Hi, Guest
See Nef, the Flex has really bad cargo room inside when all three rows of seats are used. 3 out of 4 Flexes I've seen already has a Thule or other brand of cargo carrier on the roof! And I don't mean a ski rack / enclosure, either.
As for Mazda, I really, honestly don't give a s*** what they do. The same for Dodge (ick) and the General. I guess I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Ford guy. I thought about that this morning on the way to work - all my best memories are in Fords. I'm even lumping my RX-8 experience in there even though Ford has zero to do with the Rotary Rocket ™.
What really pisses me off about Mazda is that NOTHING IS SACRED. I guess you have to be a (ex-)RX-8 owner to understand the psychology behind it. The RX-8's fenders are in the Mazda6 now. The airdam style is in the Mazdaspeed 3. The CX-7 and CX-9 (more the former than the latter, I find) share a front design with the Rx-8 or borrow from its design... heavily.
When a Camaro goes down the road, it looks like a Camaro. An Impala looks like... well, whatever flavour of Impala they bring out. But an Impala looks nothing like a Camaro. A Mustang looks like a Mustang and nothing else. An Escape looks like a mini-Expedition or Explorer, but that's ok by me because they've confirmed they want it to be more truck-like. There's a difference between "truck-like" and "your front fenders look just like the front fenders of my hallowed sports car".
It's more than a little annoying knowing you've paid a premium for a sports car that everyone else gets to enjoy the design and appeal of by driving a f***ing people wagon. Or sedan. There isn't a bargain basement Mustang hatchback lookalike. There isn't a 4-cylinder Mini Me Challenger. /end rant
Even so - CX-7 - 5 passenger wunderkind. As close as you can get to a Mazdaspeed 3/6 with room for 5 and a hatch while obtaining ground clearance. CX-9 - Edge twin, nothing more to say there. Mazda 5 - Subaru Justy on crack with an optional V6, doesn't count as a CUV. More of an overgrown wagon.
The Mazda situation is more diverse than the Ford one. Guys driving the CX-7 by choice likely wouldn't be caught dead in a Mazda 5. A Mazda 5 is the Abomination of the Mazda 3. Yes, that's a bad Hulk-themed joke.
The Flex is the newest, and sadly, the biggest waste of sheetmetal. You get one more seat but far less cargo space than an Edge.
I think we're off on a tangent here, bud :P
Mazda CX-7 = nothing Ford has. Mazda has the Tribute as an Escape clone, don't forget that. It's also the most androgenous-looking of the 3 trucklets (Escape/Tribute/Mariner). The Mariner is supposed to be the "chick truck" but I think the newly restyled Tribute beats it out. The Mariner is almost like a mini-MKX.
Mazda CX-9 = Ford Edge, Ford Taurus X.
1950s Woody Wagon = Ford Flex
Lunchbox with wheels and alien-shaped tail-lights = Mazda5.
As for Mazda, I really, honestly don't give a s*** what they do. The same for Dodge (ick) and the General. I guess I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Ford guy. I thought about that this morning on the way to work - all my best memories are in Fords. I'm even lumping my RX-8 experience in there even though Ford has zero to do with the Rotary Rocket ™.
What really pisses me off about Mazda is that NOTHING IS SACRED. I guess you have to be a (ex-)RX-8 owner to understand the psychology behind it. The RX-8's fenders are in the Mazda6 now. The airdam style is in the Mazdaspeed 3. The CX-7 and CX-9 (more the former than the latter, I find) share a front design with the Rx-8 or borrow from its design... heavily.
When a Camaro goes down the road, it looks like a Camaro. An Impala looks like... well, whatever flavour of Impala they bring out. But an Impala looks nothing like a Camaro. A Mustang looks like a Mustang and nothing else. An Escape looks like a mini-Expedition or Explorer, but that's ok by me because they've confirmed they want it to be more truck-like. There's a difference between "truck-like" and "your front fenders look just like the front fenders of my hallowed sports car".
It's more than a little annoying knowing you've paid a premium for a sports car that everyone else gets to enjoy the design and appeal of by driving a f***ing people wagon. Or sedan. There isn't a bargain basement Mustang hatchback lookalike. There isn't a 4-cylinder Mini Me Challenger. /end rant
Even so - CX-7 - 5 passenger wunderkind. As close as you can get to a Mazdaspeed 3/6 with room for 5 and a hatch while obtaining ground clearance. CX-9 - Edge twin, nothing more to say there. Mazda 5 - Subaru Justy on crack with an optional V6, doesn't count as a CUV. More of an overgrown wagon.
The Mazda situation is more diverse than the Ford one. Guys driving the CX-7 by choice likely wouldn't be caught dead in a Mazda 5. A Mazda 5 is the Abomination of the Mazda 3. Yes, that's a bad Hulk-themed joke.
The Flex is the newest, and sadly, the biggest waste of sheetmetal. You get one more seat but far less cargo space than an Edge.
I think we're off on a tangent here, bud :P
Mazda CX-7 = nothing Ford has. Mazda has the Tribute as an Escape clone, don't forget that. It's also the most androgenous-looking of the 3 trucklets (Escape/Tribute/Mariner). The Mariner is supposed to be the "chick truck" but I think the newly restyled Tribute beats it out. The Mariner is almost like a mini-MKX.
Mazda CX-9 = Ford Edge, Ford Taurus X.
1950s Woody Wagon = Ford Flex
Lunchbox with wheels and alien-shaped tail-lights = Mazda5.
Daily driver 1: 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport "S"
33" BFG Mud-Terrain KM2s, lots of Rough Country gear - bumper, 2.5" lift, swaybar disconnects, Superwinch 10,000lb winch, Detroit Locker in rear D44 axle, custom exhaust, K+N filtercharger, Superchips-tuned.
Daily driver 2: 2006 Subaru Legacy GT
COBB Stage 1+ package - AccessPort tuner, COBB intake and airbox. Stage 2 coming shortly - COBB 3" AT stainless DP and race cat, custom 3" Magnaflow-based exhaust and Stage 2 COBB tune.
33" BFG Mud-Terrain KM2s, lots of Rough Country gear - bumper, 2.5" lift, swaybar disconnects, Superwinch 10,000lb winch, Detroit Locker in rear D44 axle, custom exhaust, K+N filtercharger, Superchips-tuned.
Daily driver 2: 2006 Subaru Legacy GT
COBB Stage 1+ package - AccessPort tuner, COBB intake and airbox. Stage 2 coming shortly - COBB 3" AT stainless DP and race cat, custom 3" Magnaflow-based exhaust and Stage 2 COBB tune.