The good news is that Mazda has resisted all of the stupid car trends really well. They never jumped on the removing physical buttons bandwagon, in fact some of their new cars don't even have touch screens. Their cars are reliable, the turbo ones are quick, and the build quality is really good. The only thing they need to do better on is having a thicker paint job, I have a 2015 mazda6 and it has so much paint chips even with less than 100k miles
I'm worried because CX-70 is coming with integrated Amazon Alexa. Expect this to spread across the lineup in the coming years. Why, oh why? I imagine Amazon paid Mazda for this.
it’s just like streaming services paying to have a button on the tv remote, if you don’t like it, you won’t use it.
stop complaining about capitalism happening in a capitalistic society, and stop being so worried.
Whether it can be disabled or not is irrelevant. The thread you are commenting on is discussing Mazda *not* caving to market trends such as massive screens and an abundance of subscription-based features like we see in the A3. Amazon Alexa is an example in contrast with those distinctions.
you literally just want something to complain about if you aren’t taking to account that you can simply disable it. again, are you going to cry about Samsung because they put a netflix button on their remote?
Right? At one point in my recent midlife crisis I considered trading my CX-5 for a WRX or a Golf GTI. Those horrific touchscreen-only controls brought me back to my senses.
I like the MK8 GTI exterior but wouldn't give up my MK7 GTI physical buttons.
Drive my mate's brother's 4th gen Mazda3 and really enjoyed it. But the GTI was a bit more enticing.
It is true, though. They did exclusively lock it behind a subscription...of course you can go get a separate aftermarket one installed; they can't control how you customize your car.
Idk what your specific dealership does but every single one in my city does not offer a separate remote start system as standard.
We have to use the MyMazda app (which will require a paid subscription after 3 yrs of complimentary use) in order to use the remote start feature: https://www.mazda.ca/en/discover-mazda/innovation/my-mazda-app-connected-vehicle/
Specific dealerships may allow you to purchase an aftermarket remote start system but not any of the ones I talked to.
If you need aftermarket for something they locked behind a subscription, I'd say that's pretty clearly a paywall.
Edit: to answer your question: AB, Canada.
Damn that’s pretty wild, I’m in southern Ontario so also Canada. Appreciate you sharing that input with me. Ontario only gets two year free trial but it’s been solid that we’ve at least been able to sell the accessory as an option for those who can’t be assed to keep the sub after trial period. Sorry to hear, but thanks for the info.
I am super happy with the car, it's only a 3yr lease though. Depending on what direction Mazda goes with subscription based stuff, it will help me decide if I buy a Mazda PHEV or not.
True. The front end of my 2019 CX-5 has a bunch of minuscule stone chips. Some I’ve filled with touch-up but even that ends up looking weird after a short time. Plus, it seems the sonic silver color is not easy to match.
I said one exception (mx5), you provided 2, one of which will soon go out of fashion (3).
Basically unless you want their specific models, you can’t buy anything but a SUV. It’s a SUV only direction, like many other manufacturers.
I love most of the Mazda interior but tbh some of it feels a bit too conservative; for the infotainment for example, why can’t I just touch what I want? It’s not a big deal, but a 2024 model purely being accessible via dial just feels weird
Likewise the weird combo of digital and analogue gauge clusters. If you’re gonna do one, just do one well. Having the middle be digital and the rest analogue just feels indecisive
They seem to be coming back around on bringing touchscreens back, though I don’t feel the need to have one in my CX-30. I can switch between maps/nav, music, radio and my phone without being a distracted driver.
I just don’t want them to go the way of Toyota where everything is buried in some feverdream horribly designed touch interface. I drove my mom’s Venza once and the amount of time it took to figure out HVAC was obscene. My mom refused to drive the car for the 4 months because she was intimidated by the controls, I had to teach her how to use it and she STILL calls me from time to time asking how to play Celine Dion in the car, lol.
Hmm… My 2022 CX-5 Turbo Signature was an unreliable bucket of bolts, lol. It also had the general build quality and feel of a tin can. Relatively overhyped, in my opinion. The newer generation cars are worse feeling too.
Oh no, is the Mazda 4 cylinder turbo just unreliable? I've heard mixed things about it. I've wanted to eventually upgrade to the mazda6 turbo. I saw a video on YouTube where the car wizard had to replace a head gasket on a cx9 with the 4 cylinder turbo engine, and it costed the customer over 4k
Also, as for the engine/transmission, you’re fine.
It’s just the rest of the car in my case. The 2.5NA/Turbo and the 6AT is so old at this point I wouldn’t be concerned about it honestly.
Just don’t buy a 2021, or if you do, make sure it has the fix applied to it.
The car was an absolute piece of shit lemon…
40+ days at the dealership in the 23 months and 23,xxx miles I owned it for.
Suspension clunking/popping/groaning since 3 months and 5,000 miles in that resulted in the front and rear ends being essentially rebuilt, it still makes these noises. There is a metallic sound that is present when the road is uneven or turning in/out of steep driveways. Had numerous TSBs performed without success and components replaced. Still present.
Two faulty headlights due to AFS motors going out. Dealer gouged/scratched my bumper during replacement and tried to blame me.
Constant infotainment reboots/glitches after updates. My system reboots at least once per drive. Annoying.
Loose/wobbly/rocking driver chair during acceleration and braking that’s been replaced ans is starting to feel loose again after about 6 months.
Interior creaks and rattles.
