Hi All,
I am back again… now we are looking at the mazda 5 because the prices seem good.
I am nervous, we have until tomorrow to pull the trigger on the outback or we lose the cash and financing incentives. I really do like the outback, it did feel a little underpowered with the 4 cyl engine which is what we would buy (no way would i buy anything requiring premium gas), but I am not looking for a race car anyway so I am not sure this would bother me. The outback was a nice smooth ride and the AWD and heated seats and incentives make it appealing…
Does anyone have any thoughts on how these compare? I know we would lose the AWD if we go the mazda route. Consumer reports rates the mazda 5 highly and it is actually not as long as the outback (which is appealing to me). They are calling it a mini minivan…
anyone have any opinions on how these two stack up? I know I am not comparing apples to apples though.
Thanks again!!!
You really are comparing apples and oranges now.
The Mazda5 is in a category of its own. There really isn’t anything comparable (Kia Rondo, maybe). If you need the space I think it’s a pretty cool vehicle. Some people complain about it being under-powered with the automatic transmission, so you might want to think about that. The 5 is based on the 3, which has a very good reliability record.
How much do you want AWD, and are you willing to pay the extra maintenance that goes with it?
With vehicle sales the way the are (or aren’t) I’m sure you can get a good deal on either one. There are Outbacks everywhere. How many 5s do you see? Does driving something a bit different appeal to you?
Here’s an important consideration: What does your better half like?
have you compared the safety issues…crash survival etc…AWD is nice security in snow country with hills… I own 2 RAV4’s and never worry about winter time weather…never really noticed any extra maintenance in over 10 years with AWD toyotas.