Aside from the plays on first track ipod bug, I haven't had any audio issues. Bluetooth works pretty well and the sound quality is excellent through it when I use Spotify's highest bit rate option.

My phone sometimes loses where it was in the playlist, but that's the phone's issue and not the car's.

In fact, I'm surprised that I can tell the difference as well as I can when low bit rate items play. HD radio, FM etc are all low rate and you can tell when compared to a good clean audio file.

 

I use this one:
Canadian Tire - Digipower 3-in-1 iPod FM Transmitter customer reviews - product reviews - read top consumer ratings

 

But overall, are you happy with the CX-5?

 

Overall, I would give the 2014 CX5 Grand Touring a grade of a B. This vehicle drives better than all of the crossover SUV's. Feels like your driving a small car. It handles wonderfully.
Driveabilty - A
Comfort - A
Electronics - C
Stereo - C
Affordability - A
Style - A

 

I would give a B too.

Also, a quick update on the iPod issue. I filed a complaint with Mazda and threatened a class action for selling crappy product. I went to my dealer and left the car there telling them I don't want it until they fixed it. I got a call back from them last week and they acknowledged that there is software issue and they are aware of it. They said they are working on a fix and said that they will inform me when an update is available. They did give me a time line but at least they acknowledged for the first time.

Also, I have been streaming from my Nexus 4 over bluetooth and the streaming has been flawless. I don't have any issues that I had with my iPod. It has been working great and I am very happy with it now. It is perfect, but I found an awesome workaround.

 

When you saying 'streaming from nexus 4 over bluetooth' are you using Pandora?
Good to hear that they finally have acknowledged a software issue. Please keep us informed

 

Have had my CX-5 GT AWD w Nav for a week now. Wonderful in so many ways, but the audio system is not one of them. It's like Mazda just forgot to finish designing it. Here's what I've been experiencing:

- BT music streaming from iPhone 4S/iOS 6.1.3 will not shuffle but only play tracks in alphabetical order. Very painful after the 5th or 8th version of 'Old Joe Clark.' (I know, I probably should listen to something else.)

- iPod MB150LL/1.1.2 (Old thick 'Classic') with 130GB of music on it takes 5-6 minutes to start playing once plugged into USB. Once it does, functionality is limited, on-screen buttons sometimes don't respond, sometimes do, etc. Almost as bad with the iPhone plugged into USB.

- On same iPhone, performing text message download results in 'Messages Downloaded' on the display, but there are no messages there. If a text comes into the phone while driving, a notification comes on the CX-5 screen, and offer to download, but nothing is there.

What was almost more frustrating than the problem was how the dealer sales and service folks got a case of the vapors when I asked about them, claiming they'd never heard of such things. They should read these forums more.

Any solutions or workarounds out there? I'm dusting off my stereo 'Aux' cable, with sadness.Thanks.

 

I have pretty much the same issues with my 2014 CX5. Nothing you can do really. It's just a crappy entertainment system. I noticed that if you unpair phone and then reconnect, the messages start working for about a month. Pretty pathetic really

 

It is easy. If your guys operate it according the insatallation guide:
http://www.autoradiodvdgpstv.com/use...-Manual-C8.rar

 

Thanks hearty, but your link doesn't work. Could you check it and resend?