A few Questions about the Mazda 5...

[muoxfordoh]

My wife and I are giving serious thought to purchasing a Mazda 5, but we do have a few reservations. I have seen some discussion here about stability control and handling, and I wonder if I can get some input from people who drive in bad weather/snow. I live outside Cincinnati, OH and we don't get much snow, but I do travel to Erie, PA and upstate NY a couple of times every winter and I am concerned with the handling. I currently drive a Honda Civic Hybrid and while my wife and I love it, it does not handle great in bad weather (even with good tires). We now have 2 kids and are expecting a third this summer and my wife and I really like the Mazda 5. We love the way it drives and all the room (for a smaller car) and the cost. I just want to be sure it can handle bad weather from time to time (I understand this is not an off-road type of vehicle). Any feedback/advise anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[mrbwa1]

We live in Spokane, WA and get a fair amount of snow. This winter, however, we had unusually heavy snowfall. Our '07 Sport performed great with a set of snow tires on it. Stability and traction control have never been on a vehicle that I have owned, and it has not been an issue with the 5 so far.

The most snow that I was able to take on was about a 12-14" unplowed street, which the 5 handled, though that was pushing the limits due to snow literally coming up onto the hood due to the snowfall depth.

In typical settings of a few inches of snow, or plowed streets, the 5 was a very stable and predictable. Of course, we always drive for conditions, even with snow tires.

 

[coolmazda5]

The Mazda5 sells extremely well in Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Saskatchewan to say the least), I think that says a lot about handling in extreme weather, just get good snow tires during winter, exercise your good driving techniques like mrbwa1 and you should be OK IMO (thumb)

 

[eilros25]

IMO, traction control, AWD and snow tires are a waste of money. I grew up in North Dakota and drove a Firebird for many years. I didn't have snow tires and didn't have any problems. A lot of those "safety" features actually give many drivers a false sense of security. The person in the driver's seat makes all the difference.

If you live in an area that gets lots of snow and ice, pay attention to what vehicles are in the ditch during the next storm. Most likely it's a four wheel drive pickup or SUV. You can have all of the safety features available but if you don't adjust your driving to the conditions, it ain't gonna matter.

 

[dreamym5]

IMO, traction control, AWD and snow tires are a waste of money. I grew up in North Dakota and drove a Firebird for many years. I didn't have snow tires and didn't have any problems. A lot of those "safety" features actually give many drivers a false sense of security. The person in the driver's seat makes all the difference.

If you live in an area that gets lots of snow and ice, pay attention to what vehicles are in the ditch during the next storm. Most likely it's a four wheel drive pickup or SUV. You can have all of the safety features available but if you don't adjust your driving to the conditions, it ain't gonna matter.

i totally agree with you..

it is *good* to have safty features.. but untimately it is safe driving that matters..

http://www.iihs.org/video.aspx?f=info/esc

 

[5phreak]

with good snow/ice tires mine was great this winter. last winter with the stock Toyo tires, not-so-great.

 

[pick41]

Living around Indy, I get similar weather as Cinci. The 5 does well, we got it in late Jan/early Feb. so didn't have it all winter. I would suggest snow tires, ours came equiped with Performance Summer tires on it, and they didn't do well in the snow, I truely think it was the tires, not the car or driver. But it will be getting snows for next winter.

 

[daddyzoom]

I'm in Toronto Ontario where we've endured close to 430cm of snow this winter. I installed winter tires and had no problem. IMO, it comes down to being a smart and responsible river to meet the conditions (ie. leaving ample time to get to your destination, keeping your eyes on the road, driving defensively).
As dreamym5 said, most of the vehicles in the ditches (or for that reason causing accidents) belong to those drivers who have a false sense of security and invincibility.
With three kids myself, safety was the prime consideration when purchasing the 5. I swtiched from a much bigger van (Chevy Venture) and feel much safer in the 5 than the Venture (due in part to the air bag/air curtains, h body frame) and just as safe as compared to our other vehicle (Buick Enclave).

