Is the Mazda5 enough van?

So, I'm fairly sure we want a Mazda5 (probably a GT to get the leather), but I have some nagging thoughts that it might just be a tiny bit too small. We have a 6yr old and a 1 year old, dog, and are not having any more kids. The wife wants to be able to haul a friend or two for carpooling, play dates, etc. Sounds perfect for a 5. However, If I buy a new car, we are keeping it at least 5 years, so will this be enough car down the road?

I considered an Odyssey, which is a very nice van, but man are the EX-L's pricey (even used). However I see a used 2012 Nissan Quest SL's are being advertised at the dealer in my area for <$24,000 with 18,000 miles (that's $3500 less than a used Odyssey with over twice the miles). That's about the same price as a new Mazda5 GT. I like the idea of someone else taking that initial depreciation hit, and as far as I'm concerned a 2012 with 18,000 on it is basically a new car. And while I don't really mind the interior in the 5, the quest certainly has a more upmarket feel to it.

So, the way I see it the advantages to the 5 are: Better fuel economy (although we only drive around 8,000 miles/yr) Better handling Smaller, easier to drive around town

Advantages to the Quest: Nicer interior Larger, more flexible interior More power

Comments from GRM minded parents?

We have a 2012 5 and find it has plenty of room, even for 6 adults. Regularly haul 2 grandkids and all their stuff with no issues.

In a 5 you'll have room for those 2 kids and a dog (in the back, with the 3rd row folded down), but no room for luggage if you're trying to take them anywhere all at once.

Honestly, my 5 doesn't get fuel economy much better than a normal minivan so I wouldn't count that as a deciding factor, especially with how little driving you do. The main advantage over "normal-sized" minivans is that it's a lot more fun to drive, especially with a manual transmission. It handles pretty much just like the Mazda3 it's based on. As a bonus, the MS3 and aftermarket suspension goodies are a direct fit.

If you're not planning on using it for whole-family road trips then you'll probably be fine. However, if you really need a versatile do-all vehicle for a family of 4 plus the canine then a larger minivan is probably going to be a better choice.

We were faced with a similar decision as son number 2 arrived and we were in a Volvo 940 wagon. Having a third row of seats, even if not particularly comfortable or convenient, is a blessing when grandparents are visiting or when you need to carry an extra person or two. We narrowed our search to a minivan (mini-mini-vans like the 5 weren't invented yet) and ended up in the Mazda MPV, which has been nearly perfect. The Odyssey was the other major contender, but we couldn't justify the nearly $10k more that Honda wanted for it.

Now, as the MPV nears 100k miles, I often contemplate our next family hauler. A Mazda 5 or a CX-5 with a stick appeals to me, but our desire to have the ability to carry 6 people rules them out. I haven't driven the CX-7 or CX-9, but I probably need to. The Odyssey will probably be the top contender yet again.

The Quest looks good on paper, but Sheesh! I can't get past the Nissan quirkiness. Won't consider Korean after our Sonata fiasco. What else is there?

You may be in a different life position than I, but I would not be looking at a $25K + vehicle to work only 8000 miles per year.

Is there a reason a lower price point would not get the job done?

Mind you, I'm not telling you how to spend you money. Just a thought.

You are right at the edge of being too small. If it's a big dog, you're gonna outgrow the 5.

Look carefully at the rear cargo space. Picture it with soccer gear, baby stuff, dog toys, etc. It's puny. That's what talked us out of a 5 (but we've got more kids).

You could get a really clean 2nd gen MPV for $5000-7000, not worry about the loss on fuel economy, and enjoy the functionality. (Yes, I've got a 2nd gen MPV. Yes, I'm a fanboi).

I guess I should have added - it depends on how big the dog is and how often he rides.

Personally, I think it has enough room for 4, plus luggage no problem. It'll ride 6 comfortably around town, but then you lose luggage space.

Just as a data point on price - we got our 06 5 last summer for $6500 at a dealership of all places. So, if you don't have to have the newest version you can save quite a bit.

MPV's are excellent as well. I'd definitely check those out too.