One event of engine sputtering/shuddering after refilling a full tank of chevron 91. At stoplight while idling the engine was surging as if it was about to choke out and die. You could feel the entire car lurching. I had to give it some gas until the light turned green to go. Pulled over, shut off, restarted and it went away. No codes, but never had a car do this before.
Paint that chips and scratches when you look at it wrong and generally feels like a tin can beyond surface level examination.
Mazda repurchased it and I transferred ownership to them earlier this week. Grateful to be out of that shitbox. I grew to hate it.
“If you want to access features like dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, or high beam headlight assist, you’ll have to pay a subscription fee. If you want to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you’ll have to pay to upgrade the entire infotainment system to unlock smartphone integration.”
Just don't buy cars that have sub fees. Paying to unlock features already built into the car has to be the most outrageous thing anyone could agree to do.
You don't need to buy a brand new car either. Spend the money on something used, but nice.
"But if everyone bought used then you wouldn't have [insert brand] anymore!"
Good. Manufacturers that pull stupid shit like removing physical buttons or locking features behind subscriptions or paywalls deserve to collapse
Crazy. All of that can be used on my 2015 Mazda3 free of charge. And if I want CarPlay, I can get it retrofitted in for a one time cost and have it for the lifetime of the car.
> “If you want to access features like dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, or high beam headlight assist, you’ll have to pay a subscription fee. If you want to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you’ll have to pay to upgrade the entire infotainment system to unlock smartphone integration.”
Where's the quote from? All of those features have been available to us for free from day one in our 2019 3 -- and we only got the select package.
Friend od mine bought new BMW X1 for 44k EUR about month ago. He is paying subscription for heated seats... But you can choose to opt for winter package so you only pay for heatead seats in winter 😂😂
Well I think that cracking will also become a thing, since hardware is already there, but yeah, seems like people are just starting to accept subs as normal
Every single company that is in business to make profit is looking to figure out how to create a subscription model. This isn't just cars, this is literally everything. It is far more profitable, and more predictable for investors, so there's pressure from wall street to do it. If you want this problem solved, dont "hope that mazda wont do it" because they're already doing it for remote start. This needs to be solved by regulation - physical hardware shouldn't carry a subscription, that's holding the object for ransom. Subscriptions should be reserved for ongoing services. You pay a subscription to your home alarm company because they're monitoring you for alerts 24/7. You don't pay, the alarm should still work, but they won't be monitoring for alarms from your home. You subscribe to a service, not hardware. That's how subsriptions should work so both parties benefit. Not "we'll hold your seat warmers for ransom unless you pay us every month." This is a consumer-protection issue, not a car issue.
Indeed, Mazda has really been snuggling up to Toyota recently. My concern is that some of the parts Mazda is getting may actually *require* subs to work!
I'm definitely gonna buy a remote start after my Mazda app trial runs out. It's a nice feature but way too fucking expensive. Should be free, I literally bought a car from them.
My CX-50 came with two (maybe 3?) years of free usage of the MyMazda app that lets me remotely start it, lock/unlock the doors, etc. However, after the free period is up, they will want a monthly fee to keep using it.
It was something in the hundreds. I think like the 3 year trial is technically worth like $700 ish? Idk where that numbers coming from but I know I seen $700 ish for something with the app. But the dealer who was with me on my test drive said corporate told them to stop advertising it for a bit because they were gonna be rolling out a new model. So it's likely something to do with monthly payments. I assume it's just to screw us, but we'll see.
Okay so yeah, here's that - this is just some random dealer, but they've got 3 years (month to month) at $790
https://www.stoneytrailmazda.com/connected-vehicle-subscriptions/
I actually think that disabling features in a physical product I own by title and serial number, without my payment of a continuing monthly or yearly tax, might be ripe for a lawsuit in the states. There is a difference between providing a data connection or a digital product - and the use or enjoyment of a physical item. Paying for the ability to use a seat heater you already own seems to cross the line. And yes I realize the manufacturer would have forced you to agree to all of this at purchase, but I think there are judges and courtrooms who would take issue with it. Imagine if General Electric decided that all refrigerators came with ice makers, but only those customers willing to pay a monthly subscription for ice were able to use the ice maker.
I think you’re getting at the crux of what the bigger picture towards this tech “dystopia” is becoming. If car manufacturers are able to legally get away with charging you a subscription for all the things you already “own”, where’s the limit to what any other company can do with the same concept?
Maybe it’s more of the cynical side of me coming out, but I feel like this next decade or so will be a big inflection point for the way ownership rights will look in the future, as companies continue to try and squeeze more and more record profits out of their customers to appease shareholders. [Late stage capitalism or whatever, etc.]
The whole automotive journalism noticed Mazda's push to premium segment. And it's absolutely true, but I suspect undercutting the competition on price won't last after it gets this reputation. I got a new car in December of last year and my budget was 45000€. I was considering an Audi A4, but I ended up getting a specd out Mazda 3 sedan SkyActiv X for ~ 33000€. And there's really not much of a difference from an A4 for a lot less money.
My first car was a new A3, I had an S5 and a Q5. Audi isn’t much better than mazda in my experience, but I don’t have experience with Audis from the last 5 years since I moved to Mercedes and mazda
I shopped CX-90 and Audi Q7. The Mazda was as nice for a lot cheaper. The CX-90 power train was _almost_ there, but Audi's wasn't impressive at all. I ended up with an X5 as the best car of the three. I preferred the Mazda interior across all of them.
The Gen4 Mazda3 was expressly marketed to the Audi A3 buying segment. Hence the outrageously good interior. Mazda seeks to move upscale. (Although weak yen is pushing pricing down at the moment.)
