Just released in Oz/NZ, presumably on its way to the UK soon? Looks good in a BMW X3 kind of mold. Lot of marketing blurb about revolutionary improvements in fuel consumption through lighter and friction-free engine and gearbox components, called "Skyactive".
Top spec 2.2 diesel 4WD version pretty much half the price of a new X3 over here. Looks a winner, unless Mazda goes bankrupt ;-). Expect a fight back from Hyundai with the new Santa Fe later this year...
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It is available here - around 27k gets you a fully loaded one. May be worth being on the wanted list...
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Integrated satnav is standard on all but the base model, and it's even available on that (presumably for a limited period) as a free upgrade.
Might be of interest to Humph.
:)
Last edited by: Clk Sec on Sat 7 Apr 12 at 10:04
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What to avoid Cheshire Oaks ?
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Wouldn't help. "She" knows where it is. Irony is, we didn't even buy anything, it was all carp.
Anyway, back to Mazdas...
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>> It is available here - around 27k gets you a fully loaded one.
Noticed they're from $20K in the US!
Mazda is a brand that's completely passed me by - I've never given them a thought.
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Emissions for the CX-5 seem low I recall. But the car that is quite a looker on the outside is the next Mazda6 (if it looks like the concept preview).
carscoop.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/mazda-hints-at-next-mazda6-with-diesel.html
The front end of the next Mazda MX-5 also similar to the Mazda6 Takeri concept.
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I like and respect the Mazda company, so I went over to their official UK website to take a quick shufti at the CX-5.
I was quite impressed, and was just about to add it to my shortlist of "Possible Next Car", when I read that Privacy Glass was part of the standard specification.
At that point I made my excuses and left.....
Why do they have to make this stuff standard? Surely they realise that Privacy Glass is one of those marmite options that can be a deal-breaker for some people?
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>> Why do they have to make this stuff standard? Surely they realise that Privacy Glass
>> is one of those marmite options that can be a deal-breaker for some people?
Why? Have you driven or had a car with privacy or tinted glass? I have, its a real boon.
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>> Why? Have you driven or had a car with privacy or tinted glass? I have,
>> its a real boon.
>>
In answer to your question "Why", here are my main reasons:
1) Aesthetic. All taste is personal. We are all free to like/dislike something. I happen to think that aesthetically it looks awful. Having the car's glass with two distinct colours is as bad (to me) as if the front half was (say) light red, and the rear half dark red.
2) Practical. Following some cars with privacy glass is as bad as following a van. You can't see through the car in front to help you anticipate the road ahead.
3) Fashionista. For every genuine bloke who goes for Privacy Glass because they believe it gives them a practical benefit, there is a chav who goes for it because it is "Drug Dealer bling".
4) It's an option that you can't ignore. If you don't like aircon, cruise control, heated seats etc...fine. You aren't obliged to use them. But privacy glass is one of those things that you can't turn off or ignore. You are stuck with it even if you think it ruins the looks of the car.
I never said that Privacy Glass should be banned, or anything - just that it should be an option for people that want it, rather than be forced on people who hate it (self included).
Now, back at you Zero :-) (Note smiley)
Why do you think that they are a boon? And why do you think that they should be compulsory.
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>> 1) Aesthetic. All taste is personal. We are all free to like/dislike something. I happen
>> to think that aesthetically it looks awful. Having the car's glass with two distinct colours
>> is as bad (to me) as if the front half was (say) light red, and
>> the rear half dark red.
It can look poor depending on the shade of the glass and the colour of the car, but a metallic black car with dark privacy glass looks the biz, I appreciate its a matter of personal taste.
>>
>> 2) Practical. Following some cars with privacy glass is as bad as following a van.
>> You can't see through the car in front to help you anticipate the road ahead.
I don't buy a car so the bloke behind can sit on my bumper looking through my car.
Practical, it keeps the interior cool, vital in the back if you have a dog. The car is cooler when you get in, and the aircon does not have to work as hard.
>>
>> 3) Fashionista. For every genuine bloke who goes for Privacy Glass because they believe it
>> gives them a practical benefit, there is a chav who goes for it because it
>> is "Drug Dealer bling".
That applies to every BMW or Merc. You can't not buy them because they are the car of choice for a drug dealer. In what way does a drug dealers car affect you?
>>
>> 4) It's an option that you can't ignore. If you don't like aircon, cruise control,
>> heated seats etc...fine. You aren't obliged to use them. But privacy glass is one of
>> those things that you can't turn off or ignore. You are stuck with it even
>> if you think it ruins the looks of the car.
True but then I don't
>>
>> I never said that Privacy Glass should be banned, or anything - just that it
>> should be an option for people that want it, rather than be forced on people
>> who hate it (self included).
>>
Car makers sell cars, people buy cars. They have found they sell more cars with privacy glass. Given the right combo of colours its not a problem, and as I said a practical boon.
>> Why do you think that they are a boon? And why do you think that
>> they should be compulsory.
I never said they should be compulsory, I said its not a reason not to buy a car.
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Good reply Zero (and that is me being sincere, BTW).
I can't agree with this, though:
".....I said its not a reason not to buy a car. "
In fact ,both of these views are correct...
a) I think that the car looks great with Privacy Glass and it makes me want to buy it, and
b) I think that the car looks horrible with Privacy Glass and it makes me NOT want to buy it
I don't think you are really saying that no-one should ever take a cars looks into consideration at all are you Zero? *wink-and-a-smile*
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>> I don't think you are really saying that no-one should ever take a cars looks
>> into consideration at all are you Zero? *wink-and-a-smile*
Not at all, no-one buys ugly cars. I am merely saying you have very poor taste. ;0
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>> Not at all, no-one buys ugly cars. I am merely saying you have very poor
>> taste. ;0
>>
Well, I did buy an Audi - so you are probably quite right.
