Rant alert!

I've watched and read countless reviews of the CX-9 touting the driving dynamics (as Mazdas are usually known for) but constantly faulting it for not having a touchscreen.

Being a more driver-centric car company than most of its competitors, I applaud their use of the control-**** to navigate the screen. Exclusively. Once you get used to it, you spend considerably less time taking your eyes off the road as you otherwise would, reaching forward and pushing your way around the menus. Less time spent not looking at the road is a good thing. My other vehicle has a touchscreen and I've noticed a huge difference in using the infotainment system. After a while, the CX-9's feels so much for intuitive. Reach for the ****, take quick glances at the screen to make sure you're in the right place, done. Not so with the touchscreen - you just need to look at it more often and longer to get things done.

Anyhow, I think it's a fantastic feature to discourage touchscreen use in favor of a ****. The narrow learning curve to get used to it results in a more instinctive use experience. Not to mention safer too.

 

My 2016 CX9 GT has a touchscreen. It may lose part or all of that function when the car is moving, I don't know. The touchscreen is great for things like entering an address into the nav system. I'm with you, the two ***** are far superior to other systems.

 

I have a 2019 BMW X3 with an infotainment system I find to be excellent and easy to use. Gives you the option of using touchscreen or dial/control **** located by shift lever, similar to the CX9. I don't use the touch feature while driving....find much easier to use dial. But I find easier and faster to use touch feature when starting out on a trip and inputting directions/addresses. That being said, I'm in the market to buy a used CX9 or possibly lease a new 21 and the infotainment system in each model is a primary decision maker especially after reading tons of research and multiple criticisms on each model years infotainment system. My hesitancy is not based on the touchscreen feature but other research comments regarding it's intuitiveness. Since the 20 model has a touchscreen I was leaning that way but any comments/input regarding the infotainment system differences on the 2019, 20, and 21 models is appreciated.

 

I have the 2021 CX-9 and a 2021 Honda Odyssey. I also prefer the **** and no touchscreen on the CX-9 versus the touchscreen in the Odyssey. I find it far less distracting to use and I keep my eyes on the road more.

 

As PTGuy said, it is easier to punch in addresses with a touchscreen. I do not have the navigation SD card installed but use Android Auto all the time instead. I'm not sure if you're able to with OEM navigation but AA let's me put the address using my voice - gets it right nearly every time.

 

I've been unable to find a source that shows the HUD in the Grand Touring/Signature models. Can anyone confirm if it shows a digital easy to read mph display? Thanks.

 

My 21 Grand Touring has the HUD. The clarity depends on the outside lighting. On a sunny day, it is still very legible just not as bright as in the dark. I am still adjusting to using it, sometimes I forget its even there. 4 years since I has HUD in my Mazda 3. I still like the HUD though, especially when on curvy mountain roads, much better to see what's in front of me instead of glancing down at the instrument panel.

 

If you always travel alone, sure. But I have a navigator going out of her mind trying to add a destination because the $#% touchscreen doesn't work. One of our top complaints about the vehicle. "hey can we stop at the new ice cream place on the way home, I have the address" Mazda: NO. No changes in plans are permitted once underway.

Not really a lets take a spontaneous drive out to the country kind of car....and if we use Android Auto we lose SiriusXM.

 

As I mentioned in my original post, Mazda's vehicles are driver-focused. Enabling the touchscreen for another passenger would defeat the purpose of that goal. I guess that's a compromise they've decided to make in the name of safety. Unfortunately, there's no way for the system to distinguish between driver and passenger - would be nice if it did.

My wife is with me more than 90% of the time when in the CX-9 and she's adopted just whipping out her phone to find directions for a destination outside the one originally provided. Doesn't happen often but it's an option.

Not to start an argument but just curious - if touchscreen operation was a very important feature, why did you choose the CX-9? They've disabled that for quite some time now - previously available only when the vehicle was stationary but in newer models totally disabled.

 

We didn't (fully) understand the implication of it not working when in motion. Our CX-9 was in the shop (little offroading mishap....) and we had a 2020 base VW jetta loaner. It had a touchscreen that worked all the time and was just wonderful. That was when realized how bad the CX-9 was. Having to use a $300 5.5" phone because your $40,000 8" screen is useless. Ugh. Now we know better, and never , ever again. As the driver, if I need to pan the map down, a quick flick is all it should take, not a push, click, scroll, etc.