Rondo Vs. Mazda5!
Compact minivan buyers looking for leather seats in their vehicle will no doubt show huge interest in the Rondo. After all, the 4-cylinder EX Premium model is $695 cheaper than a similarly-equipped Mazda5 GT (with Luxury Package).
However, my tester -- a Rondo EX-V6 Luxury -- was considerably more expensive (+$1,305). And sure, the V6 is more flexible than the base engine, but it’s also more addicted to liquid gold (+6 percent).
Moreover, the Mazda5’s material quality appears to be higher than the Rondo’s. Make no mistake, plastics are found everywhere inside these two minivans, but the textures and finish of the former are more refined than those of the latter.
The Mazda5 also boasts a pair of sliding doors, which often prove helpful in crowded parking lots and other tight spaces. The Rondo doesn’t have such doors but makes up for it by offering impressive passenger room and generous warranties.
In the end, there are very few "mini"vans on the market and, until Ford launches the C-Max in North America, potential buyers have two models they should test-drive in order to find the one that best meets their family’s needs.
photo:Luc Gagné, Matthieu Lambert
Compact minivan buyers looking for leather seats in their vehicle will no doubt show huge interest in the Rondo. After all, the 4-cylinder EX Premium model is $695 cheaper than a similarly-equipped Mazda5 GT (with Luxury Package).
However, my tester -- a Rondo EX-V6 Luxury -- was considerably more expensive (+$1,305). And sure, the V6 is more flexible than the base engine, but it’s also more addicted to liquid gold (+6 percent).
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| The Rondo doesn’t have sliding doors but makes up for it by offering impressive passenger room. |
Moreover, the Mazda5’s material quality appears to be higher than the Rondo’s. Make no mistake, plastics are found everywhere inside these two minivans, but the textures and finish of the former are more refined than those of the latter.
The Mazda5 also boasts a pair of sliding doors, which often prove helpful in crowded parking lots and other tight spaces. The Rondo doesn’t have such doors but makes up for it by offering impressive passenger room and generous warranties.
In the end, there are very few "mini"vans on the market and, until Ford launches the C-Max in North America, potential buyers have two models they should test-drive in order to find the one that best meets their family’s needs.
photo:Luc Gagné, Matthieu Lambert
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