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Mazda 5 vs Kia Rondo

859 messages,  Last post on Aug 22, 2010 at 8:13 PM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda MAZDA5, Kia Rondo, Car Comparisons, Car Buying, Wagon

Messages Page 60 of 87

#587 of 859 More than 25,000 `auto chics' surveyed about... WHAT WOMEN WANT by coolmazda5

Oct 14, 2008 (12:22 pm)

I think this forum is not as well represented by women, but here is a good indicator from Down-Under
 
MORE than 25,000 women across Australia have picked their AutoChic 2008 Car of the Year Awards, and the overall winner was Kia Rondo.
 
The awards were announced last week www.autochic.com.au, an Australian automotive website for and about women.
 
With more than 25,000 votes over a six-month period, the girls of Australia were asked to nominate and recommend their favourite vehicles in each of five categories most relevant to them including the Best First Car, Most Wanted Car, Sexiest Girl's Car, Best Car for a Girl on a Budget, and Best Car for Mums (aka the best yummy-mummy mobile).
 
With women now buying over 50 per cent of all new cars, and making the final decision in 85 per cent of all new car purchases, the awards were created to demystify the car-buying decision by involving women in the industry on their own terms.
 
``The results reflect a diversity in tastes and lifestyles, and has resulted in the most comprehensive guide online as to what women want in a car, at least,'' said Auto Chic's managing director Kathy.
 
The winners are:
 
Best First Car Toyota Corolla
 
Sexiest Girl's Car Jaguar XK Convertible
 
Girl on a Budget Toyota Yaris
 
Most Wanted Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet
 
Best Yummy Mummy Holden Captiva
 
BP Renewables Greenest Car Fiat 500
 
Safest Car Renault Megane
 
AutoChic's Car of Choice Kia Rondo
 
BP Renewables assisted in picking the 2008 AutoChic Greenest Car award. The decision was based on greenhouse gas emissions, fuel-economy tests, and other specifications reported by the auto manufacturers.
 
The Safest Car for Women award was decided by automotive industry consultant, freelance journalist and features editor of Wheels magazine, and avid safety advocate John Cadogan.
 
The girls at AutoChic test-drive cars on a regular basis from a female point of view and, when it came to their car of choice for the year, the decision was unanimous the Kia Rondo.

 
Source:
http://wollondilly.yourguide.com.au/news/local/sport/other/more-than-25000-auto-- chics-surveyed-about-what-women-want/1332107.aspx

#588 of 859 Re: More than 25,000 `auto chics' surveyed about... WHAT WOMEN WANT [coolmazda5] by vg33e power

Oct 14, 2008 (12:45 pm)

Replying to: coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2008 12:22 pm)
Wow!
 
If 85% percent of women have the final decision on which cars to pull the trigger on our next vehicle purchase and basing our choices on this survey....guys let me be the first to say "We are doomed"
 
Australia gets the best "bada$$" cars of the entire world that the U.S. society dont even get to sit in, and the final outcome is a Toyota Corolla? Yaris? Beetle Cabriolet? a Kia Rondo as "Car of Choice"
 
Wow!

#589 of 859 Re: More than 25,000 `auto chics' surveyed about... WHAT WOMEN WANT [vg33e power] by bobw3

Oct 15, 2008 (8:31 am)

Replying to: vg33e power (Oct 14, 2008 12:45 pm)
It seems like most men are remain in their 12 year old mindset when purchasing a car, but women never had that 12 year old mindset, so they look at a car in a more logical way...like a machine to get you around.
 
On the other hand, women have shoes to utilize their irrational mindset

#590 of 859 I kind of ask the wife by ramblinmo

Oct 18, 2008 (1:33 pm)

After I have made up my mind. I have a Rondo and a Yaris so my masculinity is taking a hit here.
 
(Just kidding - I have two very practical cars for my lifestyle)

#591 of 859 Canadian September 2008 sales - Rondo vs Mazda 5 by conwelpic

Oct 18, 2008 (3:54 pm)

looks like it happened again for the second month in a row, the Rondo outsold the Mazda 5 in Canada, maybe Mazda Canada is having a supply problem as this doesn't normally happened here - or maybe not . The Rondo is KIA Canada's best selling model.
 
Rondo - 932 (this brings it to over 16,000 units since its introduction into Canada)
Mazda 5 - 711 (sorry, do not have figures since its introduction which was October 2005)

#592 of 859 Re: I kind of ask the wife [ramblinmo] by coolmazda5

Oct 18, 2008 (5:29 pm)

Replying to: ramblinmo (Oct 18, 2008 1:33 pm)
After I have made up my mind. I have a Rondo and a Yaris so my masculinity is taking a hit here.
 
Geee, the Rondo is OK, but the Yaris hit the nail in the head, LOL.
 