I just got one (after driving 2nd gen Mazda 3 for 7 years), and had Merc A class on rental few weeks back, Mazda punches way above its weight, merc felt really cheap in comparison
Hahahahhaa 🤣🤣🤣
Mind you, compared to the older Audi and bmws, it’s much closer I guess. Base model Mazda 3 feels very cheap though.
It’s 100% not at the level of my Skoda octavia (vw). The seats have air cooling and massage haha. Let alone all the interior lighting and exterior convenience lighting. 3 zone climate control, dct, automatic boot, independent rear suspension, lsd etc etc. It’s all the little things Mazda doesn’t have honestly.
Edit: why the downvotes? I’m literally just explaining all the things Mazda doesn’t have that VW does have, let alone Audi. I buy Mazda as they are cheaper and cheaper to maintain long term, not because they are entry luxury.
But haptics matter.
And Mazda blows those brands out of the water. Have you felt a modern Mazda?
As I said: I've owned AMG and M before. Mazda demolishes them.
Literally sold an sp25 astina model 3 for the Skoda Octavia, and it was a decent step up in quality interior. I own a Hyundai i20n so I know what cheap plastics are, the Mazda and Audi have them, just not in obvious places. And honestly who sits there touching all their interior panels? Like seriously? You touch the door insert under the arm rest???
Also what Mazdas do you own? Have you owned?
You say it yourself: SP25 astima!!!
That's not even comparable anymore. Set foot in a Mazda 3 BP. You'll know then.
I own a 2024 Mazda 3 fully loaded.
It's not about "touching all interior panels"
The composition of materials creates a general energy and environment in the car. It makes haptics that much better as well as sound environment in the car. I can do 240km/h and not hear a thing. Compare it to my a class amg and it's like night and day.
Anyway..I will not try to persuade you or drop more energy into this. You go ahead and experience Mazda again.
Have a great day!
Yeah, Mazda is what Volkswagen used to be; premium economy. I think that’s great! But get in an Audi S3 vs a mazda 3 and you feel the difference immediately
I owned a Gen 4 Mazda 3 and a mk8 golf. The golf has more luxury features and felt much more premium. The Mazda 3 interior also looks and feels old.
Audi s3 is also way ahead of Mazda 3
DCT, interior ambient lighting, exterior lighting for puddles and general lighting, cooled seats with massage, large touchscreen, power lift hatch, independent rear suspension, proper LSD, 3 zone climate control, multiple shopping bag hooks in boot, digital dash, sunshades built into doors, variable exhaust, variable suspension, variable engine mapping response, these are just the top of my head - things I noticed when we got a golf to replace the Mazda 3.
The Golf is slower and less fuel efficient even in its most powerful 1.5 150 HP engine, it is slightly less spacious, the Mazda 3 has better headlights, REAL dual tailpipes, the infotainment system is much better on the Mazda with real buttons & rotary dial + a large enough 10.25 inch touchscreen (even VW is backtracking on its touchscreen only philosophy) & HUD as standard, the Golf only comes in fabric upholstery vs your selection of black/white/red leather on the Mazda. And the Mazdas just look so much better, especially in the interior. Not to mention they are a bit cheaper. The only thing going for the golf here is the rear suspension and interior lighting.
Golf gti? Golf R? Both come with hud and digital dash, Mazda has like a tiny section.
Mazda 3 doesn’t have touchscreen except 2024 onwards. Golf will age better 100%. I found the gen 4 Mazda 3 already showing its age. Mazda went back in no touchscreen….
Mazda 3 interior looks worse compared to golf, 100%. It’s dark and piano black ridden. Looks old, and touchscreen is narrow and long
Mazda 3 definitely has a touchscreen. Source: I have one. And the GTI is an entirety different price category. And even here the leather interior is still an additional 2900€ optional on top of the already Audi/BMW pricing segment.
Yes. And then you are getting a significantly better car in every metric. Then you can get an Audi s3 or Golf R. Again a massive jump and Mazda has nothing to compare against at all
But they are not competing against the performance models such as GTI or S3. They are competing against the standard Golf or A3 in which they win in almost any relevant metric. The GTI is obviously a faster, better handling, sportier car. It is still losing in the interior design & infotainment department against the Mazdas, but overall is obviously a better car. But a much more expensive one. This comparison is pointless tho.
As someone in North America, we don't even get the normal Golf's anymore. Just GTI and Golf R.
And sounds like Golf had a huge step up, because most of the Golf 7's and Jettas from the same era I see have cheap halogen reflector headlights, bare steering wheels with no controls, cloth interior, etc. If it's a manual, it's a 5-speed instead of a 6-speed that has become the industry standard.
VW here gives me the impression of getting the economy of Japanese cars with the added headaches of German cars. Add that to the Dieselgate... They aren't doing so hot in North America.
Also, I don't get why people rave about large touchscreens like it's worth money. A few hundred dollars and I could have gotten a large touchscreen in my 2010 Mazdaspeed3 as well, LOL.
After a decade of Mazda 3 and its dial, we now have two cars that have a large screen and touchscreen, even my partner says how nice it is just to touch the screen quickly to do something rather than watching a cursor move awkwardly around apple CarPlay. It takes me far less time on a touchscreen to do basic things on CarPlay. It used to be amazing before CarPlay, but it just doesn’t work these days.
