Mazda going premium?

Meanwhile, Lexus is doing all it can to get rid of the luxury-brand mark on it's back.

Mazda, forget the old people and the self parking and crap. Go back to lightweight, cheap, FUN TO DRIVE sports cars, like the one that saved your whole company in the 90's. Believe it or not, some people don't want to spend 30k+ on a quasi-luxo SUV with no offroad ability.
 
I think of it more like the thrifty man's BMW. No, it doesn't have all those luxury features. And costs half as much, or less, as a result.
 
craigo said:
The Whois info for that domain and the "autoomobile" one list a "Rashmi Sangani" and addresses in Malaysia. I think a script takes an article from somewhere and changes up some wording - rearranging sentences and substituting adjectives.
Click to expand...

That very well could be the case and easy to do these days... a WHOIS on the other points to a registration out of London.
 
I think one needs to sit down and actually define "luxury"

It's not always the car itself -- Lexus are upgraded Toyotas, Acuras are upgraded Hondas, Lincolns are upgraded Fords, etc. Sure, the leather is better, the fit and finish is better, more tech, better suspension, better sound deadening, etc. But the cars are generally similar and are based on the same platforms.

Where the difference comes in is the brand image and the dealership experience. Walk into a Lexus or BMW dealer and you're like "whoa". The last BMW dealer I was in had free Starbucks K cups and a small snack bar for those waiting for service. Not so much with your Fords or Toyotas.

Depending on what Mazda does, they could be keeping the same cars but realligning their brand image to match a more premium brand
 
Premium has a wide range. 40k-400K Bentleys.

I think Mazda is aiming for Entry Level Premium. The cheapest models available on a BMW, Audi, Mercedez, Lexus, ect.
 
caverunner17 said:
I think one needs to sit down and actually define "luxury"

It's not always the car itself -- Lexus are upgraded Toyotas, Acuras are upgraded Hondas, Lincolns are upgraded Fords, etc. Sure, the leather is better, the fit and finish is better, more tech, better suspension, better sound deadening, etc. But the cars are generally similar and are based on the same platforms.

Where the difference comes in is the brand image and the dealership experience. Walk into a Lexus or BMW dealer and you're like "whoa". The last BMW dealer I was in had free Starbucks K cups and a small snack bar for those waiting for service. Not so much with your Fords or Toyotas.

Depending on what Mazda does, they could be keeping the same cars but realligning their brand image to match a more premium brand
Click to expand...

My Mazda dealership (which is not partnered with Porsche or any other dealer moniker) offers a mocha machine (like the kinds at gas stations which makes various blends at button press), free snacks (fruit gummies and Amos cookies FTW!), Sodas, and other things.

The BMW dealer where I used to live offered a sales rep who would get you a cup of coffee from the pot that was supposedly fresh.

The Mazda and Porsche/BMW/Benz dealership experiences I have had are all comparable, if not favoring Mazda.

As to Luxury...luxury is something wanted but not needed. The extra 1 second Mazda lops off the 0-60 of its competitors to the CX-5 is a luxury. The 2.5L is a luxury. The back-up camera is a luxury.

What you are talking about is an IMAGE. A cache. Not luxury. Although an image is luxury...
 
CX-5um said:
Premium has a wide range. 40k-400K Bentleys.

I think Mazda is aiming for Entry Level Premium. The cheapest models available on a BMW, Audi, Mercedez, Lexus, ect.
Click to expand...

They can hit stripper X1 and X3 status with a loaded CX-5 and a brawnier engine. However, they will do it the same way Hyundai hit Mercedes Benz status with the Equus. Everyone just laughs and sayws "WTF bro!? A $60K Hyundai? You're stupid if you buy that." even if the features match up.

So they better hit it at a LOWER price-point.
 
I'm pretty sure, that is how it started Lexus and Acura as well back in the day and they are consider luxury these days.
 
tibimakai said:
I'm pretty sure, that is how it started Lexus and Acura as well back in the day and they are consider luxury these days.
Click to expand...
Lexus had Toyota's image of quality and reliability to build off of, and so did Acura with Honda. Hyundai has a great sounding warranty that's actually crap, and the uncanny ability to knock off visual cues from BMW and Mercedes headlights and grills, lol. Not even the new models, either. It's like they go look at new Benz/BMW's on the lot as soon as they come out and THEN adopt the look. Hyundai will forever be the "...but it looks similar to and cost me a lot less and it's just as good as a...!" and then they drive/ride in a "..." and understand why they "saved" so much.
 
Last edited:
CX-5um said:
For one a premium vehicle usually calls for premium gas.
Click to expand...

