Mazda Canada CEO Don Romano won't call the all-new 2012 Mazda5 a minivan; he prefers "compact multi-activity vehicle." Whatever it is, when Mazda's new people/cargo carrier hits showrooms in early January 2011, it will start at $21,795. That's a $1,000 price increase over the current and outgoing Mazda5.
Romano and others at Mazda will tell you the well-appointed GS is a huge step forward. It's powered by a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder engine (157 horsepower/163 lb-ft of torque) and a new six-speed manual transmission. A five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission is optional ($1,200). Even the base GS comes with air conditioning, anti-skid control, traction control and dual front and side air bags for first row passengers and side air curtains to protect all three rows.
The Mazda5, of course, is smaller than rivals such as the Dodge Grand Caravan, Toyota Sienna and Honda Odyssey vans. Still, it comes standard with seating for six, rear sliding doors and 16-inch alloy wheels. The top-of-the-line Mazda5 GT starts at $24,395, adding 17-inch alloy wheels, heated cloth seats, lumbar support for the driver seat, SIRIUS satellite radio, Xenon headlights and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) for $24,395.
If a new Mazda5 is on the way, nice as it is, that news suggests a blow-out sale of whatever leftover Mazda5 vans remain on dealer lots. Sure enough, Mazda Canada has slapped on a $3,500 factory-to-dealer bonus for cash purchases. Savvy buyers should also be able to squeeze out another $500 or $600 in a dealer discount. So there's a nice deal to be had here.
Deals also likes the $7,000 Nissan Canada has on the Frontier pickup - especially given all that money can be combined with 0.0 per cent financing for up to three years.
Meanwhile, Chrysler has about $11,000 in cash offers on the Town & Country minivan. A facelifted version of this wagon is on the way, too.
Even Honda is in the incentive game with its popular Civic. Look for more than $3,000 in cash incentives, as Honda fights to keep Civic on top as Canada's top-selling car.
As usual, Deals obtained most pricing information from www.carcostcanada.com, though for this week other sources were also used. Here's a look.
2010 Nissan Frontier SE crew cab 4WD
MSRP: $33,848
Freight, dealer prep, air conditioning tax: $1,660
Dealer discount (estimated): $1,100
Factory discount: $6,000 (stackable cash, factory to dealer discount)
Taxable subtotal: $28,408
Total price with 13% HST: $32,101.04
Factory discount: $1,000 (Loyalty Bonus factory to customer rebate)
Note: discount can be combined with 0.0 per cent for three years
2010 Mazda5 GS
MSRP: $20,795
Freight, dealer prep: $1,695
Dealer discount: $600
Factory rebate: $3,500 (factory-to-dealer rebate on cash purchases)
Taxable subtotal: $18,390
Total price with 13% HST: $20,780.70
2010 Chrysler Town & Country Touring
MSRP: $37,848
Freight, dealer prep and air conditioning tax: $1,500
Dealer discount (estimated): $1,000
Factory discount: $8,000 (Consumer Cash factory-to-dealer rebate; can be combined with Special Finance Rates of 0.0 per cent for three years)
Taxable subtotal: $30,345
Total price with 13% HST: $34,293.24
Factory discount: $1,500 (Cash for Clunkers)
Government discount: $300 (Retire your ride)
Factory discount: $1,000 (Bonus Cash, Ontario only)
Final price: $31,493.24
2010 Honda Civic DX automatic
MSRP: $17,190
Freight, dealer prep and air conditioning tax: $1,395
Dealer discount (estimated): $500
Factory discount: $2,750 (factory to consumer rebate on cash purchases)
Taxable subtotal: $15,335
Total price with 13% HST: $17,328.55
Factory discount: $500 (Holiday Bonus factory-to-customer rebate)
Pricing information source: www.carcostcanada.com. Calculations based on Ontario customers. Please note that while the information above is accurate at the time of publication, incentives are given at the discretion of individual dealers, and may be changed or discontinued at any time. Dealer discounts are negotiated with the customer on a case-by-case basis.