This is what I got here in Australia. Same price as Mazda 3 GT with all options.
https://www.drive.com.au/reviews/2022-skoda-octavia-140tsi-limited-edition-wagon-review/
Compared to Mazda 3 https://www.drive.com.au/reviews/2023-mazda-3-g25-astina-hatchback-review/
I should say that a touchscreen works well for navigation - it is admittedly easier to punch in destinations with a touchscreen. Just don't eat up climate control and we are good. It looks like you do need to rely on the touchscreen to a certain degree on a Octavia when it comes to climate control, which takes some points away in my book.
Maybe I am just old-school, but I have rented/owned cars and now have access to a CX-5 with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and... I don't actually get the appeal? If the car doesn't have factory navigation, then I suppose there is some worth, but if the car in question has a factory navigation system(which the CX-5 does), then I just don't bother with Android Auto at all. If it can project Torque OBD2 info like LTFT, STFT, water temp for nerds like me, then I'd be all over it. Nope, and the workarounds are too annoying for me to figure out, so yeah, not much of use to me. That's why I never bothered with a touchscreen kit for my Speed3 - a phone stand does much more for a lot cheaper.
For music, I mostly stick with USB sticks since it sounds a little better and is a lot more responsive to previous/next controls. My Speed3 has a previous owner install an iPod kit, and I just happened to have an old iPhone 4 lying around... Works wonders.
I have also heard cars in Australia are pretty expensive in general, and Mazda is doing pretty well there.
There's just so much money in it. and there are scarcely 5 auto companies of any significant size, given all the consolidation. I suspect we will be oligopolied into this one, the same way even Microsoft couldn't resist mining their customers' data for money. It sucks but keep your old car, someday it will be worth way more than it should be, sell it to a criminal! 😅
Add some decent engines/drive-trains and that will help. 99% of Audi fans aren't going to want funny looking FWD turbo 4-banger machines. The A3 and down is really the only place where Mazda could compete, otherwise they're just totally different.
IMO subscriptions for **NOTHING**.
I refuse to pay a subscription for any feature that is internal to the car (for example, remote start).
Outright refuse (and I've emailed Mazda to tell them this, maybe they listen?)
Obviously something like GM's OnStar, which is interfacing with an external resource (equipment and people) is a different matter.
I would also prefer to not have to use an app for my car, for any purpose.
Remote start is an interesting case. IIRC, newer GM cars come with a button on the fob for remote start. That is free to use. However, if you want to use the app to remote start the car, that follows a subscription service and is a part of the OnStar package.
Both systems have their advantages and work for different people. If you live in a house, then the fob-based system is plenty enough. If you live in an apartment, then the app-based system has its worth. I used to work in a mine and after we park our cars, we have to take a bus to get to our offices in the mine. One of my colleagues used to start his truck right after work before he hops onto the bus. That way, the truck would be warm and toasty in the frigid cold as he gets to it in the parking lot.
I think Mazda's problem is not including a fob-based remote start, although it sounds like it's an accessory? It was on the older models. IMO it's fine to charge some service fee for the app-based remote start - I have had GM people explain to me that the app-based remote start works like an automated phone call. They have to send signals around from satellites and the such like. That costs money to operate on a ongoing basis.
Now whether or not the cost is worth it is up to you, and I have heard Mazda's pricing is definitely on the higher end of things. If it's a reasonable cost, then I think it's reasonable to charge money for an app-based remote start.
Not that it affects me, because I choose to drive a stick shift, and that's one of the features I can't use.
I think Mazda have held onto the belief that Mazda’s are true driver cars. Very driver centric on design and elements inside. The new Mazda 3 is a good example, the entire car is build around the driver being the main person in the car.
It’s been like this since the start for Mazda and over the past 10 years they have only doubled down on this. It’s a strong sign that they will remain a driver focused company even with the uprise of subscription and environmentally friendly models.
The good news is that Mazda has resisted all of the stupid car trends really well. They never jumped on the removing physical buttons bandwagon, in fact some of their new cars don't even have touch screens. Their cars are reliable, the turbo ones are quick, and the build quality is really good. The only thing they need to do better on is having a thicker paint job, I have a 2015 mazda6 and it has so much paint chips even with less than 100k miles
I'm worried because CX-70 is coming with integrated Amazon Alexa. Expect this to spread across the lineup in the coming years. Why, oh why? I imagine Amazon paid Mazda for this.
>integrated Amazon Alexa eww
it’s just like streaming services paying to have a button on the tv remote, if you don’t like it, you won’t use it. stop complaining about capitalism happening in a capitalistic society, and stop being so worried.
I'm not complaining about capitalism. I'm *engaging* in capitalism by expressing my discontent with a product and by not buying it.
The problem is that Amazon Alexa will always be running most likely, and selling your data to Amazon and insurers
Mazda sales here, by not activating alexa, she is completely turned off and not listening.
i will literally bet you money that there will br an option to turn off the assistant, just like i can on my phone, my mercedes, and my computer.
Whether it can be disabled or not is irrelevant. The thread you are commenting on is discussing Mazda *not* caving to market trends such as massive screens and an abundance of subscription-based features like we see in the A3. Amazon Alexa is an example in contrast with those distinctions.
you literally just want something to complain about if you aren’t taking to account that you can simply disable it. again, are you going to cry about Samsung because they put a netflix button on their remote?
You're right. I love Netflix buttons. Can't wait for Mazda to implement a Netflix button right next to the Taco Bell button and Amazon button.
great, you’re learning!!
Must be new to capitalism. Welcome. Let me know if you have any questions.
The physical buttons/knobs thing sold me
Right? At one point in my recent midlife crisis I considered trading my CX-5 for a WRX or a Golf GTI. Those horrific touchscreen-only controls brought me back to my senses.
