A Tale of 2 Mazdas: How to Mix Business and Pleasure

Choose your adventure: surfboard, bikes or kayak?

Many parents fantasize, while driving the carpool minivan, about the hot little convertible or speedy sports car that they would rather be driving. Mazda gave me the opportunity to drive both the sensible new 2017 CX-5, a compact sport utility vehicle, and the sporty 2017 MX-5 Miata RF, a hard-top roadster that opens up at the touch of button, at the recent Mazda Design Event.

Which Mazda is for you?

Perfectly framed: the Mazda CX-5 on the left and MX-5 Miata RF on the right

The surprising thing way, both cars managed to delight everyone. That the Miata was fun is a given. The two seater, particularly in the soul red I drove, and the smooth 6 speed manual transmission has fun built into its DNA (there is also a 6 speed automatic). 

The CX-5 has its own unique charms. Look, I love both a chocolate chip cookie and a slice of strawberry rhubarb pie. I'm not here to say one is better than the other. Sometimes you need a cookie, sometimes you want pie.

My focal point in my room's patio; around the corner, a private outdoor hot tub

And sometimes you have more than one person driving with you, or your dog, a couple of bicycles, maybe a kayak on the roof. The CX-5 fits the bill here, with extras like a crisp Head Up Display that incorporated speed limit, navigation and current speed, all projected at the perfect focal point.

The Mazda CX-5 also has rear doors that open wide, for ease of installing a child safety seat, strapping your kid into the seat, or helping an elderly parent into the car. Along with heated and ventilated rear seats, the CX-5 cossets all its passengers.

The MX-5 Miata RF; add some zoom zoom to your day

The lap of luxury, for less

Mazda hosted us at the exquisite Rancho Valencia Resort, where rooms are over $600 a night, and the cars driven by the other guests elected a well-heels clientele: Range Rovers, Bentleys and Mercedes-Benz automobiles dominated the parking lot. But the sparkly new Mazdas fit in, at less than half the price of those luxury cars. Which may be why there were two distinct Mazdas on display: a CX-5 for the daily grind and a Miata for weekend fun.

The only lemons are on the trees

Instead of splurging on a Bentley, you could buy both, and still have enough cash on hand to spend a weekend at Rancho Valencia Resort.

Lemon grove at Rancho Valencia

There is a citrus grove on site, with lemons and oranges, an olive grove and a rose garden

The 5 star, 5 diamond resort has a world class spa with a full complement of fitness classes included with a stay: pilates, spin, and an open air yoga pavilion where we took a class in Zazen, a seated meditation. Mazda designers study Zazen in Japan, a practice that involves keeping your eyes open and focusing ahead of you..

Outside the yoga pavilion

Posture is paramount, which translates into the Mazda design. Comfort is important. And the quiet cabin, whether in a convertible or an SUV filled with kids, lets you focus on the task at hand: driving.

Note: Mazda covered my transportation, lodging and food. Opinions and Zoom Zoom delight are all my own.