Opinions on Mazda5 as a family friendly bus?
Discussion
Only from looking round them on forecourts.
As a seven seater, the middle row, middle seat is a bit of a compromise. Makes more sense as a six seater.
Nice flexibility inside, and reasonable kit levels. Like the exterior styling too, not trying to be something it's not.
Check out problems with uneven, premature tyre wear on sport models and diesel particulate filter issues. Might just be internet worryworts, but worth checking.
As a seven seater, the middle row, middle seat is a bit of a compromise. Makes more sense as a six seater.
Nice flexibility inside, and reasonable kit levels. Like the exterior styling too, not trying to be something it's not.
Check out problems with uneven, premature tyre wear on sport models and diesel particulate filter issues. Might just be internet worryworts, but worth checking.
My lass has one as a pool car at work, I have done a few hundred miles in it and it's great, loads of space, sliding doors, handles very very well, good visibility, the kids haven't broken anything in it yet ! Good standard kit, xenons, bluetooth auto lights / wipers,
Bit thirsty this ones a coal burner, I'm sure it's a 2.0 does about 38 mpg
Bit thirsty this ones a coal burner, I'm sure it's a 2.0 does about 38 mpg
Krise said:
My lass has one as a pool car at work, I have done a few hundred miles in it and it's great, loads of space, sliding doors, handles very very well, good visibility, the kids haven't broken anything in it yet ! Good standard kit, xenons, bluetooth auto lights / wipers,
Bit thirsty this ones a coal burner, I'm sure it's a 2.0 does about 38 mpg
Thanks mate. Good to hear some good things about 'em.Bit thirsty this ones a coal burner, I'm sure it's a 2.0 does about 38 mpg
vladcjelli said:
Only from looking round them on forecourts.
As a seven seater, the middle row, middle seat is a bit of a compromise. Makes more sense as a six seater.
Nice flexibility inside, and reasonable kit levels. Like the exterior styling too, not trying to be something it's not.
Check out problems with uneven, premature tyre wear on sport models and diesel particulate filter issues. Might just be internet worryworts, but worth checking.
Yeh, I agree with you about the middle seat. It's tiny!! It was a 2.0 petrol I was looking at so no worries on the DPF front. I really can't be ar*ed with a diesel again and all their expensive problems.As a seven seater, the middle row, middle seat is a bit of a compromise. Makes more sense as a six seater.
Nice flexibility inside, and reasonable kit levels. Like the exterior styling too, not trying to be something it's not.
Check out problems with uneven, premature tyre wear on sport models and diesel particulate filter issues. Might just be internet worryworts, but worth checking.
V8Wagon said:
Krise said:
My lass has one as a pool car at work, I have done a few hundred miles in it and it's great, loads of space, sliding doors, handles very very well, good visibility, the kids haven't broken anything in it yet ! Good standard kit, xenons, bluetooth auto lights / wipers,
Bit thirsty this ones a coal burner, I'm sure it's a 2.0 does about 38 mpg
Thanks mate. Good to hear some good things about 'em.Bit thirsty this ones a coal burner, I'm sure it's a 2.0 does about 38 mpg
vladcjelli said:
Only from looking round them on forecourts.
As a seven seater, the middle row, middle seat is a bit of a compromise. Makes more sense as a six seater.
Nice flexibility inside, and reasonable kit levels. Like the exterior styling too, not trying to be something it's not.
Check out problems with uneven, premature tyre wear on sport models and diesel particulate filter issues. Might just be internet worryworts, but worth checking.
Yeh, I agree with you about the middle seat. It's tiny!! It was a 2.0 petrol I was looking at so no worries on the DPF front. I really can't be ar*ed with a diesel again and all their expensive problems.As a seven seater, the middle row, middle seat is a bit of a compromise. Makes more sense as a six seater.
Nice flexibility inside, and reasonable kit levels. Like the exterior styling too, not trying to be something it's not.
Check out problems with uneven, premature tyre wear on sport models and diesel particulate filter issues. Might just be internet worryworts, but worth checking.
Meant to say, sliding doors were a massive draw for me with two very young kids. Fetching an infant carrier car seat out of a hinged door was often a massive ballache, sliding doors looked loads easier.
We have had a 1.8 ts2 for about 2.5 years now, brought it 2 nd hand when it was 1.5 years old. Had no problems with it, just servicing and tyres (touches wood!). As others have said the 3rd seat is a bit useless really and the 1.8 petrol is a bit under powered, should probably have got a diesel for the torque.
It's fine to drive (based on the focus I believe) and practical as long as you don't have 3 kids in carry seats to get in and out when the 3rd seat is really missed.
Of the options out there it seems to be a good one... what ever you do, don't even think about a scenic!!!!
It's fine to drive (based on the focus I believe) and practical as long as you don't have 3 kids in carry seats to get in and out when the 3rd seat is really missed.
