We've begun driving a 2014 Mazda3 sGT. The system is just as Alex describes it re: functionality. Phone audio quality is excellent. Alex, you continue to improve your use of the youtube system itself as well as your videos. Excellent job once again.
Hey Alex, I know that many people don't rely on built-in car's navigation and would rather prefer to rely on navigation apps in their smartphones (Google Map, Nokia's HERE, etc.) but I still find built-in navigation very useful. So for your future infotainment reviews, could you please try to show how the built-in navigation looks like while navigating during the car's movement? Particularly how it handles road junctions or highway exits - some navigation systems just show "arrows" and some actually show full, "photorealistic" exit/junction view. Same for voice guidance (how detailed it is when providing directions, especially on complex exits/junctions). Thanks.
What you refer to as a volume and on/off knob does not turn anything on or off, it's just a mute function. If you're playing a cd it will just keep playing but without sound. In fact, I don't find any way to shut off the entertainment system, so that the next time you start the car your last audio source starts playing automatically. Other annoying quirks: when playing a usb flash drive there is no way to turn off the repeat button. You have two choices, repeat song or folder so it does not move on to the next folder.There also isn't a quick one button feature to advance to a new folder, it takes multiple steps. It also doesn't show what track number you are playing even if you include it on the song title within the folder. It's all too easy to keep playing the same folder if you don't remember what the name of the first song was and go through the multiple steps necessary to play the next folder. This is very distracting if you are driving. You also didn't mention that the touch screen becomes inoperable once the car is in motion.
Alex, Other commentators have said that the HD traffic information does not show up in the navigation screen but only on the dedicated HD traffic information screen. In other words the two systems are not connected, which would be a real shame an a terrible oversight on Mazda's part. Can you confirm that you were getting HD traffic data though the nav system and that the system was taking that information into account when calculating the best route. BTW your videos are great, you are easily the most educated and thorough automotive reviewer on RU-vid. Thank you.
I am going to need to borrow another Mazda now I think because you have me questioning my recollection. I thought that it did display traffic on the nav map but now that you say that I'm thinking I might have mixed those two up in my head when working on this video...
It doesn't display it on the default nav map. However, I believe it is actually used when the route is calculated. I have driven the same route during different times of day, and the "fastest route" option has given me different routes. It would be nice to display colored roads like in Google Map, or at least to display traffic incidents on the nav map. I have not tried using a wireless connection and getting the traffic data that way though.
Alex, excellent review. I've had my Mazda 3 S Touring for over a week, and picked up a few things from your video. What I consider the Infotainment System's best feature is the Speed Camera warning. It will save me at least $90.00 a year.
I absolutely love this setup by Mazda!!! but I can't help but worry about what a little mornin' coffe would do to those knobs if a spill were to occur..
Thank you for making this video. I have this system. Your video was informative, and well put together. I love watching your videos. Many more videos to come !!!
Thanks for a pretty good review. How safe is this system to use while driving? With all the options & menus, it seems like many basic functions (change radio station, change bass \ treble \fade, etc) will cause overly distracted driving. Also, how easy is this to use while driving? Thanks.
Thank you for your review. For the life of me I can't get the communication to answer a phone call. When I tap answer on the screen you show nothing happens. The dealership can't make it work either. Any ideas???
Great review Alex. This has become my favorite HMI design yet. However, I am intrigued by Apple Carplay given my familiarity with their ecosystem. Any thoughts on if Mazda would ever provide the option, or have they just spent too much on this new system?
Did you notice how when you're in the navigation screen, there is no upper band to show station setting or song title? It doesn't even appear in the IP information screen. It's annoying having to toggle back to the entertainment screen to make changes. I've never seen this on any other navigation screen.
What I would like this infotainment systemt to do is run the backup camera into a media recorder, but I can't tell if it even uploads apps. I'm really afraid of placing expensive electronics in a blazing hot environment, but apparently Mazda thinks they know better.
