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Vans & Minivans Mazda Mazda5 2008 Mazda5 Safety Question
31 messages, Last post on Jun 11, 2008 at 4:48 PM
You are in the Mazda Mazda5 Forum. Your Host is Karens
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We’ve had our Mazda5 for two years – one of the first on the road here in the area and now we see them everywhere! We've loved it and have recommended the car to anyone who asks. That said... We just had our third child and the oldest now sits in the far back row nearly all the time. The younger two are in the middle seats. Given his proximity to the rear window and the back of the car, I looked on line to check on rear crash test ratings. Finding nothing, I then went to the dealer. In a nut shell, I’ve found nothing. I’m sure this car has been tested somewhere in the world – if not by Mazda directly – and I really want to find those results. Anyone have any ideas? While the dealer told me that it doesn’t have results “because it isn’t a car, a truck, an SUV or any other class of car and so can’t be compared...” I found that to be a BS answer. I’d just like to know – if a truck hits the back of my vehicle, how will things be for my son?
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Replying to: julied (May 08, 2008 11:03 am) Mazda5 Wins Highest Crash Safety Rating from EU and Japanese New Car Testing Agencies: http://www.japancorp.net/Article.asp?Art_ID=12380 Mazda5 EuroNCAP results: http://www.euroncap.com/tests/mazda_5_2005/241.aspx |
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One thing I have wondered about the 5 is how much effect the plastic rear hatch affects rear crash results. I would think that the plastic can deform and shatter, potentially absorbing more energy than metal, but my physics are a bit rusty. Anyway, to the OP, the 5 is a safe car. It's strange that it isn't tested in NA, but The Eurocap results are pretty impressive. The only thing I would like to see is the IIHS frontal offset, as I imagine that could present some risk to the drive feet. The middle and back rows look to be pretty darn safe though. One other element that isn't often mentioned is that the Mazda 5's handling is a huge advantage in an emergency situation. Unlink a small SUV, it's better handling and lower center of gravity should keep the 5 on all 4 wheels even in an extreme swerve. The one other ding on the 5 is that Traction Control and Stability Control are not offered. To me this isn't a big deal, but it is becoming available/standard on more and more cars and may be of importance to others. Again, I don't find it to be a big hassle, but I certainly will not impose that train of though on others. |
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Here are the two links to Euro NCAP tests. Keep in mind that the test differs from the US test, just as the driving conditions vary. I wish I found this before I bought my Mazda 5 since I would have never bought it. 3 star rating for my daughter on the back is not acceptable to me. Mazda 5 Safety ratings: The AA: http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/ncap/ncap_car_results.jsp?make=Mazda&model=Maz- - da5&year=2005&publicationDate=2005-09-01 NCAP: http://www.euroncap.com/tests/mazda_5_2005/241.aspx Keep in mind that the European version of the car is slightly different (7 seats instead of 6) and that in the UK they have the steering wheel on the other side.
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I bet this will scare you further. This car is the highest in the category for indoor car toxicity. In my mind that's worse then 3 star rating. Accidents might or might not happen, but cancer will get you ever time. See this: http://www.healthycar.org/vehicle.details.php?getrecno=116
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No wonder we have so many autistic kids and learning disabilities. We spend a lot of time surrounded by polution! Bromine Bromine is likely associated with the use of brominated flame retardants (BFRs). BFRs are added to plastics, fabrics and foams in order to impart fire resistance, but they are released from these materials into the environmental over the life of the vehicle or child car seat. Heat and UV-ray exposure in cars can accelerate the breakdown of these chemicals and possibly increase their toxicity. Some BFRs have been associated with thyroid problems, learning and memory impairment, decreased fertility, behavioral changes, and other health problems. Chlorine Chlorine is likely associated with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a widely used type of plastic that is of concern to the environment and public health during all phases of its life cycle. Flexible PVC contains chemicals called phthalates, some of which have been associated with decreased fertility, pre-term deliveries, and damage to the liver, testes, thyroid, ovaries, kidneys, and blood. There is also evidence that phthalates can pass from mothers to babies through the placenta and through breast milk. Lead Lead is sometimes used as an additive in plastics. Exposure to it can lead to a number of health effects depending on the exposure level. It can cause brain damage as well as problems with the kidneys, blood, nerves, and the reproductive system. It can also cause learning and behavioral problems. |
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Replying to: west_exchange (May 14, 2008 6:01 am) Yes, there is a little bit of "bad things" everywhere, but then you may find out that some ethnicities are more prone to cancer than others, or there are some hereditary conditions that make your kids more prone to certain illnesses...or maybe kids go to school and are exposed to tuberculosis by a fellow student, or even they break a bone when playing in the swing, who knows... I love my family and I care, but live a little, we cannot keep the kids in a magic world bubble 
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..however would you willingly expose your child to chemicals that "might" be poisonous? If you had a choice. Even if there is a little risk, I'd still try to avoid it if I knew about it ahead of time. Let's say you're debating between two cars and one is low toxic and the other one is high toxic. Which one do you chose all else being equal? Sadly for me my first two choices of Subaru Forester and Mazda 5 were all very toxic. It's too late, I already bought Mazda 5, but if I can help someone else get this information I'll be at peace. I know that people just DON'T WANT TO HEAR the bad news about their beloved car. I am the same way. But I wish someone told me that before I bought it. It would have swayed my decision to another automaker (Honda for example). |
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Replying to: west_exchange (May 14, 2008 11:54 am) Oh, and we can't just "stay in our house," just learned we have RADON. Eeek! |
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Replying to: west_exchange (May 14, 2008 11:54 am) However, salt can be toxic. Water can be toxic if you drink too much of it. It is all about the dose. I don't spend 8 hours a day or even 1 hour a day in my car, although i understand that some people do spend lots of time in their car. It's not as great a concern for me. On balance, i think there are many other harmful things in our environment that we are exposing ourselves to without knowing it. Maybe if we spend less time thinking about what our cars are made of and instead concentrate on how we can spend less time in cars, we would be better off in many ways. But i am all for reducing the amount of these unnecessary chemicals in our cars. I some manufacturers can do it (i notice Nissan has a pretty good track record), all of them can. This is all only my humble opinion and I will shut up now.
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