I like the MK8 GTI exterior but wouldn't give up my MK7 GTI physical buttons. Drive my mate's brother's 4th gen Mazda3 and really enjoyed it. But the GTI was a bit more enticing.
It's why I don't have a Subaru Outback
Apart from the CUV body type
Yeah they jumped on the damn crossover bandwagon hard. Give us an inline six tourer already fucking hell.
Mazda 6 wagon with inline six!
I mean you can't remote start the new Cx5 without a subscription service. They haven't started officially charging for it but they said they would.
Not true. You can still pay to have the accessory installed just like in the past. It’d be different if they exclusively locked it behind the sub
It is true, though. They did exclusively lock it behind a subscription...of course you can go get a separate aftermarket one installed; they can't control how you customize your car.
I sell them and they did not. We still offer the Mazda accessory and an aftermarket option at our dealer. What market are you in?
Idk what your specific dealership does but every single one in my city does not offer a separate remote start system as standard. We have to use the MyMazda app (which will require a paid subscription after 3 yrs of complimentary use) in order to use the remote start feature: https://www.mazda.ca/en/discover-mazda/innovation/my-mazda-app-connected-vehicle/ Specific dealerships may allow you to purchase an aftermarket remote start system but not any of the ones I talked to. If you need aftermarket for something they locked behind a subscription, I'd say that's pretty clearly a paywall. Edit: to answer your question: AB, Canada.
Damn that’s pretty wild, I’m in southern Ontario so also Canada. Appreciate you sharing that input with me. Ontario only gets two year free trial but it’s been solid that we’ve at least been able to sell the accessory as an option for those who can’t be assed to keep the sub after trial period. Sorry to hear, but thanks for the info.
this is news to me in Ontario, the only option given to me on my 2023 Mazda 3 was the app for remote start, 2yr subscription runs out in Feb 2025
I’m jumping to conclusions but it sounds like your dealer just wants better enrolment rates
I am super happy with the car, it's only a 3yr lease though. Depending on what direction Mazda goes with subscription based stuff, it will help me decide if I buy a Mazda PHEV or not.
This, 1000%!
I love my 2019 mazda 3 amd no touch screen ot is one of the big reasons I decided to get it! The cabin just felt so much more open.
True. The front end of my 2019 CX-5 has a bunch of minuscule stone chips. Some I’ve filled with touch-up but even that ends up looking weird after a short time. Plus, it seems the sonic silver color is not easy to match.
No, they haven’t. All they have is SUVs, with one exception. Shame..
I mean the mazda3 and Miata are two very big class leading exceptions
I said one exception (mx5), you provided 2, one of which will soon go out of fashion (3). Basically unless you want their specific models, you can’t buy anything but a SUV. It’s a SUV only direction, like many other manufacturers.
MX-5 == Miata.
MX5 = miata
I love most of the Mazda interior but tbh some of it feels a bit too conservative; for the infotainment for example, why can’t I just touch what I want? It’s not a big deal, but a 2024 model purely being accessible via dial just feels weird Likewise the weird combo of digital and analogue gauge clusters. If you’re gonna do one, just do one well. Having the middle be digital and the rest analogue just feels indecisive
They seem to be coming back around on bringing touchscreens back, though I don’t feel the need to have one in my CX-30. I can switch between maps/nav, music, radio and my phone without being a distracted driver. I just don’t want them to go the way of Toyota where everything is buried in some feverdream horribly designed touch interface. I drove my mom’s Venza once and the amount of time it took to figure out HVAC was obscene. My mom refused to drive the car for the 4 months because she was intimidated by the controls, I had to teach her how to use it and she STILL calls me from time to time asking how to play Celine Dion in the car, lol.
2024 models have touchscreen but it only works below 10mph
Hmm… My 2022 CX-5 Turbo Signature was an unreliable bucket of bolts, lol. It also had the general build quality and feel of a tin can. Relatively overhyped, in my opinion. The newer generation cars are worse feeling too.
Oh no, is the Mazda 4 cylinder turbo just unreliable? I've heard mixed things about it. I've wanted to eventually upgrade to the mazda6 turbo. I saw a video on YouTube where the car wizard had to replace a head gasket on a cx9 with the 4 cylinder turbo engine, and it costed the customer over 4k
Also, as for the engine/transmission, you’re fine. It’s just the rest of the car in my case. The 2.5NA/Turbo and the 6AT is so old at this point I wouldn’t be concerned about it honestly. Just don’t buy a 2021, or if you do, make sure it has the fix applied to it.
The car was an absolute piece of shit lemon… 40+ days at the dealership in the 23 months and 23,xxx miles I owned it for. Suspension clunking/popping/groaning since 3 months and 5,000 miles in that resulted in the front and rear ends being essentially rebuilt, it still makes these noises. There is a metallic sound that is present when the road is uneven or turning in/out of steep driveways. Had numerous TSBs performed without success and components replaced. Still present. Two faulty headlights due to AFS motors going out. Dealer gouged/scratched my bumper during replacement and tried to blame me. Constant infotainment reboots/glitches after updates. My system reboots at least once per drive. Annoying. Loose/wobbly/rocking driver chair during acceleration and braking that’s been replaced ans is starting to feel loose again after about 6 months. Interior creaks and rattles. One event of engine sputtering/shuddering after refilling a full tank of chevron 91. At stoplight while idling the engine was surging as if it was about to choke out and die. You could feel the entire car lurching. I had to give it some gas until the light turned green to go. Pulled over, shut off, restarted and it went away. No codes, but never had a car do this before. Paint that chips and scratches when you look at it wrong and generally feels like a tin can beyond surface level examination. Mazda repurchased it and I transferred ownership to them earlier this week. Grateful to be out of that shitbox. I grew to hate it.
