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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

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


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#668 of 806
Re: test drove both [coolmazda5] by larrytbm
Apr 06, 2009 (6:45 pm)
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Replying to: coolmazda5 (Apr 06, 2009 4:56 pm)

You are making a good point, I agree with that, but at the same time to me driving a car is like using a suit, I want it to be comfortable but also to look good when I wear it.
The difference is the suit must fit the best first, if it happens to look good, that is just extra. The Rondo fits better than the M5 and the Audi wasn't to impress others, it just didn't fit our needs more than the Rondo, and certainly not 2X more.
#669 of 806
Canadian sales for March '09 by conwelpic
Apr 14, 2009 (8:12 am)
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Rondo - 807 units vs 764 for March '08
Mazda 5 - 964 units vs 1,560 for March '08
#670 of 806
Re: Canadian sales for March '09 [conwelpic] by coolmazda5
Apr 14, 2009 (7:30 pm)
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Replying to: conwelpic (Apr 14, 2009 8:12 am)

Interesting for Canada, up north seems to be a KIA/Hyundai stronghold. I also found this, would that explain the difficulty to find 2009 models in the US dealerships? I'm not sure how they are counted in Canada:
 
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/13/hyundai-and-kia-use-fleet-sales-to-boost-numb- ers/
#671 of 806
Stick shift, Aspire by dona83
Apr 17, 2009 (2:28 pm)
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I'd just like to note that the Ford Aspire was actually a Kia made vehicle, and I've heard from people who own these cars that the only way to kill them is by getting into a horrific car accident, in which case the next to nil crash test ratings would likely kill you too. Hopefully the new Kias still have this level of reliability as the old Aspire with the added benefit of much safer vehicle designs, you really can't go wrong with a Kia.
 
EDIT: Seems the Aspire motor was a Mazda... go figure. Hopefully they kept a few engines to reverse engineer.
 
My wife and I really liked the Rondo but in the end we still love our clutch and stick shift, so the Mazda 5 won that battle. We're quite happy with our decision. =) The 5's super fun to drive and the versatile interior just can't be matched (except for the Rondo of course). Not quite the refined ride of the Kia but I like the sportier ride.
#672 of 806
I've Owned Both by haviland
May 01, 2009 (8:57 am)
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I've owned both an 08 Rondo and an 07 Mazda 5. We drove the 5 for a year before it was totaled (everybody's okay, thanks.) Then we went shopping and the Rondo caught our attention. After a year with the Kia, here are my impressions of the two cars. The sliding doors on the Mazda are a definite plus. The Rondo's back doors are quite wide. Great for getting in and out. Lousy in a tight parking ramp. The Rondo rides smoother and significantly quieter than the Mazda. Mazda's obsession with putting 17 inch wheels and low profile tires on everything is silly. Nobody buys the 5 for zoom-zoom and you pay for it in bumps and grinds. You'll also pay for it (dearly) when you buy new tires. Stereo is better in the Kia. Individual seats in the second row make the Mazda a bit more versatile in cargo/passenger configuration but the Kid can actually carry three in the second row and seven overall. We have six grandkids. Advantage: Kia. The roof rack on the Rondo is kind of weird. The bars are an accessory but the rails are standard. The rails, however, are completely useless without the bars. You can't even strap anything to them so why not add 50-100 bucks onto the sticker price and include them? The factory rack for the 5, on the other hand, looks like steel girders on concrete blocks and the wind noise is horrendous. The problem with the Kia rack is that, in its stock configuration, you can't get the bars more than 21 inches apart! The front bar won't even come as far forward as the middle of the back door! Carrying a 16.5 foot canoe or a few 4x8 sheets of plywood is real nail-biter. The value/resale argument (expect to hear it from your Mazda dealer) is, of course, based on the depreciation of past vehicles. Kia has definitely improved quality and that, plus the big warranty, has improved perception and, therefore, value. Time will tell. At 6'2" I find the Kia's seating position for the driver to be more comfortable, even on short runs. That of course, is very individual. I do believe, however, that the Kia seats are superior. Overall, I don't think there's a wrong choice here. Both are well thought out, sell designed vehicles. Think about what and who you'll be hauling and what's most important to you. Take each one for a good, long test drive...at least half an hour. None of this five minutes around the block with the salesman yakking in the back seat stuff. By the way, there is a way to extend the spread of the Kia rack by removing a rubber strip and sliding the front bar forward.
#673 of 806
Re: I've Owned Both [haviland] by coolmazda5
May 02, 2009 (6:11 am)
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Replying to: haviland (May 01, 2009 8:57 am)

Nobody buys the 5 for zoom-zoom
 
No offense but that is incorrect, definitely a Rondo is for you then. Glad everybody is OK and you found the right car, good report and enjoy the grand kids!
#674 of 806
Mazda5 and Rondo USA Sales. April 2009 by coolmazda5
May 02, 2009 (6:22 am)
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Rondo 1,538. Diff from Apr 08: -40.4%
Mazda5 1,758. Diff from Apr 08: -12.6%
 
Sources:
http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/- 05-01-2009/0005017640&EDATE=
 
http://sev.prnewswire.com/auto/20090501/LA0952601052009-1.html
#675 of 806
Re: I've Owned Both [haviland] by dona83
May 04, 2009 (9:44 am)
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Replying to: haviland (May 01, 2009 8:57 am)

Nobody buys the 5 for zoom-zoom
 
Ha ha. Ha ha. The things I've done with my 5. The car loves to corner and I've tamed three of the local mountain roads so far. It's no Porsche for sure but it's still fun to drive, the 5-speed manual transmission is just absolutely made for this car, and sure the suspension is not as comfy as a Kia Rondo or Toyota Corolla's but then again the first thing I did with my Corolla was put stiff as heck springs on them to improve handling. The Mazda 5 is not as stiff yet still has great handling. Sorry if you don't enjoy driving anymore, the Rondo is a great car but don't claim that people don't buy the 5 for the zoom-zoom, if the 5 drove like any other minivan I would never have considered it in the first place! But alas it has a soul of a sports car and I love it!
#676 of 806
Re: I've Owned Both [dona83] by vg33e power
May 04, 2009 (10:45 am)
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Replying to: dona83 (May 04, 2009 9:44 am)

^-^-^
 
What he said x2. It is very clear why you drive the Rondo. You prefer comfort, functionality and bland looks. We Mazda5 owners prefer sporty handling, funtionality and sporty looks.
 
"Nobody buys the 5 for zoom zoom"
 
HA HA HA HA!
#677 of 806
Re: I've Owned Both [dona83] by dona83
May 04, 2009 (11:38 am)
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Replying to: dona83 (May 04, 2009 9:44 am)

^^^ Yep! The Rondo is definitely a very comfortable and refined car, I would consider one when I'm like 60 years old or something, but right now I'm a parent with a mission: to prove that parenting doesn't have to mean giving up a love for driving!
 
And in my comment, I love my 5 speed manual Mazda 5 but nothing against the 5 speed auto Mazda 5s out there, we're still Zoom-Zooming!

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