...how can I improve things?

My wife got a 2010 Mazda5 this summer, stock options, and while the kids love the space in it, we're starting to regret not getting an AWD vehicle now that we've got snow here in New England. The car gets stuck in the snow with remarkable ease--even on our flat plowed driveway, it gets stuck if the ground is a little icy. The front wheels just spin on the ice and no amount of forward/reverse or turning the steering wheel helps. Twice already I've had to rock the front end of the car side to side to dislodge it from an icy patch (while my wife hits the pedal), and this morning I had to use a tow strap and my Sport Trac to drag the car sideways to free it after pushing and rocking didn't get the job done.

I noticed something else when having to pull the car: there is practically nothing to latch onto. I reached under the front bumper, and it was plastic as far as I could reach. Looking under the car, I had a hard time finding any frame. After much looking, I finally found a small hole in a steel member behind the passenger-side front wheel well, and put a hook in it. This worked, but I'm still wondering where the best tow attachment points are hidden. Is there any place to get hooks under the front end? Do I have to remove the bumper first?

Is there any way to improve the snow-worthiness of this vehicle? The tires are really thin with not much tread, are there all weather ones that are significantly better? I'm more of a truck guy, and I don't know the options for this car, so any mazda5-specific advice would be much appreciated!

 

It's likely the OE tires as the biggest culprit.
When I had the BadYears on mine, I too got hopelessly stuck in 1/2" of snow. And they (BadYear) had the nerve to call them All-Season.

You don't say where you are but it sounds like snow and ice country somewhere, in which case investing in at least two extra wheels (steelies) and very good, dedicated winter tires would be highly recommended, but 4 would be better.

Don't the 5's have the factory tow hook that screws into the front bumper cover? I'm not sure myself, but look for a cover in the plastic on the RF bumper. Mine is circular, but very hard to see inmy sig pic.
If it's there, there should also be a tow hook along with the jack and handle that simply screws into the socket found beneath the cover.

 

Yup, it's the tires; those factory skins sucketh much (to put it mildly). Buy yourself a set of really good all-season tires (Continental ExtremeContact DWS are reasonably priced, have a long tread life, and by all accounts handle the snow well) and you'll be stunned at the difference in how your Mazda5 handles the snow. FWIW, I live in New Hampshire and work in Boston, and the all-season tires on my Mazda3 haven't missed a beat for three winters.

Now, if you want the ultimate in grip simply buy your car a set of winter wheels and tires (about $1,000 for the set if you opt for new alloy wheels) and you'll be keeping up with the big 4WD SUVs with no problem.

 

I agree that many of the oe tires are terrible in snow/ice and this seems to be especially true of the speed rated tread compounds. It's the second winter for us on my fiancée's Mazda3 Bridgstones and the first winter for my Tribute's Michelins and both brands seem to be working very well with all the snow this winter. I had a car with "H" rated Goodyears that got stuck just looking at snow. That was terrible until I finally got the GYs off and replaced them with some non speed rated all season tires. All was fine then.

 

so your driving around in winter on snow and ice with summer tires and your complaining about traction? well duh.

I have winter tires on mine and I'd say the traction is excellent, a far cry from the summers, regardless of the brand, they are summer tires.

don't buy all seasons, they are great in every season but winter. and don't just buy 2, buy 4. Buying two is dangerous.

 

I'm not sure that's a completely fair assessment of the situation, Jeff.
As far as I know, all these cars come w/All-Season rated tires. It's just that not all A/S tires are created equal... and from my own limited experience (4 sets?,) Good Year makes some of the worst.

 

I agree with Richard, I don't believe there is any way to configure a Mazda5 from the factory to include Summer tires. Said another way, all Mazda5s come shod with all-season rubber; crappy all-season rubber I'll grant you, but all-season rubber none-the-less.

 

I suppose it depends on where you live, but here in the Midwest the roads are clear and dry for over 90% of the winter. There are only a few days in winter when traction is seriously limited. I've gotten along just fine for years with all season tires but some a/s tires are definitely better than others. If I lived in the far north, the mountains or the boonies I might feel more inclined to go with winter tires.

 

I lived in the Chicago area for nearly thirteen years and geez, I had two different cars that had summer performance tires on them that I drove all year round with nary an incident. Stupid I know, but there you have it.

Now that I live in southern New Hampshire where the snow falls early, stays late, and piles high, and where the roads aren't straight and level for more than a few hundred yards at a time, I sing a different tune. Our first year up here I had a car with summer rubber on it and couldn't even make it up our driveway with a quarter of an inch of snow on it. Annoying. I quickly bought a dedicated set of winter wheels and tires for that car and was oh so glad I did. That said, for cars like our minivans (yes, we're on our third and a fourth may happen later this year), and my Mazda, I don't feel the need for dedicated winter rubber; I just opt for the best all-season rubber I can find with good snow ratings.

 

actually I think it is fair. While the tires on the 5 are nothing great, even on clear roads, ANY all season tires perform poorly on temperatures just above freezing and below. The stopping distance is severely compromised. The rubber compound on all seasons is just too hard for the winter roads. The relatively low profile of the tires on the 5 make it especially condusive to poor performance in snow.

I had a Toyota Matrix before this, similar tires in terms of profile, size and 3 different "all seasons" all which performed brutal in the snow (I never seem to get my tires on before it snows the first time).

So if you get a lot of snow where you live, go buy winter tires and be done with it. After your first accident, you'll be wishing you did.

Furthermore, while you may have to outlay a bunch of cash for your winters up front, it will mean your summers will last that much longer.