 

[opus]

I live in Temperance, Michigan, just north of the Ohio-Michigan state line. We had our 6th snowiest winter on record this year and the 5, with Bridgestone Blizzak snow tires did very well. As an example: My wife was driving the 5 to work and was approaching a downhill bend in the road, the Nissan Altima in front of my wife slid right off the road in front of my wife, my wife went through the bend withou incident, but the GMC Acadia behind her went right off the road and over the curb also, all three vehicles traveling about the same speed, mine had snow tires, the other two did not. I've never owned snow tires before, throught they were a waste of money, but I am soooo glad I got them for the 5. We have a Saturn wagon with traction control, and the 5 with the snow tires but no traction control. The 5 is soooo much better in the snow that it is almost scary. I'll take the snow tires over the electronic nannies any day of the week.

 

[skyhawk]

I'm in Saskatchewan. Winter driving on an all-season-tire, the vehicle is like the rock in the game called curling. There is so little control you can do on the vehicle once it starts to lose grip.

So I switched to using winter tires during winter. No more 'fear' in managing the corners. The scary part is trying to slow down gently so that the vehicle behind will not smack on your rear end.

Also I noticed winter tires starts to work at its best during its 2nd winter.
by that time, the threads had adjusted, or your driving style has adapted to the tire.

 

[jlk_250]

I'm in Minneapolis where we get some snow but not a whole lot. The Mazda5 is the first vehicle I've put snow tires on because the stock Toyo tires are so terrible I couldn't let my family take a risk on them in the wintertime. It does very well in the snow with the snow tires, in our case Pirelli Carving.

Personally I think stability control is one of the best safety inventions out there and am disappointed that it isn't offered on the Mazda5 in the US. However, it doesn't seem to need it all that much.

 

[pkreds]

I was wondering if all who use snows also install pressure monitors in new wheels? if not does the idiot stay on or off? thanks
p.s. Im a believer in the virtue of snows and will make the purchase next fall. ( just got my 08 sport and dont expect any more soe this season)

 

[dreamym5]

I was wondering if all who use snows also install pressure monitors in new wheels? if not does the idiot stay on or off? thanks
p.s. Im a believer in the virtue of snows and will make the purchase next fall. ( just got my 08 sport and dont expect any more soe this season)

if you just get snow tires.. you should not have any problem with TPMS

but if you get 4 new wheels with snow tires then you have to transfer sensors from old wheels to new ones.. otherwise you get TPMS warning sound.

This is how TPMS works... there is main module inside of car which receives the signal from 4 sensors in each wheel... if one wheel (or more) loses its presure.. or don't receive the radio signal from that sensor.. it triggers the TPMS..

 

[tschin]

Winter tires

with good snow/ice tires mine was great this winter. last winter with the stock Toyo tires, not-so-great.

I agree with 5phreak. Purchased our Mazda5 in Jan 08. The stock Toyo tire tread is neither very deep nor agressive; not satisfactory for Wisconsin. They will be gone before next winter.

 

[muoxfordoh]

Thanks everyone. My wife and I purchased our Mazda5 GT this afternoon. It should be at the dealer in a few days. We can't wait! I really appreciate everyone's input.

 

[rweatherford]

Congrats!

 

[AO928]

if you just get snow tires.. you should not have any problem with TPMS

but if you get 4 new wheels with snow tires then you have to transfer sensors from old wheels to new ones.. otherwise you get TPMS warning sound.

This is how TPMS works... there is main module inside of car which receives the signal from 4 sensors in each wheel... if one wheel (or more) loses its presure.. or don't receive the radio signal from that sensor.. it triggers the TPMS..

Has anyone tried getting a set of sensors to put on a set of winter wheels/tires and get it to work with the TPMS?

 

[mrbwa1]

Has anyone tried getting a set of sensors to put on a set of winter wheels/tires and get it to work with the TPMS?

I don't know about the 5 (mine is an 07 w/o TMPS, but my parents were looking at a Prius and doing research, we found out the TMPS only remembers 4 sensors. This means if you wanted snows with TMPS, you have to get the TPMS computer reprogrammed by the manufacturer twice a year to the tune of $50-100! So you can imagine that it's not a popular option.

 

[AO928]

So what is the TPMS warning like? I know... I could go and deflate one of my own tires and find out, but was wondering if someone has already BTDT and cares to tell me how bad it really is.