Looks like a much better system than I currently have in my Mazda 6, the NB1 system is the worst ever. My fear is though that current Mazda's fitted with NB1 system will be left high and dry by Mazda when they release the revised Mazda 6
Hello Guys, i've bought a mazda 3 skyactive year 2015. However, nothing is being displayed on the safety settings. Is this normal? If not, can you help?
I just bought a 2015 mazda 3. Curious why xm doesn't show the station logo on this display like with my old car which was a Hyundai. Also the title info doesn't scroll.
Hi Alex, I just came across your site. Great job! We have a 2014 CX5. Our first Mazda. Its a great car. I'm thinking now of replacing my other car , a 2000 VW Passat, with a Mazda 3. I test drove a 2015 grand touring. Very nice car considering the price point. But the heads-up display is gimmicky. I wish I could disable. Also, Im not a big fan of the iPad like screen. I wish it could retract into the dash. Do you know if the screen can be turned off &/or blanked out yet still keep the radio playing for example? Thanks.
Night and day different. The Mazda3's system is very snappy. It plays immediately and loads the playlist data rapidly when you start to browse the device. The Mazd6 is one of my least favorite systems but the Mazda3's is a top pick in my book.
The media center is fine, I don't like that they deleted the CD deck, and you cannot put one in, because there's no room in the Mazda3 now to put one outboard. Annoying. It does have AUX and USBs though, at least. The stereo system in mine sounds fantastic, though. I also invested in a thumb drive and put tons of music on it, but it's so slow and clunky using it with the media center, I gave up using it a while ago.
I just bought a 2015 Mazda3. The salesman paired my I-phone 6 with the system at the dealership. Now, when I try and use the GPS on my phone for directions I am not getting any audio on my phone or on the Mazda audio system. I get the map and detailed directions but, I cannot get sound on either. I am not very technologically inclined.
PLS ADVICE: My usb music does not have folders, it's just all listed there. I plug in the usb and it plays the music. I press the NEXT button on the steering wheel and most times it skips to the next music. BUT sometimes it will put the music on REPEAT even if I did NOT press REPEAT on the screen. Is there something wrong with my system? Should I bring it back to the dealer to fix? Thanks!
Alex--good review. I heard that the touch screen is locked out when driving. Can you confirm that? If it is, how would you perform the drag functionality, like ff & rw within a song, or rapidly scrolling through song lists?
Tough one. The Forte is the better value while the Mazda is the better handling vehicle. The Forte 5-door has the new turbo engine that I really like but the Forte sedan still has the old engine lineup.
Alex, thanks for your video. i Have a doubt.... why, on the top of the screen, at the right size, appear a signal, battery and wifi indicator?.. is this for the iPhone or its for the MazdaConnect System? thanks!
recently I clicked the HOME button on the navigation system and although there were main highways all the way home the navigation system took me to a very remote country road, where I became totally lost and lacked the confidence to then rely on the navigation to get me home. Any thoughts or suggestions as to why this may have happened. I have checked all the settings but nothing seems obvious. Any help available???
Hi Alex, I would like to know if it is possible to connect to wifi router but not through a mobile device. For example, I park outside a McDonald with a wifi hotspot and connect to my Mazda 3. I am asking this because I do get a good signal strength on my phone whilst at a parking at work. Usually I do this before leaving work in the afternoon and wanted to know if I can use that time to connect to my Mazda 3?
Thank you for this review! Just wondering if this system supports video files? So you can watch videos while the car is static, not while driving obviously :)
What is the most up to date version of the software , I have an iPhone 6 , I don't think it is compatible with my current version 27. Any idea how I update the infotainment system ?
Can I quiclky switch from a favourite radio station to another one by another way than the next button on the wheeldrive ? From the touch screen? For allowing the passenger to do it instead of asking me all the time to switch to another favourite station? CHeerz
They never fixed there infotainment problems. mine Is still crashing. I upgraded to the new android auto cmu and it still crashes. I addition i have replaced all of the infotainment parts when they stopped working completely. Including the screen that go out often.
