I emailed Mazda with the following today; I thought I’d post it as well so that it exists in the world of searchable feedback in case they are ever researching public sentiment.
Hello! As a loyal Mazda customer, I felt like I should take the time to give you this feedback on your changes to new models.
I own a 2018 CX-9, which is my pride and joy. I have never loved another car as much as I do this one. For most of the time I’ve owned it I’ve assumed my next vehicle will be a Mazda because I love the driving experience so much.
Today I took my CX-9 to the dealer (Bommarito South County) for its routine service, and the loaner they gave me was a brand new 2026 CX-5. And for the first time, I questioned whether my next car will be a Mazda.
The driver’s experience with the new all-screen layout is DREADFUL. I can’t express how much of a downgrade it is compared to my car. It’s like opening the door of a Mazda only to find yourself inside some other, lesser brand of car that doesn’t care about the car feeling like an extension of the driver.
And it’s unsafe. tapping on a screen multiple times trying to tap just the right spot to change the temperature, having to look at it until you see that it actually registered? Awful.
The whole point of choosing a Mazda is to feel like the car is an extension of you, the driver. In my CX-9 I can reach for simple, well-laid-out physical controls by feel, without a second thought. And the rotary control for the infotainment system is WONDERFUL, a huge improvement over cars that don’t have it. I never, ever want to have to hunt around on a touch screen while driving. And don’t even talk to me about voice controls in a family car full of loud music and chatter.
Never too many switches, and also never too few: what Mazda has nailed in a way few other carmakers have is that balance. This new cockpit ruins it.
If this is the future direction of Mazda interiors, I hope you’ll reconsider. I’d really like to keep buying Mazdas.
Sincerely,
Avdi Grimm
Proud CX-9 Owner
Saint Louis, Missouri
