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5 Annoying Features on the 2020 Mazda MX-5 RF

The 2020 Mazda MX-5 RF is easily one of the most engaging and fun cars in the market today and its definitely one of the best cars that we have driven to date. It currently stands alone in its segment as being the most venerable two-seat convertible, unless you count the Fiat 124, but that’s …

The 2020 Mazda MX-5 RF is easily one of the most engaging and fun cars in the market today and its definitely one of the best cars that we have driven to date. It currently stands alone in its segment as being the most venerable two-seat convertible, unless you count the Fiat 124, but that’s basically the same thing. Either way, we love the MX-5 and everything it has offered, however, it’s not without its minor faults. Here are the five most annoying features that we found on the Mazda MX-5 RF.

The infotainment system

We complained about it before in the Mazda6 and we’re complaining about it again in the MX-5: The infotainment system needs an update, stat. We like that the 7-inch screen sits front and center and we have finally come to peace with the fact it’s only a touchscreen when you’re parked or driving less than 5 mph, however, the system is really slow to start. Additionally, you have to wait a minute or so before it warms up after you start the car. It’s as if it’s an old computer or something.

2020 Mazda MX-5 infotainment screen
| Mazda

Multi-function commander control

Although we no longer pay any mind to the fact that you need to use a knob to control the infotainment system, we still have to mention that it’s cumbersome to use. Sifting through menus while driving is a chore when having to figure out which way to turn the knob can be very annoying, but what’s more annoying is where the knob is placed. Mazda put it right where the driver’s forearm is on the center console, so if you’re planning to buy an MX-5 with a manual transmission, then get ready to hit that knob every time you shift.

2020 Mazda MX-5 infotainment knob
2020 Mazda MX-5 infotainment knob | Motor Biscuit

The lack of adaptive cruise control

For 2020, the Mazda MX-5 comes standard with some advanced safety features including rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot indicators, lane departure warning, and even Smart City Brake Support, which brings the car to a halt when it detects a braking car or even a pedestrian in front of it when you’re driving between 2 to 18 mph. It’s a nifty feature, however, we’re not sure why Mazda didn’t incorporate adaptive cruise control as well. Considering it’s such a small car, a safety feature like that would really come in handy.

2020 Mazda MX-5 Side View
2020 Mazda MX-5 Side View | Motor Biscuit

Excessive wind noise

In Throttle House’s review of the 2019 Mazda MX-5 RF, they noted that there is excessive wind noise in the driver and passenger side area when the top is down and windows are rolled up. We have to agree entirely as we detected the same issue. And although it’s a pretty minor annoyance as no one can ever expect a convertible, in any form, to be perfectly quiet, it’s still annoying nonetheless.

Over-achieving blind spot indicators

Lastly, we did mention that the blind spot indicators are standard, which is fantastic for a small car like this due to its inherent blind spots from the B-pillars. However, we found that the indicators are a little too overzealous when it comes to doing their jobs as they seem to stay on even when there isn’t a car in the blind spot area. Again, they are nice to have but are just a little too sensitive.

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