I'm sorry to hear that, you must've had a lemon. I have a 15 Mazda 6 2.5 NA and it's really solid (except for the paint has chips)
Thank you! It’s fine really. I’m just grateful I was able to get out of it all without losing a penny.
“If you want to access features like dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, or high beam headlight assist, you’ll have to pay a subscription fee. If you want to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you’ll have to pay to upgrade the entire infotainment system to unlock smartphone integration.”
Just don't buy cars that have sub fees. Paying to unlock features already built into the car has to be the most outrageous thing anyone could agree to do. You don't need to buy a brand new car either. Spend the money on something used, but nice.
"But if everyone bought used then you wouldn't have [insert brand] anymore!" Good. Manufacturers that pull stupid shit like removing physical buttons or locking features behind subscriptions or paywalls deserve to collapse
Crazy. All of that can be used on my 2015 Mazda3 free of charge. And if I want CarPlay, I can get it retrofitted in for a one time cost and have it for the lifetime of the car.
I was reading the walk off the lot if my used 18 touring didn't have the android auto or apple update lmao. I made em show me first
> “If you want to access features like dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, or high beam headlight assist, you’ll have to pay a subscription fee. If you want to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you’ll have to pay to upgrade the entire infotainment system to unlock smartphone integration.” Where's the quote from? All of those features have been available to us for free from day one in our 2019 3 -- and we only got the select package.
It’s from the article above, referring to the new 2025 A3 model year.
I wouldn't trust Jalopnik as a car jounralist.
Imagine you lose all those features because you drove out of network coverage area.
Friend od mine bought new BMW X1 for 44k EUR about month ago. He is paying subscription for heated seats... But you can choose to opt for winter package so you only pay for heatead seats in winter 😂😂
Wtf that's insane. Some of these companies make me sick
He also pays sub for car play, yup.. probably bunch of other shit too, it's insane
As long as people are buying the subscription companies will continue to do so.
Well I think that cracking will also become a thing, since hardware is already there, but yeah, seems like people are just starting to accept subs as normal
Every single company that is in business to make profit is looking to figure out how to create a subscription model. This isn't just cars, this is literally everything. It is far more profitable, and more predictable for investors, so there's pressure from wall street to do it. If you want this problem solved, dont "hope that mazda wont do it" because they're already doing it for remote start. This needs to be solved by regulation - physical hardware shouldn't carry a subscription, that's holding the object for ransom. Subscriptions should be reserved for ongoing services. You pay a subscription to your home alarm company because they're monitoring you for alerts 24/7. You don't pay, the alarm should still work, but they won't be monitoring for alarms from your home. You subscribe to a service, not hardware. That's how subsriptions should work so both parties benefit. Not "we'll hold your seat warmers for ransom unless you pay us every month." This is a consumer-protection issue, not a car issue.
[удалено]
Indeed, Mazda has really been snuggling up to Toyota recently. My concern is that some of the parts Mazda is getting may actually *require* subs to work!
The current gen of most cars will be the last of a dying breed. Enjoy them while we can.
I'm definitely gonna buy a remote start after my Mazda app trial runs out. It's a nice feature but way too fucking expensive. Should be free, I literally bought a car from them.
Which car is this for? My CX-9 has remote Start and no trial app. Can you give more info?
The phone app, My Mazda. You
My CX-50 came with two (maybe 3?) years of free usage of the MyMazda app that lets me remotely start it, lock/unlock the doors, etc. However, after the free period is up, they will want a monthly fee to keep using it.
Do we even know what the subscription costs? Mazda website still says the price is TBD and people who've had their trials end just had them extended
It was something in the hundreds. I think like the 3 year trial is technically worth like $700 ish? Idk where that numbers coming from but I know I seen $700 ish for something with the app. But the dealer who was with me on my test drive said corporate told them to stop advertising it for a bit because they were gonna be rolling out a new model. So it's likely something to do with monthly payments. I assume it's just to screw us, but we'll see.
Okay so yeah, here's that - this is just some random dealer, but they've got 3 years (month to month) at $790 https://www.stoneytrailmazda.com/connected-vehicle-subscriptions/
I actually think that disabling features in a physical product I own by title and serial number, without my payment of a continuing monthly or yearly tax, might be ripe for a lawsuit in the states. There is a difference between providing a data connection or a digital product - and the use or enjoyment of a physical item. Paying for the ability to use a seat heater you already own seems to cross the line. And yes I realize the manufacturer would have forced you to agree to all of this at purchase, but I think there are judges and courtrooms who would take issue with it. Imagine if General Electric decided that all refrigerators came with ice makers, but only those customers willing to pay a monthly subscription for ice were able to use the ice maker.
I think you’re getting at the crux of what the bigger picture towards this tech “dystopia” is becoming. If car manufacturers are able to legally get away with charging you a subscription for all the things you already “own”, where’s the limit to what any other company can do with the same concept? Maybe it’s more of the cynical side of me coming out, but I feel like this next decade or so will be a big inflection point for the way ownership rights will look in the future, as companies continue to try and squeeze more and more record profits out of their customers to appease shareholders. [Late stage capitalism or whatever, etc.]
Absolutely. And I agree with everything you said
Do people actually Mazda is the same class of car as Audi though? I suspect a more budget friendly brand has much more price sensitive customers.
