Distance between front seat and rear hatch

Meisenman

Member
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2014 Mazda5 Touring
I'm considering a Mazda5 to replace my VW Passat Wagon, but there are none in my area to look at.

I have searched quite a bit (not just on this site) to determine the length of the compartment behind the front seats and the rear hatch. I play double bass, which is 72" tall, and I'd like to be able to fit it straight in (without angling it across the rear). I'd prefer not to place the fingerboard between the seats. I assume that I'll need to slide the passenger's seat forward to accommodate the bass.

I'm 6' tall and expect to have the seat at or nearly all the way back. So my question is this: What is the distance behind a front seat in its rearmost position to the rear hatch?

Thx.
 
72 inches is about 6 feet, you will need to fold all 3 seats on one side of the car flet to fit it in.

m5dimentions-1-500.jpg

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72 inches is about 6 feet, you will need to fold all 3 seats on one side of the car flet to fit it in.

Thank you for the detailed photos. Are you saying that the front passenger's seat folds flat? Will it not slide forward 5 inches?
 
As you can see in teh pics he posted, front passenger seat doesn't fold flat -forward

You can recline it all the way back..but then the second row won't fold forward..but then you can recline 2nd row all the way back too.

If you want full flat load floor....driver/pass seat doesn't fold flat

if you want lumpy load floor, you can recline driver seat back


Just buy a Subaru Outback Wagon instead of the Mazda5
 
Thx for your help, all. I was also wondering whether an Outback might fill the bill. Certainly easier to find; they're ubiquitous in these parts.
 
Thx for your help, all. I was also wondering whether an Outback might fill the bill. Certainly easier to find; they're ubiquitous in these parts.

Had an 04 Legacy wagon. With the rear bench folded up and the rear seatback folded down, was able to get a twin bed inside, but the mattress had to sit on top of the folded up bench, which was probably 5" above the flat load floor that was created from the seatback being folded down. You don't have a hard case for your bass then? The Mazda5 passenger seat will roll forward on the tracks and fold forward. No idea if that will give you 6' though. Don't see why it shouldn't I can fit 8' dimensional lumber in the car and still access the shifter.
 
Again, though, the seat bench folds up, and in the end, it will sit higher than the flat floor, just like on a Subaru or a Volvo.
 
Owned a 2001 manual Outback wagon, loved it.

Really want a 2014 Manual outback wagon again. At times we need the extra seats, thus the Mazda 5.

Outback is a much better car.
 
Thx for your help, all. I was also wondering whether an Outback might fill the bill. Certainly easier to find; they're ubiquitous in these parts.

Isn't an Outback a lot more for the same year & mileage? A different class of car?
 
Isn't an Outback a lot more for the same year & mileage? A different class of car?

2 things:

#1 the Outback is a midsize soft-roader station wagon. The Mazda5 is a compact not-quite-a-wagon-not-quite-a-minivan. Its based on a smaller class. Smaller = cheaper unless we're discussing luxury brands.

#2 Subarus have stupid-high resale values. Part is because they ARE built for long-term reliability, but also because a majority (around here, at least) of owners are middle-age women, so the cars are abuse-free and fully maintained.
 
Consider the defunct Toyota Matrix/ Pontiac Vibe twin. Flat folding interior including front passenger seat, available AWD (use it with a big heaping of caution), and some years had MT. I wouldn't pass one up if one comes across me; I like Corollas for what they are.
 
Locally outbacks are 22K with manual trans, new.

Mazda5 with same options are about 20,500.

Not much of a difference.

Subaru resale value is lower than Honda/Toyota. (I have had 4 subarus).

Mazdas just have terrible resale in comparison, which makes Subarus seem higher...
 
Locally outbacks are 22K with manual trans, new.

Mazda5 with same options are about 20,500.

Not much of a difference.

Subaru resale value is lower than Honda/Toyota. (I have had 4 subarus).

Mazdas just have terrible resale in comparison, which makes Subarus seem higher...

Must be a regional thing. Subaru resale values in WA are insanely high. We're talking $5k for a 10+ year old Forester with 150k-200k miles with the head gaskets recently done.
 
Must be a regional thing. Subaru resale values in WA are insanely high. We're talking $5k for a 10+ year old Forester with 150k-200k miles with the head gaskets recently done.

Correct. Its because in the NE, NW, and MW you can use the AWD.

My 2001 Outback in 2009, with 165K miles wouldn't fetch 3000$ here. I was in St Louis for work, and sold it there for $5500.

So cal, where we dont need AWD, its land of 17 year olds and their STi.

I can spot 10 Astons Martins, 2 GTR, Aventador and a Bugatti in the same day where I live, and never see an Outback or Forrestor for months and months.

When I lived in boston, and seattle, you could throw a rock, and hit 10 subarus.
 
New car and first customization

After researching the subject, I purchased a 2014 Mazda5 Touring model in Meteor Gray Mica. I would have preferred all-black upholstery, but you get what you get.

The dealer let me take the car out for an hour's test drive, so I stopped by the house to see how my double bass would fit. Turns out that there is an inch or so more length in back than my Passat had. I still have to place the bass either diagonally or with the neck between the front seats, depending on how much other stuff I need to schlep.

Another difference between the Passat and the 5is there an accepted abbreviation for the Mazda5?is that the Passat had a 60/40 bench in the second row, and the 5 has the buckets with a gap between them. I used a piece of heavy carpet in the Passat, but carpet can sag between the seats in the 5 when I roll equipment over it, so I had to devise a more sturdy solution. I hope that the following description is useful or inspiring to others. (Adding figures inline eludes memaybe it's the httpsso I added links to the figures.)

I first created a cardboard template to fit the entire space behind the front seats. I bought a 4x8 piece of 5mm plywood (floor underlayment) and a 6-foot piano hinge (because the finished piece is wider at the front). I had the plywood cut to 66 inches in length and then in half lengthwise. I cut the hinge to length myself.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gm8gho1bowb1ubw/Figure1.jpg

I attached the hinge to the plywood and used the template to mark the plywood assembly. Fortunately the width of the second-row seats (including the armrests) was 48 inches. The width at the tailgate was 41 inches.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wrje3p5sot55548/Figure2.jpg

After I cut the plywood to shape, I initially planned to cover it with a fabric similar to what exists behind the third row, but I decided to use rubberized bed-liner spray. I masked off the hinge, and it took three cans to coat it sufficiently. I left the reverse side of the plywood bare, as it is very smooth, and I will protect the second-row seats (Sand color) with a blanket.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2plcr7yei2f3fx0/Figure3.jpg

Finally, I needed to protect both the edges of the plywood and the interior of the car. A product named Trim Lok Edge Guard was suggested, and I found a local upholstery shop that could sell some to me. (It's also available online at McMaster-Carr.) The job required 20 feet of material.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a5mmje2l6reb3l2/Figure4.jpg

Here's the finished piece installed in the car. I'm pleased with the result. Total cost of materials was just under $100.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/78egblnlomy2o8q/Figure5.jpg
 
Nice work.


Here's an idea to make it more practical and eliminate the need to take it in/out (skip to 1:30 marker). You "might" even be able to just get the Ford 3rd row covers from an overseas Euro C-Max. I really want Ford's version of the jump seat :(
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY9WZX2nr_o

For those new here, this was Ford's anticipate MPV (rebadged Mz5) but they killed it last minute after much planning/anticipation and only went with the hybrid/electric model with hinged doors instead. Damn it Ford!@#$%...
 
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