Hi Alex, is there a way to buy this touchscreen? I just bought a 2014 Mazda 3 hatchback and it doesn't have the touchscreen. I am looking around at websites to try and find it for a good price and I am out of luck. Thank you!
When I pair my android and look at the song lists there is no way to go from one letter to the next. I have to scrolll through 2000 songs. Not possible! any suggestions?
Hi there! i would like to know is there any current option on displaying the artist album cover while i connect to my iphone bluetooth? i'm driving mazda 2 2016 but every time i connected to my iphone bluetooth to mazda tablet, the music plays without the album/artist cover. Any clue? thankyou!
I am connecting my USB thumb drive as an audio source to my 2017 Cx5. I am seeing that the folders/albums don't play back to back. After one folder completes playing, i have to manually select the next one. But, when i play the entire song list (All Songs), they play back to back but the songs are all jumbled up here and not sorted per album/folder. Anyone seen this?
in your video at 5:56 you describe the alphabetical list on the right side of the screen, enabling the user to scroll down and find artists/songs that start with a certain letter. however, my screen is not centered and this alphabetical list/column is too far to the right to select and use. how do i center the display enough so this column will be fully displayed so i can use it??
how come i can't just say a name of a restaurant and location for nav? it keeps asking me for the complete address of the place i'm trying to go. what if i don't know the full address ?
Hi Alex, can u update the system urself? Or u have to take it to the dealer? Ur reviews are really helpful I got my new mazda and helped me a lot to get to know the systems with ur reviews:) Thanks
George Mohr I generally just use a microfiber cloth that is barely damp. You can use LCD safe window cleaners as well, the products designed for your laptop or home PC.
I'm thinking of buying a Mazda 3. But what I'm wondering with the music options, if you listen to mp3 from a usb stick, does it recognize folders? Because I organize my mp3's to genres in folders. I don't like all the mp3's to be in the same folder. And is it able to repeat mp3 only in one folder and over all the folders?
That is an excellent question. If you're doing the pass-thru voice recognition then the system doesn't care what you're speaking. The system itself however seemed to only have French and Spanish as available selections.
Hi just bought a mazda 3 today but completely forgot to find out if the screens folds away or anything. Does anyone know? I just don't want thieves to see the screen when I'm parked in an unfamiliar area or something.
and also when you pair your phone, bluetooth or usb. Does the computer automatically recoginize and sort your contacts, music with an android. Dumb questions, but i have'nt upgraded my car in years
Hello Alex, I just saw your review about the Mazda 3 2014 connect infotainment system. I have a new mazda since april 2014 and i find it kinda difficult to instal. my music in the system. Is it normal that when i load music from my pc on my usb stick that i first need to convert all songs from mp3 to ogg. It also bother’s me that i don’t see the title song or the artist on the screen? In hope you can help me a bit forward i wish you the best and thanks for your great work and video’s. Greetings from Belgium. Rik S.
ok so i have a problem with my 2015 mazda 3 so i plug in my ipod touch with the usb and when i go to playlist it did show any playlist on the screen anyone has the same problem and how should i fix that?
How does the passenger cycle through the radio station presets? I know the driver can cycle through with the steering wheel controls, but passenger has no option to do that.
I recently purchased a new 2016 Mazda 3 touring and would like to know if Mazda might add Apple CarPlay and android drive and if the update would apply to older cars like mine. I know there is no official information but I'd be interested to know anyone opinion.
My local dealer said that won't happen until end of year 2018 or early next year. It should apply to older cars but they will update the 6's first and go backwards (5 then 3), at least that's what I'm told. Personally, I'll believe it when I see it. Maaazzzddda needs to join the 21st Century IMHO. Keep in mind that there will be a long line of people scheduling the update as well so be aware of that...