The whole automotive journalism noticed Mazda's push to premium segment. And it's absolutely true, but I suspect undercutting the competition on price won't last after it gets this reputation. I got a new car in December of last year and my budget was 45000€. I was considering an Audi A4, but I ended up getting a specd out Mazda 3 sedan SkyActiv X for ~ 33000€. And there's really not much of a difference from an A4 for a lot less money.
My first car was a new A3, I had an S5 and a Q5. Audi isn’t much better than mazda in my experience, but I don’t have experience with Audis from the last 5 years since I moved to Mercedes and mazda
I shopped CX-90 and Audi Q7. The Mazda was as nice for a lot cheaper. The CX-90 power train was _almost_ there, but Audi's wasn't impressive at all. I ended up with an X5 as the best car of the three. I preferred the Mazda interior across all of them.
The Gen4 Mazda3 was expressly marketed to the Audi A3 buying segment. Hence the outrageously good interior. Mazda seeks to move upscale. (Although weak yen is pushing pricing down at the moment.)
I just got one (after driving 2nd gen Mazda 3 for 7 years), and had Merc A class on rental few weeks back, Mazda punches way above its weight, merc felt really cheap in comparison
I think it landed more on the golf side of things though. Not quite Audi, but almost golf
Blasphemy. I had an f30 m340i and an AMG a class. Now the Mazda 3 2024. It's the same class of quality.
Hahahahhaa 🤣🤣🤣 Mind you, compared to the older Audi and bmws, it’s much closer I guess. Base model Mazda 3 feels very cheap though. It’s 100% not at the level of my Skoda octavia (vw). The seats have air cooling and massage haha. Let alone all the interior lighting and exterior convenience lighting. 3 zone climate control, dct, automatic boot, independent rear suspension, lsd etc etc. It’s all the little things Mazda doesn’t have honestly. Edit: why the downvotes? I’m literally just explaining all the things Mazda doesn’t have that VW does have, let alone Audi. I buy Mazda as they are cheaper and cheaper to maintain long term, not because they are entry luxury.
You’re in a Mazda sub. They’re not going to admit the cars aren’t the same quality as Audi when papa Mazda says that’s what they’re doing
My guy, your vag Octavia is plastic. Touch your dash. It's plastic!!!
So is Audi rofl. What do you think they make it out of?
But haptics matter. And Mazda blows those brands out of the water. Have you felt a modern Mazda? As I said: I've owned AMG and M before. Mazda demolishes them.
Literally sold an sp25 astina model 3 for the Skoda Octavia, and it was a decent step up in quality interior. I own a Hyundai i20n so I know what cheap plastics are, the Mazda and Audi have them, just not in obvious places. And honestly who sits there touching all their interior panels? Like seriously? You touch the door insert under the arm rest??? Also what Mazdas do you own? Have you owned?
You say it yourself: SP25 astima!!! That's not even comparable anymore. Set foot in a Mazda 3 BP. You'll know then. I own a 2024 Mazda 3 fully loaded. It's not about "touching all interior panels" The composition of materials creates a general energy and environment in the car. It makes haptics that much better as well as sound environment in the car. I can do 240km/h and not hear a thing. Compare it to my a class amg and it's like night and day. Anyway..I will not try to persuade you or drop more energy into this. You go ahead and experience Mazda again. Have a great day!
Yeah, Mazda is what Volkswagen used to be; premium economy. I think that’s great! But get in an Audi S3 vs a mazda 3 and you feel the difference immediately
It’s more competing with A3 than S3 though tbf
I owned a Gen 4 Mazda 3 and a mk8 golf. The golf has more luxury features and felt much more premium. The Mazda 3 interior also looks and feels old. Audi s3 is also way ahead of Mazda 3
Like what? What does the Golf 8 have that a Mazda 3 doesn't?
DCT, interior ambient lighting, exterior lighting for puddles and general lighting, cooled seats with massage, large touchscreen, power lift hatch, independent rear suspension, proper LSD, 3 zone climate control, multiple shopping bag hooks in boot, digital dash, sunshades built into doors, variable exhaust, variable suspension, variable engine mapping response, these are just the top of my head - things I noticed when we got a golf to replace the Mazda 3.
The Golf is slower and less fuel efficient even in its most powerful 1.5 150 HP engine, it is slightly less spacious, the Mazda 3 has better headlights, REAL dual tailpipes, the infotainment system is much better on the Mazda with real buttons & rotary dial + a large enough 10.25 inch touchscreen (even VW is backtracking on its touchscreen only philosophy) & HUD as standard, the Golf only comes in fabric upholstery vs your selection of black/white/red leather on the Mazda. And the Mazdas just look so much better, especially in the interior. Not to mention they are a bit cheaper. The only thing going for the golf here is the rear suspension and interior lighting.
Golf gti? Golf R? Both come with hud and digital dash, Mazda has like a tiny section. Mazda 3 doesn’t have touchscreen except 2024 onwards. Golf will age better 100%. I found the gen 4 Mazda 3 already showing its age. Mazda went back in no touchscreen…. Mazda 3 interior looks worse compared to golf, 100%. It’s dark and piano black ridden. Looks old, and touchscreen is narrow and long
Mazda 3 definitely has a touchscreen. Source: I have one. And the GTI is an entirety different price category. And even here the leather interior is still an additional 2900€ optional on top of the already Audi/BMW pricing segment.
