TL;DR | The Big Picture
Mazda’s 2026 US lineup focuses on major technology overhauls, prioritizing larger displays, wireless connectivity, and advanced automation across all models—from the Mazda3 to the flagship CX-90.
Key Technology Updates
- Bigger, Smarter Screens:
- The Standout: Higher-trim CX-5 models now feature a massive 15.6-inch touchscreen with Google built-in (Assistant, Maps, and future Gemini AI capabilities).
- The Rest: The CX-70 and CX-90 utilize a 12.3-inch display, while the CX-30, CX-50, and Turbo-trim Mazda3s upgrade to a 10.25-inch screen.
- Wireless Connectivity:
- Wireless Apple CarPlay & Android Auto are now standard on the CX-50, CX-70, and CX-90 (all trims).
- Mid-level trims and above for the CX-30 and Mazda3 now include wireless connectivity.
- Alexa Built-in is available on multiple models for voice-controlled smart home and media management.
- Enhanced Safety (i-Activsense):
- Standard safety features across the board now include Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and Vehicle Exit Warning (on most trims).
- Cruising & Traffic Support (traffic jam assist/lane centering) is available on upper trims of the CX-50, CX-70, and CX-90.
- Driver Personalization:
- Facial recognition technology is now widely available, automatically adjusting the seat, mirrors, steering wheel, and HUD based on the driver’s profile.
- 360-Degree View Monitor now features a “See-Through View” to help spot low obstacles under the vehicle.
Mazda’s 2026 lineup brings meaningful technology upgrades across every model sold in the U.S., from the compact Mazda3 to the three-row CX-90. Whether you’re shopping for a daily commuter or a family SUV, the tech has moved forward in significant ways.
Bigger Screens and a Smarter Interface
On higher‑trim CX‑5 models, Mazda includes a 15.6‑inch integrated center touchscreen running Google built‑in with Google Assistant and future capability for Google Gemini via software update.
Screens are growing across the rest of the lineup too. The CX‑70 and CX‑90 carry a 12.3‑inch central display on most trims, controlled primarily via a rotary knob rather than as a full‑time touchscreen. The CX‑30 and CX‑50 offer a 10.25‑inch touchscreen on select mid‑level and higher trims, replacing smaller displays from earlier years. Even the Mazda3 gains a 10.25‑inch infotainment screen on its Turbo‑series Premium‑grade trims, up from the previous 8.8‑inch unit that was standard on earlier CX‑ and Mazda3 models.
Wireless Connectivity
For 2026, Mazda pushed wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across most of the US lineup. The CX‑50 includes it standard on all trims. The CX‑70 and CX‑90 likewise offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on every trim level. The CX‑30 and Mazda3 gain wireless connectivity starting on mid‑level trims and above, while even the MX‑5 Miata adds wireless Apple CarPlay on its Club and Grand Touring variants.
Alexa Built‑in joins the 2026 Mazda lineup on multiple models. You can ask Alexa to play music, check the weather, get directions, or control smart‑home devices without touching your phone, as long as Mazda Connected Services or a phone‑based Wi‑Fi hotspot is enabled.
i-Activsense Safety
Mazda’s i‑Activsense safety suite has always packed more standard features into these price points than many shoppers expect. For 2026, it goes further: Blind Spot Monitoring, Rear Cross‑Traffic Alert, Smart‑Brake Support (automatic emergency braking), and Lane Departure Warning are now standard on every 2026 Mazda model that carries the i‑Activsense label, which covers the CX‑30, CX‑50, CX‑70, CX‑90, CX‑5, Mazda3, and MX‑5 Miata at various trim levels. The lineup also adds Vehicle Exit Warning as a standard feature on many mid‑level and higher trims, alerting occupants to approaching traffic or cyclists before they open a door.
The all‑new 2026 CX‑5 sets a new bar. Its base model includes features that were either new or previously optional/trim‑limited on the 2025 CX‑5: Traffic Sign Recognition, Speed Limit Assist with Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Smart‑Brake Support for Turn‑Across Traffic (which detects oncoming vehicles when you’re turning left and can apply the brakes automatically), and Emergency Lane Keeping with Blind Spot Assist, all now standard.
Higher trims on the CX‑70 and CX‑90, and mid‑to‑upper trims of the CX‑50, now include Cruising & Traffic Support, Mazda’s traffic‑jam‑assist and light‑lane‑centering system. It combines Mazda Radar Cruise Control with steering‑assist functions at low‑ to highway‑speeds so the vehicle can manage acceleration, braking, and gentle lane‑centering steering inputs to take the strain out of stop‑and‑go commutes and steady‑state highway driving.
360-Degree Cameras and Driver Personalization
The 360‑Degree View Monitor with See‑Through View is now available on several top‑trim Mazda crossovers in the 2026 lineup. It stitches feeds from multiple cameras into a bird’s‑eye view and uses image‑processing to render a “ghosted” or transparent‑vehicle effect, helping drivers spot low obstacles, curbs, or pavement markings that would otherwise be hidden beneath the car’s body.
Mazda’s Driver Personalization System has also spread across much of the lineup. Using facial recognition, it automatically adjusts the driver’s seat, mirrors, steering wheel, and (on some models) head‑up display height to each driver’s saved profile the moment they sit down and close the door.
Audio and Connected Services
A Bose 12‑speaker premium audio system is available as an option on upper trims across the CX‑30, CX‑50, CX‑70, and CX‑90, replacing or supplementing the standard audio on those higher‑grade configurations. The Mazda3 offers a Bose‑branded premium system on its Turbo‑series models and Carbon Edition, while the MX‑5 Miata retains its unique Bose 9‑speaker setup with UltraNearfield headrest speakers, specifically tuned for open‑top listening and open‑air cone‑noise masking.
Every 2026 Mazda equipped with Mazda Connected Services includes a one‑year complimentary trial of remote‑start, remote‑lock/unlock, and vehicle‑status services via the MyMazda app, with in‑car Wi‑Fi hotspot capability offered on select models under a data‑plan‑based subscription.
If you want to see how any of this works in person, stop by our dealership in Kalamazoo. The 2026 models have taken Mazda’s technology to a new level, especially the all-new CX-5.
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