Mazda Finally Admits Its Infotainment System Is the Worst
3 39Mazda, the automaker that for years defended its scroll-wheel infotainment system as a safer alternative to touchscreens, is abandoning the approach entirely in the 2026 CX-5 in favor of a 15.6-inch touchscreen and zero physical buttons.
The current lineup -- the CX-50 Hybrid, CX-70 and CX-90 -- still relies on a console-mounted scroll wheel and dedicated action buttons to navigate a tablet-like screen perched atop the dashboard. Upper-trim CX-70 and CX-90 models do have 12.3-inch touchscreens, but touch input only works when parked and only inside CarPlay; it disables automatically once the car is in drive.
The new CX-5 goes the other direction entirely, eliminating all hard buttons including the volume knob and physical climate controls that current models still offer. Mazda says the touchscreen is safe because core functions like climate are pinned to a persistent bottom bar -- an approach Ford, Rivian, and most of the industry adopted years ago.
3 comments
Mazda was correct (Score: 5, Informative)
by Baron_Yam ( 643147 ) on Tuesday February 17, 2026 @10:35AM (#65994218)
Only tactile feedback has any hope of keeping your eyes on the road while using the dash.
It's not as convenient for a dynamic interface... but as a driver your job is to keep the car, its occupants, and the world around it safe, not to choose the next song you want to hear.
Push-button activated voice command is a nice alternative.
Re:Mazda was correct (Score: 5, Insightful)
by AmiMoJo ( 196126 ) on Tuesday February 17, 2026 @10:45AM (#65994234)
Hear me out.
Our infotainment is the worst. Everybody says so.
But what if it could be even worser?
Just give me buttons (Score: 5, Insightful)
by FictionPimp ( 712802 ) on Tuesday February 17, 2026 @10:51AM (#65994248)
I don't want a touch screen, I want buttons. Buttons for my hvac, buttons for preset stations, buttons for my heated seats, buttons for my everything.
Then give me voice controls.
I have never touched the touch screen on my BMW. I either use voice controls, buttons on the wheel, or the physical buttons and nobs provided. Who wants to clean a greasy screen?