Rondo vs Outlander/Rav4/Santa Fe/Mazda5

Replying to: coolmazda5 (Oct 10, 2007 10:15 am)

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• gizzer777 (Oct 13, 2007 4:31 pm)
  • coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2007 3:41 am)
    • gizzer777 (Oct 14, 2007 7:25 am)

Replying to: taz16 (Oct 13, 2007 3:02 pm)

And there in lies the "beauty" of the model 07 placement IMHO.
 
It is really is its own class of auto vehicle for 07..Not a SUV, Mini UTE,, not too much economy or mid sized, or really about anything else eithe TO FURTHER MAKE MY POINT...MY LAST AUTOS WERE:...04 AUDI A4... .Honda ELEMENT 05(ON A WHIM), 04 MINI COOPER S (heavily MODIFIED) AND FUN, but poor reliability!!! The SF...well as said...just different...AND SO FAR ANYWAY.
 
I also have not developed the need/want to make or ,add changes; My Maturity...I doubt it! I just like ,cars!!!!
 
Still admittedly, I kept an 81 Porsche 911 SC for 13 yrs...yes, I am single and like my toys! Never, should have sold that one!
 
Just returned from a short shopping trip and wondered, if I had to compare this SF to anything comparable . , what would it be? Closest I could come up with was a Outlander (and that seemed more aimed at a Lexus 350 anyway. (BUT MISSED)
 
HOWEVER iT SEEMS quite a bit more refined AND CONSERVATIVE" than the Outlander (imho)IS, THUS (GOODIES ASIDE)...fUNNY, THEY MISSED LOTS OF SMALL STUFF LIKE AN iPOD CONNECTOR AND OPTIONAL hid LIGHTING ETC. eVEN THE ENGINE LAYOUT IS PRETTY WELL PLACED AT THIS POINT IN ITS EVOLUTION
 
I JUST COULD NOT FIND A COMPARABLE ...AND I HAVE DRIVEN MOST OF THE OTHERS. Funny, was not even attracted to the 06 and prior...THE KOREANS HAVE STUDIED WHAT THE AMERICANS wanted,and in a very short time span (1 generation?)re liability AND LONGEVITY,...YET OTHER FACTOR(S)TO BE WATCHED CLOSELY.
 
HYUNDAI SEEMS TO HAVE ANTICIPATED MY NEEDS HERE QUITE WELL
 
fROM A PRICE, PERFORMANCE, VALUE, LOOKS, practical...IT REALLY HAS I get lots of "what was that thing anyway looks with it!"DONE THE OTHERS QUITE A BIT BETTER."
 
Auto buying is about needs and compromises...there are not many compromises to be found from my perspective. The missed just a few items that people would want (Now to get rid if the name...HYUNDAI...Sigh...I guess that will come too
 
But if everyone thought that, the SF would be a lot more popular than it is. 2008 should be a very interesting year for the SF. If you see a "spike" in sales, they did it properly...if not, I guessed wrong. By this time I usually begin to tire of a car...so far, not hhis one
 
 All vehicles have their high and low points and the SF certainly has it own...Just can't come up with any major ones for now. If they are smart, they will take their learnings and continue to refine to more of a degree than even the Japanese have done!fOR $30K, I WOULD BE A BIT HARDER PRESSED TO MAKE THAT STATEMENT!!!!(MINE IS A SUB 25K se MODEL. aNOTHER THING WAS THAT I THINK i WOULD HAVE TIRED A BIT OF THEN gls MODEL BY NOW (i AM COMPULSIVE TOO)THE SE JUST SEEMS TO FILL THAT GAP BETWEEN THE LIMITED AND gls AS WELL!
 
I MAY EVEN KEEP THIS ONE FOR A WHILE! assuming we still have gasoline to ,run em!
 
Maybe that is why I was so attracted to it back in Feb when I bought one...weaknesses sure...but find a bunch like others have...not a car, van, wagon, SUV or about anything else you can come up with!

Replies to this message:
• coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2007 3:41 am)
  • gizzer777 (Oct 14, 2007 7:25 am)

Replies to this message:
• coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2007 5:08 am)
  • conwelpic (Oct 14, 2007 3:07 pm)
    • coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2007 5:36 pm) and 37 more...

Replying to: gizzer777 (Oct 13, 2007 4:31 pm)

GoOd ReViEw gizzer777, bUt iS dIffICULT to READ wiTh sO many miXed cApiTal LeTTers and BolDs
 
I agree with you in one thing: Koreans seem to have studied the mainstream American market well as they are selling tons of cars here.
 
Now, watch out, Chinese have cheap, unreliable unsafe cars now but I think they will also evolve to a NHTSA pass point, you'll see.
 
It will take me some time, however, to include a Korean car on my shopping list, the bad stigma of driving any of those is still too strong (plus the dilemma: yes to functionality, no to style).

Replies to this message:
• gizzer777 (Oct 14, 2007 7:25 am)

Replying to: joe97 (Oct 13, 2007 4:39 pm)

Yes, good to see the SUV growth slowing down a bit. Except for very few cases, SUV type functionality is not necessary for where is driven.
 
As per the Mazda5 sliding doors I agree, I believe the main issue in North America is the fact that in these markets sliding doors mean vans or minivans by default. The minivan concept was invented here after all. Also, the Mazda5 came around the time of the Mazda MPV market exit, so it did not support the MAV market idea here.
 
Other interesting thing, possibly related to the one above, is the fact that only very few car research organizations place the Rondo and the Mazda5 in the same segment. Check in here, Where is the Rondo?:
http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/rankings/Affordable-Compact-Wag- - - - - ons/
 
On the other side (talking about minivans and vans):
http://www.canadiandriver.com/minivans/minivan1.htm
 
http://www.newcars.com/mazda/mazda5/reviews/ford-e150.html
 
It makes me laugh when I read that the Mazda5 is too small, of course, when compared to what?
 
This one is interesting though:
http://www.prdomain.com/companies/F/FordMotor/newsreleases/200792146404.htm
"I looked at their script and envisioned a Mazda5 in every driveway," said Witter. “There isn’t a better example of an upwardly mobile starter car for families. It’s not only sporty looking it has three rows of seats which makes it great for kids."
 
Now, if you ask a Mazda5 owner (I agree, we are a market minority) the sliding doors top the must-have list as, in reality, it makes the car so versatile.
 
Well, too much blah, blah. I have enjoyed my car every mile since, it has exceeded my wife's (primary driver) and my expectations with no issues so to what segment is classified in, I'm not worried anymore .
 
Plus if you see, in all the disparate car comparisons is included in, still fares very well.

Replies to this message:
• conwelpic (Oct 14, 2007 3:07 pm)
  • coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2007 5:36 pm)
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Replying to: coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2007 3:41 am)

Replying to: coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2007 5:08 am)

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• coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2007 5:36 pm)
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Replying to: conwelpic (Oct 14, 2007 3:07 pm)

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• taz16 (Oct 15, 2007 4:08 pm)
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Replying to: coolmazda5 (Oct 14, 2007 5:36 pm)

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• bobw3 (Oct 16, 2007 5:30 am)
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Replying to: taz16 (Oct 15, 2007 4:08 pm)

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