Just kidding , wife drives a Mazda5 and I drive a Mazda5, so let's rephrase as:
 
- These cars do not discriminate any owners' "personal" tendencies
- Or, Family priorities take precedence when buying these type of cars
 
 

#593 of 859 Re: Canadian September 2008 sales - Rondo vs Mazda 5 [conwelpic] by coolmazda5

Oct 18, 2008 (5:40 pm)

Replying to: conwelpic (Oct 18, 2008 3:54 pm)
Don't tell anyone, but the secret is out there, people now know that the Rondo is more fun to drive than the Mazda5, that's why

#594 of 859 Re: Canadian September 2008 sales - Rondo vs Mazda 5 [coolmazda5] by nissmazlover

Oct 21, 2008 (1:11 pm)

Replying to: coolmazda5 (Oct 18, 2008 5:40 pm)
Ha! I like you.

#595 of 859 A 2009 Rondo Rental by coolmazda5

Oct 22, 2008 (9:14 am)

Yeah, I did it. Enough of assumptions, while on business travel I arrived to the rental area and found a Rondo, so here we are:
 
Rented
2009 Rondo LX I4, 5-seater, ~2100mi on the clock
 
Pros
 
Really nice exterior color. It was the Black Cherry I believe. The sunlight effects are great
 
The Kumho tires (16in) are very decent, good grip. The highway drive is very quiet and the acceleration and barking feels very tight
 
Although is a 4AT, the ride at 70-75MPH RPMs are decently low (2500-2800RPM)
 
MP3, Sirius capable player and aux input. My rental had the satellite radio service enabled!
 
OEM roof rails, good height/clearance space to install crossbars and stuff
 
Good seating space in the 2nd row, not much of a difference for an adult from the Mazda5 perspective though. Also access is good thanks to the huge door. Problem is garages and parking lots
 
1-2 inches of extra leg room for the driver than the Mazda5
 
Decent fuel economy, a-la Mazda5 5MT
 
Sunglasses bin where the map lamps/lights are
 
Cons
 
The tan interior does not look good at all, too brownish, cheap looks. The dashboard and gauges reminded me of mainstream taxis in Asia and South America. The overall design looks outdated with the bulky round vents
 
The suspension is extremely soft, it “bounces” continuously over road bumps, like a boat at sea…
 
Steering feels very lose, it is not crisp/responsive at all. The driver-car engagement is very poor, it feels like driving a large V8 car. Mazda has done a very good job in this area. I’ve rented a Mazda3 and a Mazda6, and is very crisp, shorter ratio and very responsive
 
No telescopic steering wheel
 
No adjustable lumbar support on the driver’s seat
 
Plastic interior feels rough. The Mazda5 (Sport) also is also platicky, but this Mazda plastic there looks and feels with more quality (including steering wheel and shift knob)
 
There are issues when you have sunlight in the dashboard. I certify now that the clock nor the radio screen are visible under direct sunlight, that is not good. Also the dashboard and screens’ orange color make it look very outdated
 
The 16in wheels with plastic caps, ughhh
 
Engine feels very peppy, but the 4AT gear to RPM ratio is not well synchronized. Example: from high RPMs on 2nd gear it jumps to a 3rd gear on very low RPMs, very inefficient, a lot of overdrive was needed to keep speed, especially uphill…
 
2nd row A/C is extremely poor, no low/high control plus it feels very week even with the MAX A/C on. I rented it in Dallas and after a 6-7 hours of being parked on direct sunlight took long time for the cabin to cool down. I did not perceive any difference with the 06-07 Mazda5, which does not have a 2nd row A/C
 
Useless door ding protector stripes, way at the bottom of the door
 
No light for the cargo area
 
No steering wheel radio controls
 
Subjective if you want
 
Annoying wind noise on passenger front door at cruise speeds. Wind seems to be entering from the door handle. This may be related to be a rental, not related to the car design
 
Key and Alarm Fob separated, not stylish at all…

#596 of 859 Re: A 2009 Rondo Rental [coolmazda5] by nissmazlover

Oct 22, 2008 (1:42 pm)

Replying to: coolmazda5 (Oct 22, 2008 9:14 am)
Thanks for your write up. It's good to know we're not alone! lol I've written about it before, but I, too, have rented a Kia Rondo in the past - it was a 2008 LX 7-seater version on my trip to Puerto Rico back in May. Like you seemingly did, I purposefully asked for the Rondo - and they gave me the free upgrade since I had, originally, ordered a small car. I should have taken it as a sign (omen?), though, kind of like in the movie "Meet the Fochers" when everything was going WAY tooooo perfectly for the couple on their trip to the in-law's house.
 
Anyway, I agree with most of your pros on the list. Only thing, though, I didn't have the satellite option, nor the Aux input. Kia JUST put that into their 2009 Rondo. As far as cons go, I also agree with everything you said and can add many more to the list. But, I won't go there. Some people here are way too sensitive for that. Suffice to say, at the request of my wife and friends, I went back all the way to San Juan (far from where I was) in order to switch the car back to the original smaller one I was supposed to get: A Scion XD, which we all enjoyed MUCH more.
 
I just wish I would have been able to bring my own car down with us, or at least rent another 5. Then, we all would have been happy and I would have never had to waste my time in switching cars.

Messages Page 60 of 87

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