Mazda Surrenders to Knobless Infotainment System

It seems that Mazda’s rotary controller has become quite a polarizing feature among its customers. While some long-time Mazda owners have become accustomed to the knob and have developed the skill set to utilize it flawlessly, newer customers tend to criticize it, describing it as confusing, clumsy, slow, and even distracting. 

To add to the frustration, the knob has caused additional technical issues due to poor implementation of certain software capabilities. Navigating Android Auto and CarPlay with the knob can be a major headache if you’re not used to it, and bugs that have broken down the controller have made things even worse. In response to these complaints, Mazda has made a change in the 2024 CX-5 that aims to please both parties. It will be interesting to see how this change is received by Mazda’s customers.

It appears that Mazda has taken customer feedback into account and made some changes to the CX-5. The new 10.25-inch center display running Mazda Connect still features the knob, but it also now supports touch input for Android Auto and CarPlay. This change aims to please both parties, as customers who prefer the knob can still use it, while those who find it confusing or distracting can use touch input instead. This move is also great news for younger customers who prefer touchscreens in their cars. Additionally, this change may help the carmaker deal with software glitches encountered with the phone mirroring systems. Overall, it will be interesting to see how these changes are received by Mazda’s customers.

It’s great to hear that Mazda has taken customer feedback into account and made some changes to the CX-5. The new center display now supports touch input for Android Auto and CarPlay, in addition to the knob. This change aims to please both parties by providing options to customers who prefer either input method. It’s good news for younger customers who prefer touchscreens in their cars, and it may also help the carmaker deal with software glitches encountered with phone mirroring systems. It will be interesting to see how these changes are received by Mazda’s customers.

Photo Source: Mazda Connect