Not really, not all the time, especially now days. The Mustang GT's 5.0L can run on 87, for that matter. The Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland can run on midgrade even with the HEMI. There are other examples I'm sure, but that's just off the top of my head.
 
I would never buy premium cars. All that comes along with them is double the repair costs when things go wrong. I use to have a 97 Infiniti QX4, basically a pathfinder and anything that went wrong with it, it was doubled the costs as a pathfinder even though they were the same exact parts. Ended up buying my own parts and just giving them to the mechanic.

Not to mention, too many basic features are left out of luxury cars. HID/LED headlights. I laugh when I see Mercedes, Lexus, etc that basic halogen headlights. Some, even lacking projector style headlights! Even heated seats I've seen are extra.

Mazda needs to stay right where they are. Make their rides more quiet, add in some more standard features found in other comparable cuvs, and stop pissing money away on further driving improvements. I think they nailed it for their current fleet of cars. Now, start floating some of that money towards the other necessities that are needed. You'll have an almost luxury car at non luxury prices.
 
jhu8 said:
I would never buy premium cars. All that comes along with them is double the repair costs when things go wrong. I use to have a 97 Infiniti QX4, basically a pathfinder and anything that went wrong with it, it was doubled the costs as a pathfinder even though they were the same exact parts. Ended up buying my own parts and just giving them to the mechanic.

Not to mention, too many basic features are left out of luxury cars. HID/LED headlights. I laugh when I see Mercedes, Lexus, etc that basic halogen headlights. Some, even lacking projector style headlights! Even heated seats I've seen are extra.

Mazda needs to stay right where they are. Make their rides more quiet, add in some more standard features found in other comparable cuvs, and stop pissing money away on further driving improvements. I think they nailed it for their current fleet of cars. Now, start floating some of that money towards the other necessities that are needed. You'll have an almost luxury car at non luxury prices.
Click to expand...

I think 50# of sound-deadening and thicker material would make $5,000 in difference of owner/driver/passenger perception.
 
Unobtanium said:
I think 50# of sound-deadening and thicker material would make $5,000 in difference of owner/driver/passenger perception.
Click to expand...

This is true. Especially when they have full access to the frame on the assembly line. That said the time and materials adds to overall costs. In most cars in Mazda's price point every car cuts corners somewhere. Toyota in its steering and chassis. Honda's brakes in some models and non-split rear seats. Mazda's in sound deadening and probably windshields.

Savvy consumers would know where the money is going into for each make/model. In a typical Mazda its the Engine, Tranny, and suspension tuning. The meat and potatoes of what drivers want in a daily driver.
 
CX-5um said:
This is true. Especially when they have full access to the frame on the assembly line. That said the time and materials adds to overall costs. In most cars in Mazda's price point every car cuts corners somewhere. Toyota in its steering and chassis. Honda's brakes in some models and non-split rear seats. Mazda's in sound deadening and probably windshields.

Savvy consumers would know where the money is going into for each make/model. In a typical Mazda its the Engine, Tranny, and suspension tuning. The meat and potatoes of what drivers want in a daily driver.
Click to expand...
But sound deadening is so cheap to do during assembly. It could totally make it feel like another vehicle in a good way for probably 100 bucks a car after markup on the lot!
 
Unobtanium said:
But sound deadening is so cheap to do during assembly. It could totally make it feel like another vehicle in a good way for probably 100 bucks a car after markup on the lot!
Click to expand...

Agreed, but for some reason I don't think it's cost that's the prohibitive factor for Mazda. It's their relentless pursuit of weight reduction.
 
jhu8 said:
Mazda needs to stay right where they are. Make their rides more quiet, add in some more standard features found in other comparable cuvs, and stop pissing money away on further driving improvements. I think they nailed it for their current fleet of cars. Now, start floating some of that money towards the other necessities that are needed. You'll have an almost luxury car at non luxury prices.
Click to expand...

You comment is contradictory to Mazda's claim to fame and likely the reason most look at and buy a Mazda.

If Mazda lays aside Zoom Zoom in exchange for fluff I can guarantee this CX-5 will the first and the last Mazda purchased by this household. More performance, more drive and less pointless cr@p please!

Well... ok maybe if mazda offers the CX-??? in a basic performance Zoom Zoom model sans all the pointless things jacking up the price of cars, we will be on board...
 
Last edited:
Please log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
New 2024 CX-5 Build and Upgrades
Replies
6
Views
5K
gazelle
G
mazdamitt
    • Like
    • Love
    • Wow
New here! Wanted to say Hi!
Replies
8
Views
696
Conrad 16.5
Conrad 16.5
M
Mazda Jet Black Mica (no price premium)?
Replies
9
Views
862
7eregrine
7eregrine

Latest posts

Back