Rented a Mazda3...thinking of buying..question about changing radio stations?

da_jokker

Member
:
Mazda cx-5 touring fwd
As the title says I'm thinking about buying a Mazda 3. I'm renting one for a couple days but it's only the base model. Whereas I'm going to buy the Sgt.

However I don't think that will make a difference but the radio stations are driving me nuts. Yes I know I can use the steering wheel to go between stations, but the thing that messes me up is that the center console joystick seems like it should work.

If I want to switch between my stations I have to pick one which takes me back to the main screen, than I have to use the dial to move over one setting, select it, and then I'm back to my list of radio stations. That is a whole lot of clicking just to go from one preset to the next.

I would have thought that when listening to a station that either spinning the control knob or pushing it to the right or left or even pushing it up and down should have done something but it doesn't. Why does the control knob spin do the same thing as pressing it to the right? Seems silly.

Anyway, basically what my question is, is other than using the steering wheel is there any other options for changing radio stations specifically with the center controller.
 
With new Hondas, you can't even turn up the volume without using the touch screen. My point is that the days of simply pressing a single button to switch to a preset radio station are rapidly dying. Many younger people listen to tunes on USB drives or their cell phones, but I typically listen to Sirius/XM and it takes one press of the rotary knob and then a rotation-turn to get to an adjacent channel.
I believe tilting the knob can get you to the exit arrow, whereas rotating the knob moves the highlighted selection within that particular section of the infotainment system.
After using for a while, things get quicker.
 
With new Hondas, you can't even turn up the volume without using the touch screen. My point is that the days of simply pressing a single button to switch to a preset radio station are rapidly dying. Many younger people listen to tunes on USB drives or their cell phones, but I typically listen to Sirius/XM and it takes one press of the rotary knob and then a rotation-turn to get to an adjacent channel.
I believe tilting the knob can get you to the exit arrow, whereas rotating the knob moves the highlighted selection within that particular section of the infotainment system.
After using for a while, things get quicker.

Thanks for the input. I was watching a YouTube video and I believe with the latest firmware version it at least stays on the page when you're going through your favorites. So I think my worries at least have an ok workaround. It has been driving me nuts in this rental though
 
Yes, I recently had the update done and noticed the reduced number of clicks/turns when changing stations.
 
Back