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FIL has an MX5 and a 3 - appears to be a Mazda convert as the CX-5 is on his list to replace the 3 - well, it must be approaching 2 years old, so past it by his standard
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>> 2) Practical. Following some cars with privacy glass is as bad as following a van.
>> You can't see through the car in front to help you anticipate the road ahead.
Privacy glass on the rear side windows (which is normally what happens) will not make a difference to you then. Mine has rear side windows that are tinted. Front ones are not.
I'm not sure any car as standard has the rear screen tinted.
But on some cars it's difficult to see through them from behind at all - shallow glass areas. Better to look around the car. And that's only difficult if you're driving too close I would have thought.
I like the styling of the new CX-5 and the next Mazda6. I'd normally rule out an SUV due to emissions but see the 150PS diesel CX-5 is currently down as emitting 119g/km of CO2. So come October 2014 I'd hope they have moved on to reflect the BIK rules at that time.
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>> ... when I read that Privacy Glass was part of the standard specification.
>> At that point I made my excuses and left.....
>>
>> Why do they have to make this stuff standard? Surely they realise that Privacy Glass
>> is one of those marmite options that can be a deal-breaker for some people?
>>
Like big alloy wheels, you'll be struggling to find a smilar car which doesn't have privacy glass. Wifey's Honda Jazz has it. Handy when have grandaughter in the car.
Oh, and I'm pretty sure the rear (hatch) window is dark tinted too.
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>> Oh, and I'm pretty sure the rear (hatch) window is dark tinted too.
Maybe the rear screen of my car is too... I'll check when I remember to look. But it makes little difference to anyone else. In an attempt to help out I went for a lower roofline to help people see over my car.
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>> >> Oh, and I'm pretty sure the rear (hatch) window is dark tinted too.
>>
>> Maybe the rear screen of my car is too... I'll check when I remember to
>> look. But it makes little difference to anyone else.
They usually are, looks a bit silly with just the rear sides done and wont keep the back cool if its not.
>In an attempt to help out I went for a lower roofline to help people see over my car.
And here's me thinking you got an ugly car so people couldn't bear to look at you.
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Thinking about it the rear screen is almost certainly tinted. But the side windows are only slightly tinted.
I only got the CC to deflect attention from Lancer drivers :-)
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>> At that point I made my excuses and left.....
>>
>> Why do they have to make this stuff standard? Surely they realise that Privacy Glass
>> is one of those marmite options that can be a deal-breaker for some people?
It might be worth double checking with Mazda to see if their entire range of SUVs are fitted with privacy glass, as indicated on their website.
I raised the same point a while back with another motor manufacturer, and despite their website showing privacy glass as a standard fitment on all their SUVs, they told me that their base model was in fact fitted with plain glass.
They also suggested that my local dealer might be able to place a one off order for non privacy glass if I wanted to purchase a higher specification model.
Like you, privacy glass just doesn’t appeal to me.
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>> I raised the same point a while back with another motor manufacturer, and despite their
>> website showing privacy glass as a standard fitment on all their SUVs, they told me
>> that their base model was in fact fitted with plain glass.
>>
>> They also suggested that my local dealer might be able to place a one off
>> order for non privacy glass if I wanted to purchase a higher specification model.
>>
If you did either of those things it would be absolutely vital to get it noted on the order form.
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>>If you did either of those things it would be absolutely vital to get it noted on the order form.<<
No chance of me missing that, BP, as I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to paperwork.
Good advice, nevertheless.
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>> No chance of me missing that, BP, as I'm a bit of a stickler when
>> it comes to paperwork.
>>
It was a bit tonque-in-cheek, really - in my experience dealers won't accept special terms on the order as they have no control over the car that the importer supplies to them.
I walked away from ordering a Ford because of this - "we get what turns up" the dealer said.
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>>in my experience dealers won't accept special terms on the order as they have no control over the car that the importer supplies to them.
I walked away from ordering a Ford because of this - "we get what turns up" the dealer said.<<
But surely if you are, for instance, ordering a Ford from a Ford dealer and they allow you to specify plain glass, then that vehicle will be delivered with plain glass, plus whatever other options you may have specified. Although in your case, I suspect that you were thinking of buying from a non-franchised dealer.
Having said that, it's quite a long time since I bought a new car.
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>> But surely if you are, for instance, ordering a Ford from a Ford dealer and
>> they allow you to specify plain glass, then that vehicle will be delivered with plain
>> glass, plus whatever other options you may have specified.
If plain glass is an option, then that would be fine. In our case it was running up to when ABS was starting be fitted as standard and the dealer wouldn't commit that the car would definitely come with ABS.
>> Although in your case, I suspect
>> that you were thinking of buying from a non-franchised dealer.
>>
No, it was a franchised dealer.
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I'm not sure any car as standard has the rear screen tinted.
Pretty sure most do. I drove a 2009 Mercedes E estate recently and the world in the mirror was disconcertingly dimmer than the view ahead because of the darkened glass.
Privacy glass (and this is my main objection to it) also impedes the pre-lane change shoulder check. I noticed it less in the Mercedes because it was a dull day so my pupils were already dilated, but driving a demo Verso SR in 2008, in sunglasses and with pupils already constricted by bright light, it required a dangerously long time to feel confident I was seeing all there was to see through the rear side window. We ordered a T3, which is plain in the glass.
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Mazda - Seen the new CX-5? - R.P.
