The Heep Morphed in to a CX-5

Non-Suzuki related topics. Anything can go here.
User avatar
KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Heated side mirrors are an option hence automakers package them in different ways. For example, Suzuki packaged heated side mirrors with AWD. Therefore, if you have AWD on your Kizashi regardless of trim, you have heated side mirrors. Thus, my FWD manual doesn't have heated mirrors. This makes a lot of sense and it's no wonder Suzuki did this given they are one of the better brands for all-weather vehicles. Mazda, not so much. They only recently got into AWD systems and I believe package heated side mirrors to upper level trims rather than drivetrain pairing like Suzuki did. So if this disappoints you, complain to Mazda, not the US government.

As for rear view cameras, Triggerhappy did have the correct answer. They were mandated because people were literally running over their own kids in their own driveways. These people then testified to Congress that had they had rear view cameras on their SUVs, they could have prevented running over little Sally.

Personally, I don't think they are necessary but they are helpful. The main reason being that cars are bigger than ever, even with smaller sedans. The "belt line" of cars have gone up and up making it harder to see out, especially out the rear. My '95 Impreza had a massive rear window that was mounted low. With a low trunk and large cabin design, visibility was great, even backwards. The Kizashi with a high mounted trunk has a much more restricted view out the back in comparison. Even with oversized side mirrors, it's harder to see the lower portions of the sides than my Impreza. However, crash safety was the biggest reason why cars got higher belt lines. It's ironic that we traded off visibility for side impact survivability.

Lastly, considering that people just about never correctly back-up (turn your head backwards while moving backwards), cameras just help reduce accidents. Next time you go into a large parking lot of a supermarket, mall, office, etc. just watch people back out. Very few look backwards as they do it and often rely on just the rear view or side view mirror. This is something the DMV driving manual tells you not to do. In comparison, a camera offers a wider range of view and shows parts lower than the mirrors and window can. This, without a doubt, has helped prevent accidents. While it's still better to look around by turning your head, the camera is better than just the mirrors.

As I constantly advocate, between government mandates and regulations vs. being subject to the dangers of ignorant, incompetent, and negligent people, I prefer the former. The former isn't going to get me killed or ruin my vehicle from a preventable accident vs. an idiot barely competent to drive yet behind the wheel of a 4000 lb vehicle. If he can be warned of dangerously low tire pressure or can see better backwards thanks to a camera, we are all arguably safer, including his own kids in his driveway.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
User avatar
Woodie
Posts: 1167
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:09 am
Location: Laurel, MD

KuroNekko wrote:an idiot barely competent to drive yet behind the wheel of a 4000 lb vehicle. If he can be warned of dangerously low tire pressure or can see better backwards thanks to a camera, we are all arguably safer, including his own kids in his driveway.

There's the real problem. He and his kids should be removed from the gene pool, as god intended.
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms
Should be a convenience store, not a government agency
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Ding ding ding! Idiots pleading to Congress!...we have a winner! Correct answer to the question! Precisely why the gov needs to stay the hell out of my life. They're listening to, catering to and coddling....the idiots, who conveniently btw, are also permitted to vote. Brilliant, see a problem here?

I understand heated mirrors are an option and understand how manufacturers ridiculous 'packaging' schemes work. I wanted a Bose audio system, so I had to get a sun-roof I didn't want. How are those two linked from a manufacturing perspective in this day and age?

The question was, for safety's sake and all, why haven't heated side mirrors been made mandatory along with daytime running lights long time ago? Ya know, so I can see the brain-dead imbeciles that are too stupid and/or lazy to flip a switch and turn their lights on coming at me more easily.... in my non-heated fogged up side-view mirrors.... in the dark. Same brain-dead idiots will however, mindlessly use their turn signals though. Gee thanks, ya think I'm going to care about their signaling skills when their lights are off...in the dark. Yeah, I don't think so.

Kuro...constantly defending/promoting tech to remedy the stupidity and laziness. Tech that ultimately serves compounding the root cause of many a problem we're experiencing in society. If you can't operate the machine, say backing up for instance which has always been a requirement, stay the hell out of the machine and off the road. It's not a God-given right to own and operate anything. People need to learn (god-forbid) how to use the machine, any machine. If you're incapable, move to a city and ride the bus or take the train. These same 'people' need to take responsibility for their own actions and either learn how to teach their kids about 'things', like staying the hell away from a running vehicle. That, or please, do society an enormous favor and simply do not reproduce. Then, the rest of us won't have to pay for all this nanny-minder techno-BS, we don't need or want, and clear thinking people wouldn't need to plead common sense to the anointed ones. And yes I am acutely aware common sense (a 4-letter word) is absolutely dead, unfortunately. If it weren't, the simple features I mentioned could, and likely would, easily be incorporated into the machine at a much lower cost than all this expensive and fickle non-sense being implemented in everything, everywhere, to prevent what mother nature has always intended.
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

Except it's too late........
User avatar
KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

Woodie wrote:
KuroNekko wrote:an idiot barely competent to drive yet behind the wheel of a 4000 lb vehicle. If he can be warned of dangerously low tire pressure or can see better backwards thanks to a camera, we are all arguably safer, including his own kids in his driveway.