What's this? The teeny Mazda 5 has a third row? Wow! Couldn't imagine it. Guess I need to get to a Mazda dealership so I can actually know what I'm talking about!

We have a 6 year old, a 5 year old, and a 4 year old and I can't shake the feeling that the Mazda engineers were watching our family over the last six years and built the 5 specifically for our needs. There's plenty of room in the car for the family, and the thing is just downright fun to drive. We bought the sport model specifically so we could get the third pedal, but compared to the '03 Oddity that it replaced, I feel like I've been sprung from a jail cell.

I've test-fitted myself into all six seats and at 6'3" and 185 pounds, I'm pretty comfortable even in the third row, although I don't think I could make an hour-long trip all the way back there. With the back seat or seats folded down (which is very easy to do), there's enough cargo space for us to do a grocery trip, but there's no way we could take a vacation in it unless we left a kid at home and folded both of the third row seats down.

I'm in the same boat, but I am driving a 5-passenger Kia Rondo now. It has tons of space inside, but there are times when I wish I had a third-row. There are 7-passenger Rondo's available, but I want to get something near-new or new next year.

I have looked at the Flex, which is in your price point if you avoid the Eco-Boost and all the goodies. I have also looked at the Toyota Sienna. The thing that I like about the Toyota is that their coolest model is in the middle of the range, not the full-boat model like is usually the case. Could be in your price range if you shop around used a bit.

The swagger-wagon is calling to me for some reason...

In reply to wae:

That's why they have roof racks.

I've got 3 kids and have looked at the 5 many times, and came close to buying one. For a van, they're oh so much fun to drive and are really nice. However, I wouldn't use it as my "main" family transport. Yes, it has a 3rd row, but it's a bit tight, best for kids under 10, IMHO. Adults can fit back there, but may not enjoy the ride too long. With two kids and a dog, it'll suit your needs. But if you do plan to carry kids for play dates, etc...it may be tight. If you really need the room for more people, tons of minivans out there to chose from.

For my family (two kids and two elderly in-laws), the Sedona has been the answer for two times now. Our latest is a 2012 model that has a surprising amount of scoot.

(Not ours but exactly like it.)

The used Quests are almost certainly rental cars, which I would consider distressed merchandise, I do not know if you care about that or not. Why not a used Mazda5 if you are opposed to new?

As much as I dig the 5... If you're looking for maximum utility per dollar, it's impossible to beat the Dodge Grand Caravan AVP for $20k.

That's less than the 5. That's less than most every car sold today, and by far the cheapest 7-seater available.

Chrysler has got to be losing money on every single one.

EvanR wrote: As much as I dig the 5... If you're looking for maximum utility per dollar, it's *impossible* to beat the Dodge Grand Caravan AVP for $20k. That's less than the 5. That's less than most every car sold today, and by far the cheapest 7-seater available. Chrysler has got to be losing money on every single one.

The Caravan is awesome, I have one. It's fast, too. I am looking for a 5 as a second vehicle, though. It's main appeal is the fun-to-drive and the manual transmission. Minivans never have bulletproof autos.

jstein77 wrote: For my family (two kids and two elderly in-laws), the Sedona has been the answer for two times now. Our latest is a 2012 model that has a surprising amount of scoot. (Not ours but exactly like it.)

Yep, our is an '06 (identical to the '12). We've had it 6.5 years and 89,000 miles. Beat the puppy snot out of it, and it's been awesome. Only thing that's sucked is mpg. Was 17-18 when new, now around 19-20. And it really does have a surprising amount of scoot. It can smoke the tires if you turn off the traction control...or so I've heard.

I have both a grand caravan and a mz5; the GC is hard to live without but we fit well in our 5 for trips. I have three kids under 8yo and it worked good for day trips. Since we have the GC it is used for anything more than that.

In reply to mnS4:

With two kids, one pet, and the occasional car pool, the MZ5 should be perfect for your needs. I'm assuming Fido doesn't go on play dates, but if it's wife +2 kids +2 friends you can take either yourself or the dog. The 3rd row seats fold flat and split 50/50. We've taken many road trips with 5 people and luggage taking up half of the 3rd row floor.

