2012 Mazda5 vs. Ford C-Max

unityco · Feb 14, 2011

Anyone have anything to say about them? Most importantly (to me) do they have tethers in their 3rd row? How 'bout size? I imagine they're pretty similar, since they're built on the same 'C' chassis (I think?)

I'm casually looking for our next vehicle (probably won't happen, though.

) I've not been pleased with how our Ford has stood up (first Ford I've owned,) but I've never had a Mazda and the C-Max, with its 7-passenger capacity seems to be a better fit for us. :shrug-shoulders:

Thoughts?

Dillipop · Feb 14, 2011

The mazda has sliding rear doors. That would be the deal winner for me.

luckyclov · Feb 14, 2011

My '08 Mazda5 had top tether anchors in all 4 rear seating positions, so I'd assume the new models still do as well. There's a full set of LATCH in each captain's chair.

I loved my 5. I was sad when we traded it in. Sniffle.

Yeah, the sliding doors are a major perk. I'd go with the 5...without a second thought.

unityco · Feb 14, 2011

Dillipop said:
The mazda has sliding rear doors. That would be the deal winner for me.

The C-Max does too, supposedly.

(A very important feature, I agree. :thumbsup

SavsMom · Feb 14, 2011

unityco said:
The C-Max does too, supposedly. (A very important feature, I agree. :thumbsup

Yes - it does. We got our Ford owners magazine the other day and the C-Max was in it. Sliding rear doors was one of the huge highlights :thumbsup:

Pixels · Feb 14, 2011

unityco said:
The C-Max does too, supposedly. (A very important feature, I agree. :thumbsup

From what I've read, the C-Max has normal hinged doors, not sliding doors. I just Googled and found photos of the 2011 C-Max, and it's definitely hinged doors.

SavsMom · Feb 14, 2011

Pixels said:
From what I've read, the C-Max has normal hinged doors, not sliding doors. I just Googled and found photos of the 2011 C-Max, and it's definitely hinged doors.

Nope, its a 2012. Sliding doors are there.

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/minivans-vans/1010_2012_ford_c_max_u_s_spec_look/index.html

luckyclov · Feb 14, 2011

Yeah, looks like the '12 does have the sliding doors. And the Ford is a 7 passenger, not 6 like the 5, so I guess you get another seat...though, it's probably not super usable. You might get your 3 to tethers in that middle row though, so I'd be curious about the 3rd row...

Yeah, I'd still go with the Mazda. I just loved that vehicle THAT much.

amyd · Feb 14, 2011

I

my 5. I have a 2010 and when we were buying, the dealer had the specs for the 2012 & told us a bit about it as we were trying to decide whether to buy the 2010 or wait for the 2012. There is a body redesign coming with the 2012. Also, the manual will be a 6 speed (mine's a 5 speed, which I find sufficient, personally) and I believe it has a slightly bigger engine than the 2010. The 5 has tether anchors in all 4 rear seating positions. And I love the sliding doors:thumbsup:

unityco · Feb 14, 2011

There are pics of the 2012 Ford here: http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2012-ford-c-max/#3700992

The middle middle seat looks pretty usuable, and I've read that it can slide under one of the second row passenger seats quickly and easily to give easy 3rd-row access.

I had heard Mazda was going to make the 5 slightly bigger for '12, but it seems they didn't. I would have appreciated a touch more space (but not much more; I like the smaller size in general.)

I didn't see tethers for the third row in the photos, but it could well be because it's the Euro version. Also, I think maybe the plus one seat is an option? So they couldn't use it as one of the 3 mandatory tethers?

ETA: It looks like there are little hooks on the side walls behind the third row... is it possible those are the tethers? (I was looking for something on the seat back.)

joolsplus3 · Feb 14, 2011

<swoon> Another choice with sliding doors.

This one might tip the balance for me, unless the 5 comes out with a 3-across version in 2012 (the Euro one has 7 seats...I don't *need* 7 seats, but sometimes just loading all three kids in the middle row for a few minutes can be super handy).

Edit: why the heck can't anyone buckle a Turbo properly? See that picture with the 3 kids in it. Argh.

unityco · Feb 14, 2011

joolsplus3 said:
I don't *need* 7 seats, but sometimes...

Yeah, us neither with our (so far) little family.

But it's so nice to have that flexibility for company (whether visiting from afar or accross the street.

) Plus to have the cargo room when we're not using the third row...

teekadog · Feb 14, 2011

WARNING: Gossip involved!

From what I've read on other car forums: Ford owns a fair share of Mazda. The Mazda5 was going to be everything the C-Max is, but then Ford decided they wanted to put on a better face in America, and sorta... kinda... stole some of the fanciness of the Mazda5 to dress up their own car. Mazda5 has been the "2012" model overseas for some time now. The C-Max was slated to have hinged doors, then they suddenly changed that. Really, this is just a matter or rebadging, I think.

Again, this is all GOSSIP.

Mazda5's have storage under the seat cushion of their 2nd row captain chair. The extra seat folds into that- no sliding away function. There's a picture of it in a previous post of the C-Max.

I would love to see both 2012 models side by side!

mamakc · Feb 14, 2011

I went to an auto show yesterday and was soooo looking forward to playing with the c-max, but they had it on display and no one was allowed up in it. :thumbsdown: What's the point of that?! I was bummed. It definitely had sliding doors though. I'm excited about it having 3 seats across the middle row & the option to stow the center seat. Very clever and versatile! But didn't get to check out tether anchors and stuff..

Jeanum · Feb 14, 2011

The U.S. auto show circuit has been featuring 3 different pre-production Ford C-Max versions on display (more on the versions in a moment

) and pre-production models are unfortunately nearly always hands off for the general public until they go into actual production and available for purchase by the consumer. The displays drum up interest and leave us wanting for more.

The confusion over C-Max's rear hinged vs. sliding rear doors is stemming from the 3 different versions of the C-Max that will all eventually be available. The hybrid and plug-in versions of the C-Max will have hinged rear doors and 5-passenger seating, while the conventional gasoline powered C-Max will have rear sliding doors, a third row, and 7-passenger seating. All C-Max versions are based on the Ford Focus platform. No idea on top tether anchors yet in the sliding door version of the C-Max since it was not possible for me to get inside any of the pre-production display models to check. According to a Ford rep whom I chatted with at the Detroit auto show last month, the gas powered C-Max is due out later this summer for the 2012 model year, and the hybrid and plug-in C-Max versions are due out next year. I was very bummed to learn the sliding door version won't be offered as a hybrid or plug-in, only gasoline powered.

teekadog · Feb 14, 2011

I've heard sliding doors are much heavier than their hinged counterparts. I guess the varying c-max models support that.

unityco · Feb 14, 2011

Anyone have any opinions on which vehicle would age better? Like I say, I haven't been particularly pleased with how our Focus has fared, but it would seem that the Mazda will just be the same vehicle under a different badge. :shrug-shoulders:

mama d · Feb 14, 2011

Deleted, same info above.

The c-max is roughly the same length as the first model year caravan.

TerisBoys · Feb 16, 2011

I like the looks of it, for the most part. IMO it resembles my parents' Freestyle on the inside (theirs is 7-passenger).

BUT. I'm not seeing a shoulderbelt on that middle seat. Hopefully that's just because it's pre-production.

SavsMom · Feb 19, 2011

Here is a link to it on fords site:

http://www.ford.com/crossovers/cmax/

2012 Mazda5 vs. Ford C-Max

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