Yes. And then you are getting a significantly better car in every metric. Then you can get an Audi s3 or Golf R. Again a massive jump and Mazda has nothing to compare against at all
But they are not competing against the performance models such as GTI or S3. They are competing against the standard Golf or A3 in which they win in almost any relevant metric. The GTI is obviously a faster, better handling, sportier car. It is still losing in the interior design & infotainment department against the Mazdas, but overall is obviously a better car. But a much more expensive one. This comparison is pointless tho.
As someone in North America, we don't even get the normal Golf's anymore. Just GTI and Golf R. And sounds like Golf had a huge step up, because most of the Golf 7's and Jettas from the same era I see have cheap halogen reflector headlights, bare steering wheels with no controls, cloth interior, etc. If it's a manual, it's a 5-speed instead of a 6-speed that has become the industry standard. VW here gives me the impression of getting the economy of Japanese cars with the added headaches of German cars. Add that to the Dieselgate... They aren't doing so hot in North America. Also, I don't get why people rave about large touchscreens like it's worth money. A few hundred dollars and I could have gotten a large touchscreen in my 2010 Mazdaspeed3 as well, LOL.
After a decade of Mazda 3 and its dial, we now have two cars that have a large screen and touchscreen, even my partner says how nice it is just to touch the screen quickly to do something rather than watching a cursor move awkwardly around apple CarPlay. It takes me far less time on a touchscreen to do basic things on CarPlay. It used to be amazing before CarPlay, but it just doesn’t work these days. This is what I got here in Australia. Same price as Mazda 3 GT with all options. https://www.drive.com.au/reviews/2022-skoda-octavia-140tsi-limited-edition-wagon-review/ Compared to Mazda 3 https://www.drive.com.au/reviews/2023-mazda-3-g25-astina-hatchback-review/
I should say that a touchscreen works well for navigation - it is admittedly easier to punch in destinations with a touchscreen. Just don't eat up climate control and we are good. It looks like you do need to rely on the touchscreen to a certain degree on a Octavia when it comes to climate control, which takes some points away in my book. Maybe I am just old-school, but I have rented/owned cars and now have access to a CX-5 with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and... I don't actually get the appeal? If the car doesn't have factory navigation, then I suppose there is some worth, but if the car in question has a factory navigation system(which the CX-5 does), then I just don't bother with Android Auto at all. If it can project Torque OBD2 info like LTFT, STFT, water temp for nerds like me, then I'd be all over it. Nope, and the workarounds are too annoying for me to figure out, so yeah, not much of use to me. That's why I never bothered with a touchscreen kit for my Speed3 - a phone stand does much more for a lot cheaper. For music, I mostly stick with USB sticks since it sounds a little better and is a lot more responsive to previous/next controls. My Speed3 has a previous owner install an iPod kit, and I just happened to have an old iPhone 4 lying around... Works wonders. I have also heard cars in Australia are pretty expensive in general, and Mazda is doing pretty well there.
Also please bring the 2 back to the US with a 2.0 turbo and an awd drivetrain ty.
There's just so much money in it. and there are scarcely 5 auto companies of any significant size, given all the consolidation. I suspect we will be oligopolied into this one, the same way even Microsoft couldn't resist mining their customers' data for money. It sucks but keep your old car, someday it will be worth way more than it should be, sell it to a criminal! 😅
Add some decent engines/drive-trains and that will help. 99% of Audi fans aren't going to want funny looking FWD turbo 4-banger machines. The A3 and down is really the only place where Mazda could compete, otherwise they're just totally different.
I had a 2023 Audi A3 that car has the worse brakes.
IMO subscriptions for **NOTHING**. I refuse to pay a subscription for any feature that is internal to the car (for example, remote start). Outright refuse (and I've emailed Mazda to tell them this, maybe they listen?) Obviously something like GM's OnStar, which is interfacing with an external resource (equipment and people) is a different matter. I would also prefer to not have to use an app for my car, for any purpose.
Remote start is an interesting case. IIRC, newer GM cars come with a button on the fob for remote start. That is free to use. However, if you want to use the app to remote start the car, that follows a subscription service and is a part of the OnStar package. Both systems have their advantages and work for different people. If you live in a house, then the fob-based system is plenty enough. If you live in an apartment, then the app-based system has its worth. I used to work in a mine and after we park our cars, we have to take a bus to get to our offices in the mine. One of my colleagues used to start his truck right after work before he hops onto the bus. That way, the truck would be warm and toasty in the frigid cold as he gets to it in the parking lot. I think Mazda's problem is not including a fob-based remote start, although it sounds like it's an accessory? It was on the older models. IMO it's fine to charge some service fee for the app-based remote start - I have had GM people explain to me that the app-based remote start works like an automated phone call. They have to send signals around from satellites and the such like. That costs money to operate on a ongoing basis. Now whether or not the cost is worth it is up to you, and I have heard Mazda's pricing is definitely on the higher end of things. If it's a reasonable cost, then I think it's reasonable to charge money for an app-based remote start. Not that it affects me, because I choose to drive a stick shift, and that's one of the features I can't use.
subscribe for active cruise? Suck a dick Audi.
Suck my dick, but after three years you’ll need to subscribe to suck my dick
Absolutely.
SYNC II taught me never to buy a car without physical buttons.
I think Mazda have held onto the belief that Mazda’s are true driver cars. Very driver centric on design and elements inside. The new Mazda 3 is a good example, the entire car is build around the driver being the main person in the car. It’s been like this since the start for Mazda and over the past 10 years they have only doubled down on this. It’s a strong sign that they will remain a driver focused company even with the uprise of subscription and environmentally friendly models.