Best Hand Controls for Mazda 5 - recommendations Please?

[FairTradeM&M]

Folks, I have a 2014 Mazda 5 and would like to know which hand controls you all use on yours? I have my MPDs from my old Mazda MPV but they look Way too bulky for the "5". I would like to find some which provide the cleanest, least obtrusive installation as I still have to get my legs in there. So, please tell me what you use? Oh, I use left hand push, angle down style controls. Thanks FairTradeM&M


"FairTradeM&M - A dream that one day equipment suppliers will provide the disabled with fairly priced products like the rest of the world. Obviously that day has not yet arrived, pity!"

[Katja]

I think the cleanest, least obtrusive are Menox, but after driving with MPDs, then switching to Menox for 10 years, I'm back to MPDs in my new car (2013 Prius V) - they look kind of goofy/clunky, but to my mind are ergonomically superior to Menox.

[FairTradeM&M]

Thanks, I will check the Menox out, and appreciate the advice on the MPD's.

[stephen212]

Folks, I have a 2014 Mazda 5 and would like to know which hand controls you all use on yours? I have my MPDs from my old Mazda MPV but they look Way too bulky for the "5". I would like to find some which provide the cleanest, least obtrusive installation as I still have to get my legs in there. So, please tell me what you use? Oh, I use left hand push, angle down style controls. Thanks FairTradeM&M


"FairTradeM&M - A dream that one day equipment suppliers will provide the disabled with fairly priced products like the rest of the world. Obviously that day has not yet arrived, pity!"

I have the Guidosimplex Modena hand controls installed on my Mazda 5. This has only one lever attached to the brake pedal. It wires electronically to the gas accelerator. I love the setup but I don't know if I would vote for it as the least obtrusive. Each car presents its own installation challenges and with the Mazda 5 I sacrificed the angle adjustability feature of the steering wheel -- I had to make a choice pre-installation as to where I wanted it positioned. Positioning my legs under the hand controls when transferring requires a specific technique. I'm 5'9" and can make it work. If you're much taller or have particularly long legs these controls may not be a good fit.

I have the controls positioned to the left of the steering wheel. If they were installed on the right side, the above concerns might not apply.

[FairTradeM&M]

Thanks Stephen, I will take a look at them. I have always had to do the same thing as you have when getting hand controls installed. They tell you to pick the position that you want the steering wheel to be in and never adjust it again. I think that is an unfair question as I haven't driven the car yet so I don't know which is the best position for the steering column. Anyway, I pick a position and then I ask my wife to try it out and if it isn't going to cripple her, we go with it. I don't think I will have any problem with the height, so these could definitely be an option. Again many thanks.

[Tsquared]

I have a Mazda 5 with the same MPD's as you; push for brake, right angle down for gas. I'm 5'9". Haven't had any issues with the setup. At the time of install I hadn't driven it yet, so when they asked me how much to let the wheel tilt down, I just had them keep half. I'm happy with that decision too. If I have the seat slid back all the way, I have just enough room for my knees to clear the hand controls when I pivot my legs in. The installers also set the controls to require less downward movement to achieve full throttle of the accelerator pedal. Increases the force required a little but the extra clearance is worth it.

I can send you a private message of my setup; have posted that youtube link enough on this forum others are probably getting sick of it.

How tall are you?

[Lone Beagle]

I use these in '14 Mazda 5. My biggest complaint is the noise they make when applying the brake.

http://suregrip-hvl.com/hand-controls/push-twist.html