There's the real problem. He and his kids should be removed from the gene pool, as god intended.
Yeah, great, until they take you and me out with them. Also, this sort of stance actually ends up costing everybody more in time, services, and taxes.
Ronzuki wrote:Ding ding ding! Idiots pleading to Congress!...we have a winner! Correct answer to the question! Precisely why the gov needs to stay the hell out of my life. They're listening to, catering to and coddling....the idiots, who conveniently btw, are also permitted to vote. Brilliant, see a problem here?

I understand heated mirrors are an option and understand how manufacturers ridiculous 'packaging' schemes work. I wanted a Bose audio system, so I had to get a sun-roof I didn't want. How are those two linked from a manufacturing perspective in this day and age?
You mess up, blame someone else! It's the American way!
I totally agree about the costly pairing of options that have nothing to do with each other. But hey, automakers want to make money so they do it to maximize profitability. It's just one of the many reasons why I prefer to buy used to not incur the costs like this.
Ronzuki wrote: The question was, for safety's sake and all, why haven't heated side mirrors been made mandatory along with daytime running lights long time ago? Ya know, so I can see the brain-dead imbeciles that are too stupid and/or lazy to flip a switch and turn their lights on coming at me more easily.... in my non-heated fogged up side-view mirrors.... in the dark. Same brain-dead idiots will however, mindlessly use their turn signals though. Gee thanks, ya think I'm going to care about their signaling skills when their lights are off...in the dark. Yeah, I don't think so.
The thing I think should be standard are automatic headlights. Given that all cars now have backlit instrument displays at all times, it's harder to tell if you have your lights on or not. In the past, you couldn't see your speedometer at night if your lights weren't on. Now, they are backlit regardless of headlight usage. That's the problem.
As for the mirrors, I agree to a part that they are important for safety, but not to the extent of DRLs and back-up cameras. After all, you're not supposed to use a mirror to view the direction you are moving in. They are literally for looking backwards as you move forward. On the contrary, a camera is intended to help you view the rear as you move backwards. It's why it comes to view when the gear is selected to Reverse.
Also, it gets dark everyday. You use Reverse everyday. Side mirrors fogging? Not too common for everyone in comparison.
Ronzuki wrote: Kuro...constantly defending/promoting tech to remedy the stupidity and laziness. Tech that ultimately serves compounding the root cause of many a problem we're experiencing in society. If you can't operate the machine, say backing up for instance which has always been a requirement, stay the hell out of the machine and off the road. It's not a God-given right to own and operate anything. People need to learn (god-forbid) how to use the machine, any machine. If you're incapable, move to a city and ride the bus or take the train. These same 'people' need to take responsibility for their own actions and either learn how to teach their kids about 'things', like staying the hell away from a running vehicle. That, or please, do society an enormous favor and simply do not reproduce. Then, the rest of us won't have to pay for all this nanny-minder techno-BS, we don't need or want, and clear thinking people wouldn't need to plead common sense to the anointed ones. And yes I am acutely aware common sense (a 4-letter word) is absolutely dead, unfortunately. If it weren't, the simple features I mentioned could, and likely would, easily be incorporated into the machine at a much lower cost than all this expensive and fickle non-sense being implemented in everything, everywhere, to prevent what mother nature has always intended.
I think you misunderstand why I side with technological solutions. The reality is that I agree with many of your points and do see people as the root of the problem. Where we differ is how to address them. Rather than bitching and moaning about stupid people and the intrusive government coming in to help these people from themselves, I focus on applied solutions. You see, having people die isn't really a solution in a civil society. And good luck keeping them from reproducing. (Side note: watch the movie "Idiocracy" if you've never. Highly recommend as a comical satire of the future where idiots out-breed intelligent people). As I have explained many times over, these problems affect more than just the subject. Low tire pressure, no headlight usage in the dark, and not properly viewing the rear while backing up by others can affect you and me. These are all conditions in which accidents can occur where other people can be victimized. I personally don't want to be crippled because someone in an SUV didn't see me walking when they backed up. If a camera can help prevent that, I'm all for it. Hence, I don't see technology as "compounding the root cause of many a problem we're experiencing in society". Rather, technology is literally the front-line solution with rather good efficacy. After all, how can you really implement stopping the wrong people from driving? Heck, we can't even stop the wrong people from buying AR-15s and/or extended mags and killing random innocent people. In many cases, they even obtained them legally! We live in a society that is paralyzed from effective solutions to even the most egregious threats to public safety. We have people killing multiple people at random in mass shootings at concerts, movie theaters, clubs, bars, and most tragically, even schools targeting children. Yet, nothing effective has been done. In comparison, automotive safety has made strides given these solutions aren't obstructed so much by special interest groups and lobbyists.

