Comment by heywire
5 years ago
Mazda got this right on the CX5 (at least in my 2016). Not only is there a knob, but it is on the center console where you can easily reach it without looking. Same goes with the controls (the touch screen is disabled when the vehicle is moving)
Mazda got this right more recently by completely ditching touchscreens in favour of physical knobs and buttons. They've even been able to move the screen further away so that it's at a more comfortable focal distance -- less time for your eyes to adjust when you flick over from the road to the screen.
My 2016 MX-5 (Miata) has the same thing, and it’s one of the many reasons why as soon as I sat in the car, I immediately fell in love with it. Mazda seems to investment a lot in ergonomics and driver enjoyment. Case in point: the new Mazda 3 2.5 Turbo.