Mazda5 (wow) They aren't going to screw you by taking a trade are they?

#2: OK an '04 - not quite as wide as the Accord and w/less wheelbase, but a decent tailgate area. The Accord's back seat is really bolstered making outboard booster seats not fit right, but I know no teen would want to sit in the center of anything that's not as wide as a Suburban, that's for sure.

#3: Bummer in the infighting. I have no suggestions.

#4: I expect this car to last 20 years w/o any major issues. I give it a lifespan in years not mileage b/c we're putting about 8,000 miles/year on it, so 4 years old, 35,000 miles. By its 10th anniversary, it may have 90,000. May not hit 200,000 in my posession, but that's OK. But I expect others in this forum to hit 150K by 2012 and be going strong like its brand new. No worries about longevity.

I say get it, buy the load bars and a box, and cruise around knowing you're a trendsetter/early adopter/cooler than the ditz in the SUV next to you @ the stoplight. (yes)
 
#1: $16 Large for a new Mazda5 (wow) They aren't going to screw you by taking a trade are they?

This is of course before tax and fees and I suspect w/o destination charge. OTD price will be close to $18K. I discovered that MT Mazda 5 is pretty rare on a dealer lot here, so may be they are trying to get rid of it. As the matter of fact I do not see many Mazda 5 driving around. Two weeks ago I, myself, did not know this vehicle existed (burn)
 
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