So yes, many of the technological implementations have caused headaches and annoyances. However, they have been effective in reducing the number of incidents they were designed to prevent. In this regard, they are successful. This is why I side with them. It's not that I love technology and all this stuff in a car. I simply like effective applied solutions instead of useless ideologies that literally don't do anything.

Anyhow, Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Here's a clip from Idiocracy:
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Ronzuki wrote: Mazda's 'Kodo' is the bomb. I don't know what they do with their drive, braking and traction control systems, but the orchestration is sweet for this type of foul weather commuting. Hard-pack snow turned ice with snow/sleet/freezing rain coming down. The CX-5 goes with ease, it stops with ease and seems to 'feel' the surface conditions. As soon a I let off the throttle atop a decline, as always, the car immediately begins downshifting on its own (what I would normally be doing in the Heep or Kiz under same conditions). A fabulous utilization of modern tech. I didn't do much at all in the way of actual braking the 27 mile ride. Perfect.
The correct phrase(s) that describe what I was experiencing:

One of Mazda’s guiding principles is Hashiru Yorokobi – translated, it means the joy derived from driving. Understanding how a car is going to respond to pedal and steering inputs allows the driver to feel more comfortable behind the wheel.

“It’s being able to get into a machine, control it, and do way more than your body should be capable of doing, without activating fear,” says Mazda development engineer Dave Coleman. “Our concept of Jinba Ittai is when Hashiru Yorokobi is applied to driving dynamics.”
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
WESHOOT2
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:37 pm
Location: Vermont

....guiding principles is Hashiru Yorokobi – translated, it means the joy derived from driving. Understanding how a car is going to respond to pedal and steering inputs allows the driver to feel more comfortable behind the wheel.



The guy in charge of my '91 Turbo Legacy understood this.
So did the guy who wrote off on our Kizashi suspension.
The guys at Honda understand, mostly.
An elusive quality........
User avatar
Ronzuki
Posts: 2382
Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2010 5:33 pm
Location: Lancaster County, PA

Hence why we're all trying to figure out what to replace our Kizashis with when that enevitable time comes. Don't get me wrong, the CX=5 is a very nice CUV, but, it ain't no Kizashi. Close, but not. I will say if you could put Mazda's predictive AWD system in a a kizashi...WOW...man what a blast to rip around in THAT would be!
Ron

2010 Kizashi GTS, CVT, iAWD (3/10 build date)
2011 SX4 Premium Hatch, CVT, iAWD (12/10 build date)
2018 Mazda CX-5 iAWD Touring
2014 Wrangler JKUW (GONE, traded :D :D )
1991 Samurai, 5-Speed, EFI, Soft-Top ( :| sold)
bdleonard
Posts: 268
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2013 4:39 am

Ronzuki wrote:Hence why we're all trying to figure out what to replace our Kizashis with when that enevitable time comes. Don't get me wrong, the CX=5 is a very nice CUV, but, it ain't no Kizashi. Close, but not. I will say if you could put Mazda's predictive AWD system in a a kizashi...WOW...man what a blast to rip around in THAT would be!
Supposedly the new 2019 Mazda3 sedan will be slightly bigger than the current generation, and available with AWD. Should be nearly Kizashi sized. Though I haven't seen anything specifying which engine / transmission / body / trim combinations will be available together.
User avatar
KuroNekko
Posts: 5170
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:08 pm
Location: California, USA

bdleonard wrote:
Ronzuki wrote:Hence why we're all trying to figure out what to replace our Kizashis with when that enevitable time comes. Don't get me wrong, the CX=5 is a very nice CUV, but, it ain't no Kizashi. Close, but not. I will say if you could put Mazda's predictive AWD system in a a kizashi...WOW...man what a blast to rip around in THAT would be!
Supposedly the new 2019 Mazda3 sedan will be slightly bigger than the current generation, and available with AWD. Should be nearly Kizashi sized. Though I haven't seen anything specifying which engine / transmission / body / trim combinations will be available together.
I was going to write about the new Mazda3 too. It's been verified that it will have an AWD option unlike before. There are 5 engine options but that's total for global and the USDM may only see two or three of them. I'm quite sure the AWD will be mated only to higher trim models with an automatic transmission. Thankfully, Mazda will continue to offer the 3 with a manual transmission but I bet that will be only with FWD.

When many are ditching their focus and offerings on smaller cars in favor of CUVs and trucks, it's nice to see Mazda buckle down on an attractive small car.
2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Black)
Post Reply