Note that the GT is auto only, which really dampens the full MZ5 experience, but if that's what SWMBO wants... Keep in mind the autos in the smiley-face generation are far superior to the original like mine, so if you want to swing that way get the later, newer ones.

Real-world fuel economy is going to be vastly better than any of the full-size vans (Oddy, GC, Sienna, Quest). Those will struggle for high-teens in the city and mid-20's on the highway. 30+ highway is easy breezy for the 5, high-20's in town, and low 20's when you hammer the snot out of it constantly (autocross, for example).

Those used Quest's you are seeing are guaranteed to be rentals, and trust me, you do not want anything to do with one of those!

Javelin wrote: Real-world fuel economy is going to be vastly better than any of the full-size vans (Oddy, GC, Sienna, Quest). Those will struggle for high-teens in the city and mid-20's on the highway. Those used Quest's you are seeing are guaranteed to be rentals, and trust me, you do not want *anything* to do with one of those!

psst, my ex rental GC gets 19-23 around town (I get the high numbers and don't use the A/C as much as SWMBO) and about 29 highway, a bit over 30 if you go slow and sans A/C.

My wife wants an autobox this time (after 4 cars with manuals).

I'm partial to leather on a car with kids, but I would consider cloth. But I like my cars to look like new, and if I'm going to keep it 5-7 years, leather will probably help.

I also want something no more than 3 yrs old. This will be the primary family car, and I want everything to work, and for it not to be a PITA. New has an appeal, but only if I get a "good deal" on a closeout 2013 so I don't feel like I'm totally loosing my butt on depreciation (yes, I know, I'll be loosing it, I just don't want to FEEL like I'm loosing it).

I'm not so sure 18k miles as a rental car really bothers me. I mean, they service the cars on time, right? If the paint isn't to bad from being washed in an automatic wash every other day, that is...

Just had a little talk with Mrs. mnS4. She liked the 5, but said if she is going to get a minivan, she prefers something bigger. Like someone above said, given our relatively low annual use, the fuel economy isn't as big a deal as it is for some other people, but the greenie in me would prefer better than the full size vans. Frankly, the 5 mileage is behind the times for a vehicle that size as well.

Just talked to my neighbor, his wife is pregnant with their third child and he needs a van too. Perhaps we should see if a dealer will give us a deal on two 2013's?

Screw it, I'm going to get a BRZ. If I get a supercharger I can just drive fast and make two trips.

Erik

I have the Mazda as well, and you could certainly make it work in your situation quite easily. But if you can afford the bigger van, that's what I would go with in your situation. Especially if you're buying auto and leather, there's not much reason to buy the mazda5.

My wife and I have no kids. Our Mazda5 was the spiritual replacement for a former Volvo 850 wagon. It ends up to be a pretty good replacement size wise. Just like the Volvo, if you use the rear-most seats, there is no cargo space and they are not very big seats either.
So, I ask you this, could you get by with just a Volvo 850 wagon? If you think that is too small then the MZ5 is too small too. Heck, the MZ5 even has one less seat than the Volvo 850 considering that the MZ5's center seat is two captains chairs, not a bench.

Think of the 5 as big honda Fit, not a small van. If space is a concern, go bigger. I tried to convince mama that last gen MPV with all the bells and whistles and under 100k miles, at less than half the price, was the answer. She said it looked too much like a mini-van.

Here we are.

We chose a low mileage minivan that was owned by an 82 year old. The thing was totally mint and I stole it for $5,000.

I wasn't going to spend over $10k on something that the kids were going to trash. Our war wagon is a '04 Silhouette loaded with everything. A year later it was the perfect decision.

mnS4 wrote: I'm not so sure 18k miles as a rental car really bothers me. I mean, they service the cars on time, right? If the paint isn't to bad from being washed in an automatic wash every other day, that is... Erik

Rental cars age in dog years. 1 yr in the rental fleet is 7 years normal use. Same goes for the mileage (10,000 = 70,000).
Don't believe those service records they show you on the computer. I worked at one of the large national chains in college and people would fudge those records all the time to keep those cars rolling and rented. They made money out on rent, not in the service bay getting an oil change. I will never ever buy a car that's been in a rental fleet.