Of the options out there it seems to be a good one... what ever you do, don't even think about a scenic!!!!
We had a 2005 Mazda 5 from new when they were first launched and it was great. Based on a C-Max of course so the handling is good. The sliding rear doors are fabulous. As with any people carrier, the rear seats while simple to erect take out a fair bit of space and as has been mentioned, the "ledge" between the middle seats is just that, not a proper seat.
The reason we sold it was that with 3 kids, two in seats, one got relegated to Row 3 and to be fair, you do get left out of any conversation back there unless you put two kids in the back row and then you lose you pushchair space. What we had to do was buy a Mondeo Mk IV so we had the width to get all 3 in one row and still have room on the hatch for pushchairs, bikes and scooters.
The final observation I would make is they have now ruined the styling - the sides look like wacky Japanese veilside body kits and the rear has lost the distinctive vertical lights in favour of a set that would look at home on the back of those big vans they used to make. Shame really.
Edited to add we covered over 30000 trouble-free miles.
The reason we sold it was that with 3 kids, two in seats, one got relegated to Row 3 and to be fair, you do get left out of any conversation back there unless you put two kids in the back row and then you lose you pushchair space. What we had to do was buy a Mondeo Mk IV so we had the width to get all 3 in one row and still have room on the hatch for pushchairs, bikes and scooters.
The final observation I would make is they have now ruined the styling - the sides look like wacky Japanese veilside body kits and the rear has lost the distinctive vertical lights in favour of a set that would look at home on the back of those big vans they used to make. Shame really.
Edited to add we covered over 30000 trouble-free miles.
Edited by LuS1fer on Tuesday 31st May 10:05
Mrs Stemll bought one yesterday. 2007 2.0 Sport with just 24k miles. I'll start saving now for tyres 
TBH, it's a second car behind my company hack so mileage will be very low and I doubt tyres will be an issue for us as all the roundabouts in MK wear them anyway. It's replacing a 2001 V70 and the sliding doors were a draw. Only 2 kids so middle seat not a problem and it'll spend all it's time as a storage bin. I also doubt the rear two seats will see much action either.
TBH, it's a second car behind my company hack so mileage will be very low and I doubt tyres will be an issue for us as all the roundabouts in MK wear them anyway. It's replacing a 2001 V70 and the sliding doors were a draw. Only 2 kids so middle seat not a problem and it'll spend all it's time as a storage bin. I also doubt the rear two seats will see much action either.
We bought a 2005 2.0 Sport Petrol a couple of months ago and its great.
The fuel computer is a bit different, but I've worked out 14l/100m is around 31mpg which is good for a 2.0 petrol in this size of car.
There is a problem with rear tyre wear and shocks on the Sports, the seller (private sale) had just put 2 new tyres on the back (probably due to this). After a month one of the rear shocks started leaking oil. Our local independent garage change it for £75 and did say the old one was original.
The sliding doors are great has already been mentioned. We have had 6 people in it about once a fortnight, and 7 in it once. The middle rear seat is too small as already mentioned, but it's good to have it just to move family about on 10 minute trips.
Ours is black, and has factory tinted windows which looks smart, and cost £5,200 with 55,000 miles on it.
I'd thoroughly recommend it.
We considered diesels but they have more problems with DPFs etc in addition to the rear tyre and shocks (on the Sport model). They were also nearly £2k more with 10k miles more! and with the added cost of a costly cambelt change at 75k miles. Whereas the petrol has a chain and doesn't need changing.
Just ask if there is anything else you need to know.
The fuel computer is a bit different, but I've worked out 14l/100m is around 31mpg which is good for a 2.0 petrol in this size of car.
There is a problem with rear tyre wear and shocks on the Sports, the seller (private sale) had just put 2 new tyres on the back (probably due to this). After a month one of the rear shocks started leaking oil. Our local independent garage change it for £75 and did say the old one was original.
The sliding doors are great has already been mentioned. We have had 6 people in it about once a fortnight, and 7 in it once. The middle rear seat is too small as already mentioned, but it's good to have it just to move family about on 10 minute trips.
Ours is black, and has factory tinted windows which looks smart, and cost £5,200 with 55,000 miles on it.
I'd thoroughly recommend it.
We considered diesels but they have more problems with DPFs etc in addition to the rear tyre and shocks (on the Sport model). They were also nearly £2k more with 10k miles more! and with the added cost of a costly cambelt change at 75k miles. Whereas the petrol has a chain and doesn't need changing.
Just ask if there is anything else you need to know.
Just for information, the 2.0 Sport was not the only one affected by the rear tyre issue. Our 1.8 TS2 wore away the inner edges and we had a bit of a to-do with Mazda UK who denied ANY problem despite multiple pages on Mazda forums. After they had finished lying through their teeth, the local Mazda dealer inspected it and they paid for the rear camber to be properly set and replaced the cost of the tyres pro-rata.
