Cross-Border Shopping? Mazda Canada Forges On With Same Ol' Mazda5 For 2017

Timothy Cain
by Timothy Cain

Two years after reporting on its U.S. death, TTAC can now report the Mazda5 will live on in current form for at least another model year in Canada.

The 2017 Mazda5 is not yet featured on Mazda’s Canadian media site, but when asked by TTAC last week whether the one true remaining North American “mini”van would hold its place in Mazda Canada’s lineup, we received an affirmative response.

“We are continuing to offer the Mazda5 here in the Canadian market,” Mazda Canada’s director of public relations, Sandra Lemaitre, told us via email last Friday. “The 2017 model year Mazda5 began production in July, so it should be in dealer showrooms shortly. It will be a carryover product with no major changes.”

This is news that will excite seven Canadians, and perhaps nine Americans who are considering crossing the border for a USD-equivalent $18,555 manual-transmission mini-MPV.

Oh, no, one prospect just financed a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan Canada Value Package interest-free over 84 months. And look over there: a Minnesotan just realized he might as well lease a six-seat F-150 SuperCrew south of the 49th.

Make it six Canadians; eight Americans.

To be fair, there are literally, well, dozens of remaining Mazda5 buyers in Canada. Mazda Canada is currently selling an average of 136 Mazda5s per month. But that’s half the number of Mazda5s that were being sold a year ago in Canada and well off the peak of 1,000 monthly Mazda5 sales in 2008.

Admittedly, the Mazda5 isn’t the only remaining mini-MPV in Canada. The Chevrolet Orlando is dead, but the Kia Rondo lives on in an iteration never sold in the United States. (Kia USA’s first attempt at selling Rondos expired in 2010.)

But unlike the Mazda 5, the Kia Rondo has not adopted traditional minivan characteristics: standard three-row seating and sliding doors. (The seven-seat Kia Rondo has a lofty CAD $27,735 base MSRP.) Though marginally more common than the Mazda5, Kia Rondo sales fell by 42 percent in Canada this year. Like the Mazda5, the Rondo is on track for its worst Canadian sales year ever.

Re-launched as an all-new vehicle for model year 2013, the Kia Rondo fights alongside a Mazda5 which has enjoyed updates but no major re-engineering since its 2005 launch.

Leftover Mazda5s are still leaving U.S. showrooms: 346 in 2016’s first seven months; 17 in July alone. The Mazda5 owned 4 percent of America’s minivan market in 2011; less than 2 percent of Canada’s minivan market today.

[Images: Mazda, Mazda.ca, Kia Canada]

Timothy Cain
Timothy Cain

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  • BoogerROTN BoogerROTN on Aug 15, 2016

    I've got a '12 Touring (A/T) and it's okay. Just okay... The 2.5l engine is pretty bullet proof, but mpg is meh. After the drive train warranty ran out, I began using M1EP on a yearly OCI (

  • Nguyenvuminh Nguyenvuminh on Aug 16, 2016

    I have a 2013 GT and it has served our family of 4 great. Road trip is fine and daily driving is perfect for the tight parking spaces. Fuel economy is average for a relatively small car but the handling has been great for a minivan. I was hoping for Skyactiv engine too but that would have demanded changes to the chassis (from what I read) so Mazda decided against sinking their precious fund into this dying segment. BTW, I believe the Canadian 5 has the flip out 3rd seat in the 2nd row whereas US' 5 do not (safety regulation I believe). I agree with some of the sentiments expressed here and in the past regarding this car, perfect size, good handling for a minivan, flexible 3rd row seating when needed, and the oh-so-great sliding door. Downside is the windnoise, cheap window and windshield glass from Mazda that affects their other cars as well.

    • SMman SMman on Nov 30, 2016

      Canadian 5s have never had a 7th seat. They FINALLY have the fold out cup holders/storage bin in all models though. I used to work at Mazda and was amazed that the cup holders only came on the GT models when I started selling in 2009. When they redesigned for 2012, you had to buy a GT with Luxury Package (leather, etc) to get the cup holders. Simply amazing that a family vehicle has ZERO cup holders for the most common place the kids sit; the 2nd row. The 3rd row has always had holders on the outboard sides but they are too far aft for anyone in the 2nd row to use. I spoke to Mazda about this at the time and it took them 3 years to make the change and use common sense by installing in all models for 2015. The owner of the dealership was amazed the cup holders weren't there from the beginning. We actually had to install them on a used Mazda5 GS (only came with GTs at the time) for a customer and it cost $500 and involved getting some parts machined because they couldn't all be purchased from Mazda. I have a 2003 Honda Odyssey that has served me well for 13 years and I am considering a 2017 Mazda5 GS 6MT with Convenience Package as a replacement. I tried to get my wife to buy one to replace our front wheel drive Tribute with the 5MT but she was ready for an AWD automatic and chose a Honda CR-V. She was not a fan of the comfort in the front seat of the Mazda5 (lacks thigh support and does not go back enough) and was looking for a backup camera and heated cloth seats. Sadly neither are available in the 5. I wish Mazda would throw some love at this model but I believe it will be dead here in Canada by the end of 2017. Such a shame! Consumer Reports had once called it one of the best overlooked vehicles and they are right. I had a few Mazda3 customers who needed more room but they would walk right by the 5. I tried suggesting it as a great vehicle and there was no way they would even take it for a drive because of the sliding doors and styling. The people who did give it a try, were pleasantly surprised though.

  • Dukeisduke Is the Volvo EX30 even on sale yet? It was pulled from the NACTOY awards because they were having software problems with the vehicle.
  • Wjtinfwb If you've only got 5k to spend on transportation, I cannot imagine a worse way to spend it than on a GM orphan from Sweden that's 15 years old with 150k on the clock and limited plus expensive parts availability and dwindling techs who'd even want to work on it. Go find a similar vintage Camry or Accord with 150k miles or even a Ford or a Chevy, whatever. Hell, even an old Jaguar is less of a crapshoot than a Saab. At least you can still get parts.
  • Kwik_Shift Brands that were considered from China include BYD, Dayun, Great Wall Motors, Maxus, Nio, Omoda/Chery, Seres, XPeng, and Zeekr. KG Mobility from South Korea also made the list of candidates.That's a lot of car companies from there ready to head here.
  • Analoggrotto Clean sweep and unanimous victory for the world affluence engine of 22nd century : Hyundai/Kia/Genesis. Toyota and Lexus, for 120 years of history have not been able to capture the zenith superlative status of Hyundai Motor Corporation the most awarded, decorated and revered automotive corporation in the history of historical. Featuring best ever, first ever and greatest ever e-ATPs the Hyundai Genesis Kia lineup is posed to become the envy of every country club, ivy league college and fortune 500 corporation in the world. I've been taking a roadtrip in my loaner Elantra N, visiting colleges from east to west, elite universities of higher learning to inspect their parking lots. WHat did I find? Leagues of Genesis models, outnumbering Lexus 3 to 1. When I interviewed faculty and staff at these places of greater learning, their response was unanimous : they chose HMC for the ATPs.
  • Mikey 2019 Chevy Impala Premier FWD with 20 inch factory Bridgestones. I'm looking at replacing tires at the 65,000 KLM's (40,000 miles ) mark ....It doesn't thrill me .. I'm pricing Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires ouch !! ..Up here in Canuckastan ....Big $$$$$
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