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Vans & Minivans Mazda Mazda5 Mazda 5 vs Kia Rondo
806 messages, Last post on Nov 26, 2009 at 2:38 PM
You are in the Mazda Mazda5 Forum. Your Host is Karens
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Replying to: coolmazda5 (Dec 13, 2007 8:35 am) I think that the Rondo's big advantage in the US is the dealer network/setup, along with the advertising. The MZ5 is a relative unknown to shoppers because of the lack of advertising. So if a person comes in looking at say a Mazda3, the sell-up is either to a 3 hatchback, a 6 or the CX-7 CUV. Even if the 5 is presented as an alternative, all the uneducated buyer will see is MINIVAN sliding doors! I don't know why, but Americans seem to have a dislike for sliding doors, even while complaining about tight parking spots. The Rondo slots in at a different point. Kia advertises heavily, and especially in my area, there is a constant ad along the lines of: "Need a Car? Have $99? Come see Kia." This may bring people in for the basic Rio. Also, due to Kia's ever-increasing quality, I believe that the repeat buyer numbers are probably pretty high. So you either have someone coming in looking at a new Rio/Optima, or maybe a previous owner looking for a bigger car. For Kia, the Rondo is that bigger car. The Sportage CUV is there, but the Rondo can be presented as a cheap bigger car.The the uneducated buyer, the Rondo is a car (4 doors) and is styled vaguely crossover-ish. I don't think that most people research and analyze several alternatives as much as those here on the forums. For those that don't, I think Kia has a better up-sell/cross-sell path to the Rondo than Mazda does to the 5. For those the take the time to get educated, both the 5 and Rondo come out a great cars in different ways. That is the think about competition, in it's true form, competition tends to bring out several good alternatives. |
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Anyone with experience with the temperature in the 3rd row for either the Rondo or Mazda5? I'm wondering how any heat gets to the feet of 3rd row passengers. Can heat flow under the 2nd row seats to the floor of the 3rd row?
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Replying to: bobw3 (Dec 14, 2007 7:30 am)  . I'll have to wait until Summer to try it out I guess. Regardless, the front seats have ducts underneath to make the air circulate around. Now that I think, 6 people seating in a Mazda5 sounds like a lot of human heat to me, who needs a powerful heater for that? 
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Replying to: coolmazda5 (Dec 14, 2007 8:41 am) |
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Today we drove the Rondo 4 cyl. I think it's a nice vehicle, and roomy inside considering it's external size. It rode nice, cornered better than I expected, and has a longer cargo area with the 2nd and 3rd row folded than my Dodge Dakota quad cab pickup bed. I definitely liked the 5 passenger version better than the 7 passenger version when it came to folding the rear seats. My wife thinks the Sportage looks nicer, so now I'll have to research that one some more, especially since we ruled out the 7 passenger Rondo. Next we'll try the Mazda5, which I think we'll both like, but the biggest drawbacks I see that might keep me from selecting the Mazda5 is that even after 3 years, there are still no NHTSA or IIHS test ratings (Rondo has NHTSA ratings for both the 07 and 08 models); I wouldn't be able to tow my canoe and camping gear due to towing not recommended (don't want to risk the warranty), and it doesn't have ESC or TCS like most cars have these days. Guess we'll try it to see if the driving impression overcomes the shortcomings.
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Replying to: radar1 (Dec 29, 2007 2:06 pm)  . Just joking, I think the drive tests will give you the last part of the information you need to make a decision at the end My only comment is with regards to the NHTS tests. I understand that they would need to be donet, but I would not be concerned at all about the outcome. The Mazda5/Premacy has passed the Euro NCAP and Japanese NCAP with the maximum star ratings each. I can tell you that at least the Euro NCAP is one of the most meticulous programs globally (day-to-day tests include BMWs and Volvos) http://www.automotoportal.com/article/Mazda_5_Wins_Highest_Crash_Safety_Rating
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figures just being announced: Rondo: Dec 1,872, YTD 2007 - 26,020; YTD 2006 - 594 Mazda 5: Dec 1,627, YTD 2007 - 13,718; YTD 2006 - 17,109 - decline of 19.8%
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Replying to: coolmazda5 (Dec 29, 2007 6:18 pm) I wish there was a vehicle that had the best features of all and combined them, like the sliding doors and armrests on the Mazda5, the safety rating and tow rating of the Subaru (now 2700 lbs), and the warranty and seating flexibility of the Rondo. Right now we're leaning toward either the Rondo or Outback as the best choice for our needs. The Euro NCAP tests are interesting, showing the Mazda5 slightly better than the Rondo (Carens) for adults, but the Rondo scored better for children. I haven't found the link for the Japanese NCAP tests yet. |
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Replying to: conwelpic (Jan 03, 2008 4:45 pm) . Not bad numbers for zero Mazda5 marketing  After the first month driving my 08 I feel even more compelled by the Mazda5 changes made compared to my 06. Some of them are subtle (i.e. new luminescent gauges) but Mazda addressed them very well regardless of the sales number. To me indicates that US remains a key market for them, at least to keep the momentum for their Mazda3 and CX-9 cash cows (i.e. A/C for the 2nd row was added only for the US and Canadian markets). In order to negotiate with the dealer for my 08 I quickly checked the Rondo on the KIA web site and read some related web articles. I found that some things are gone from the Rondo 07 to the Rondo 08, while the 08 Mazda5 was adding more items for almost the same price (auto A/C, 2nd row A/C, electroluminescent gauges, more armrests, black cd console plate, aux input, body colored mirrors for the Sport trim, etc.). In my case, for the 2 Mazda5s final price (new), there is only around 200USD difference. After 2+yrs, not bad at all.
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Replying to: coolmazda5 (Jan 04, 2008 5:26 am) Toyota passes Ford as second largest automaker in the U.S. Mazda grows the most in 2007 Big ups to Mazda, which won our coveted Biggest Winner of the Year honor by growing its daily average sales rate 9.8% and selling nearly 300,000 vehicles http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/03/by-the-numbers-2007/ |
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