This was a major blot on Mazda's book rather than the car and it had a recall done efficiently regarding frozen doors (never had an issue) and an exhaust mod (again whio knows what they did as it hadn't been an issue). It was this malarkey that would have put a stop on owning another Mazda to some degree though ultimately being able to buy a new Mondeo for half the price of an equivalent Mazda 6 had a tiny bearing on it...
This was a major blot on Mazda's book rather than the car and it had a recall done efficiently regarding frozen doors (never had an issue) and an exhaust mod (again whio knows what they did as it hadn't been an issue). It was this malarkey that would have put a stop on owning another Mazda to some degree though ultimately being able to buy a new Mondeo for half the price of an equivalent Mazda 6 had a tiny bearing on it...
The thing with the Mazda5 is people assume as its a people carrier, alignment and stuff won't need doing.
It does need doing.. Or they wear the tyres on the inner edge. Other than that, they're very nice cars.
Slightly bias, but other than as mentioned about the tyres, we don't get many other problems with them.
It does need doing.. Or they wear the tyres on the inner edge. Other than that, they're very nice cars.
Slightly bias, but other than as mentioned about the tyres, we don't get many other problems with them.
We had one for 4 years (Diesel sport) pretty quick for what it was & really did handle well, a negative in the Motoring Press was a hard ride which was actully a positive for me !
I seem to remember the petrol sports reving high at cruising speeds in top gear (5th if I remember), it was a though it was still in 4th.
Diesel sport had a 6th gear so much better.
We had issues with tyre wear & a funny vibration under the accelerator that would come & go while driving and a similar feeking when taking off from a stop. Apart from that it was very good.
& yes they have ruined the new one !
I seem to remember the petrol sports reving high at cruising speeds in top gear (5th if I remember), it was a though it was still in 4th.
Diesel sport had a 6th gear so much better.
We had issues with tyre wear & a funny vibration under the accelerator that would come & go while driving and a similar feeking when taking off from a stop. Apart from that it was very good.
& yes they have ruined the new one !
LuS1fer said:
The tyre issue was incorrectly set alignment from the factory. If you have it and it has not been rectified, ring Mazda UK and insist they remedy it.
After we had ours done, we had no issues.
Hi LuS1fer After we had ours done, we had no issues.
I remember you from the Mazda forum ! The tyre issue was very annoying 
CO2000 said:
LuS1fer said:
The tyre issue was incorrectly set alignment from the factory. If you have it and it has not been rectified, ring Mazda UK and insist they remedy it.
After we had ours done, we had no issues.
Hi LuS1fer After we had ours done, we had no issues.
I remember you from the Mazda forum ! The tyre issue was very annoying You do soon forgive and forget and I would still consider another, bar the new styling, if they made that middle row a genuine 3 seater.
It's probably due a replacement shortly. the main annoyance for me is that in the US they get a 2.5 which would have been nice here as it could handle the power. They even do a lowering kit for them!
jbi said:
It's a shame we don't get the CX-9 in this country...
would be right up there on my list of family cars.
Thanks for that! would be right up there on my list of family cars.
I was in Oz when they launched the CX-9 there, and I was just trying to remember what it was called. They sold it on its sporty credentials so it would be a good shout here.
I'm surprised they didn't sell them here as it would surely have suited the X3 / Qashqai market quite well.
LuS1fer said:
CO2000 said:
LuS1fer said:
The tyre issue was incorrectly set alignment from the factory. If you have it and it has not been rectified, ring Mazda UK and insist they remedy it.
After we had ours done, we had no issues.
Hi LuS1fer After we had ours done, we had no issues.
I remember you from the Mazda forum ! The tyre issue was very annoying You do soon forgive and forget and I would still consider another, bar the new styling, if they made that middle row a genuine 3 seater.
It's probably due a replacement shortly. the main annoyance for me is that in the US they get a 2.5 which would have been nice here as it could handle the power. They even do a lowering kit for them!
I think they have it sorted now but I'd be very wary of one up for sale with fresh rubber on the rears.
I always wanted to get a set of the Grey 18" PZ alloys from the RX8 on ours but the thought of even more possible tyre issues put me off.
Edited by CO2000 on Tuesday 31st May 15:36
durbster said:
Thanks for that!
I was in Oz when they launched the CX-9 there, and I was just trying to remember what it was called. They sold it on its sporty credentials so it would be a good shout here.
I'm surprised they didn't sell them here as it would surely have suited the X3 / Qashqai market quite well.
CX-7? I was in Oz when they launched the CX-9 there, and I was just trying to remember what it was called. They sold it on its sporty credentials so it would be a good shout here.
I'm surprised they didn't sell them here as it would surely have suited the X3 / Qashqai market quite well.
CX-9 is bigger than the CX-7
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff