"Popup" Infotainment Screen

J

JOE MAMA

• Oct 2, 2013

• #1

I had a brief look at a 2014 Mazda3 Sport (Canada). The car was parked on a dealer lot and I didn't have the chance to get inside and really see the interior.

That being said, the infotainment screen appears to be fixed into position, as opposed to popping up from the dash as originally planned by Mazda.

Can anyone confirm this? The dash looks attractive,however, the infotainment screen looks odd and out of place, especially if the screen is fixed. It doesn't look well integrated, but rather more of an after thought.

Thoughts....

 

L

lowincash

:

2017 CX-5 GT w/ Premium Pkg.

• Oct 2, 2013

• #2

Where have you been these past few months? lol jk

Yes the touch screen is fixed and does not retract and from what I understand, Mazda made it this way so they can slim down the center stack dash area. It does look out of place when I first saw it but you must try it out to see how well it works. It's grown on me and after driving the car the location of the screen works really well. Actually everything works really well inside, all well within reach and eye level.

Oh yeah, it would definitely be nice if it would retract like the ones in the Audi's. However I kinda think it looks better than the ones in the mercedes CLA which also does not retract. I might just be bias now lol

 

J

JOE MAMA

• Oct 2, 2013

• #3

I've heard that the infotainment system works extremely well, but from an esthetics standpoint it could have been integrated a lot better once they decided it was going to be fixed.

It wouldn't preclude me from buying one, but it does take away from the interior overall. It's not a big deal, but a minor nuisance. If it turns out to be the worst thing with the new 3, that would be fine with me!

 

npaladin2000

Member

• Oct 2, 2013

• #4

I don't think it was ever going to be "pop up." I've seen a lot of people mixing that up with the pop-up heads-up-display unit that's directly over the gauge cluster in front of the driver. That DOES pop up and down.

 

L

LennyR

Member

:

2004 Mazdaspeed MX-5 Miata

• Oct 3, 2013

• #5

If you looked at a '14 Mazda 3 Sport, it was a basic 3i and has a considerably smaller screen than the 3i Grand Touring and both 3s models. Not that the larger screens are integrated any better. However, in addition to the Mercedes CLA250, mentioned above, the current BMW 3 series has a similarly sized and placed screen, so Mazda is in reasonably good company.

 

J

JOE MAMA

• Oct 4, 2013

• #6

LennyR said:

If you looked at a '14 Mazda 3 Sport, it was a basic 3i and has a considerably smaller screen than the 3i Grand Touring and both 3s models. Not that the larger screens are integrated any better. However, in addition to the Mercedes CLA250, mentioned above, the current BMW 3 series has a similarly sized and placed screen, so Mazda is in reasonably good company.

Click to expand...

It was a Sport but with the larger 7" screen. Trim levels are named differently in Canada than the US.

I guess the screen placement is the new trend similar to instrument clusters placed in the centre of dash a few years back by some manufacturers!

 

N

Nouse4aname

Member

:

2003 Mazda Protege5/2007 Legacy GT Spec B

• Oct 5, 2013

• #7

Test drove a 6 speed i touring 5 door today. Exterior is so sexy. But man that tacked on look of the non-screen basic audio controls is hard to get over. It's like they forgot to put them in and just superglued them to the dash.

 

M

mtnbiker26

Bike Geek

• Oct 7, 2013

• #8

Yeah, it looks hideous and I hate how there's no double-din opening to install an aftermarket head unit. Maybe I'm just old school, but in my opinion no factory sound system can ever match the features and quality of aftermarket equipment and now there's no way to upgrade. I need to replace my 11 year old Protege5 and I was really looking forward to the new 3 but I'm pretty turned off due to the appearance and restrictions of the infotainment display. I'm holding out for the new Honda Fit and Urban SUV in 2015.

 

N

Nouse4aname

Member

:

2003 Mazda Protege5/2007 Legacy GT Spec B

• Oct 8, 2013

• #9

It turned me off so much I went and got a 2007 Subaru Legacy GT Spec B instead lol. Being a $4k cheaper used purchase offsets the mileage difference...well that and the smile the 5.1 seconds to 60 brings.