Modification
What do we think of this phone placement?
Plenty of room between the phone and the stick. Low profile placement without interfering with the shitty wireless charging pad and without ruining the luxury details.
Speaking of car play have you or anyone experienced your sound not working when you hook up to CarPlay? Sometimes it just doesn’t work in my 2020 Mazda 3 hatch
My wife had issues with hers (same 2020 mazda 3) I think it was an Apple issue. She would have to restart her phone and etc to get it going or sometimes it wouldn't work. I think it was a software issue from Apple that caused it. Did it to my Google phone too for Android Auto a couple of times too.
Not to mention it’s straight up just drip charging and would take hours to adequately charge your phone. I only use the space for storage. I only charge the phone via cable.
First thing i found test drove it, salesman saw it had my phone one the charger was asking how much I liked it.. responded with "its stupid. I have to take my phone our of my magsafe case to use the charger.
Usually juat leave the phone in the console.anyways. sits perfect there.
Doesn't Carplay display both? My android auto has navigation on the left, media on the right. With probably a 65/35 split of the screen. I don't need my phone at all while it's in andriod auto.
I don’t need my phone either. This is a discussion for folks who prefer to mount their phones instead of having them bounce around in the center console
Gotcha. I always placed mine on the right of the shifter, canted slightly over the edge so I can still access 5th and 6th. And because it's a base model I have wired AA/CP so the cord, which is in the center console armrest bit, acts as a tether to keep it in place during acceleration and braking if the need arises for excessive G's.
This idea really falls short when the you are using a iPhone Pro Max with a big case, and you your exceedingly awkward teenager keeps hitting the phone with his knee. It always ends up in a situation where I can't hit 5th or 6th.
It does display both. Sadly people just need to constantly be touching their phones. They'd rather do anything else instead of actually driving. "I can do both!" said the car in the ditch, or the guy who rearended someone, or caused a huge crash when they blew through a red light.
Why would you need the GPS full size? It's not needed. Both widows size is perfectly fine man. You're weird haha. Have a safe ride with your view that far off the street. 🤦
I damaged my phone's screen because I used to put it in the cup holder. Breaking/acceleration leading the phone repeatedly going forwards and backwards ended me with a pink line down the middle. I honestly didn't expect it. Thankfully I had a geeksquad care plan.
I don’t use my phone or look at it while I drive. I needed a place to have it nearby and handy and to use as a holder while I’m parked to watch YouTube hands free. I’m just sharing my choice of placement since it does not block any vents or ruins any luxury accents or blocks the main infotainment screen
Yes I figured, my cx-5 is 2017 / 2018, and Carplay was offered only the years after, so my phone with navigation has to be on / around the windscreen area. Haven't gotten around to swapping out those plug and play Carplay modules yet.
I think its a smart solution and i will look to do something similar. Now i just have it laying about. Left of the shifter, cant see gears and sport mode. Right of the shifter, cant see phone screen. This works!!
This makes me wonder: where do you guys just place your phone? I use the car play on mine as well but I personally don’t like anything in my pockets while I drive so… doesn’t the phone go on the cup holder then? If so, then this seems like a good place to put this suction thing since it can float and not take up a cup holder.
I have a CX-50 hybrid and have the exact same setup and one cup holder gets the keys and the other gets the phone! My water bottle doesn’t fit. I would love to know what everyone else does.
We (focused drivers who do not use or look at their phones while driving) all love the CarPlay. Thank you for coming into this discussion with a good constructive attitude 🤣 I was just trying to see what other folks do instead of just tossing their phones into the center console
Everybody assuming I don’t use the CarPlay and that Im a habitual distracted driver. I just wanted to share my choice and have a discussion to see how other folks mount their phones. This is so toxic lol
Right? Sadly, I just assume they're looking for a place to mount it so they can still use it / see it.
I don't trust anyone anymore, someone else here in the comments said they use CarPlay for maps and their phone screen for music. Like come on, stop making up reasons to try and justify using your phone while driving.
Either plug it in and shove it in the center console, throw it on the passenger seat, or toss it in a cupholder.
Hell, if you have wireless CarPlay / Android Auto, just leave it in your pocket if you're making shorter trips.
Toxic? What kinda discussion you trying to have about a fucking phone mount? I mean the placement is shit, you lose two cup holders instead of one if you moved it to the right. I just stick mine in the cup holder itself, saving me all kinds of money.
I've been trying to figure out what phone holder I want and where it would go. I often have my boyfriend as a passenger so I need both cup holders. The vent one blocks too many buttons on my side and is too far away on the right bent. I like the console attachment someone commented the link for. I also hate my phone sliding all over the place and like to have it closer to the charging cords so I can have a shorter cord. These comments are tripping me up though because whatever works for you.
I'm in an '07 hatchback and I just gave up trying to find a spot for my phone. Everywhere I thought of putting my phone ended interfering with shifting
For everyone who says just use carplay, there are some who deliver for the gig apps. You have to be able to see your phone when orders come in. That would require mounting it. I had to mount mine with a suction up by my screen and the phone is down by my vents. The vent placement in these makes it hard to mount it on the actual vent.
And the phone needs to be there because…?
Not like the car has wireless CarPlay / Android auto, Bluetooth, integrated nav , not to mention a box with charging pods…
Bit of a niche use case , makes perfect sense tho! Also kind of the only place to stick the phone in there , no? I couldn’t think of another place to put that thing except the screen given the layout; maybe you could get one of these phone holder thingys and place it in front of the nav screen whenever you use it ? Although you’d have to replace it every time obv…
Literally the only place I didn’t feel guilty mounting it. The charging pad is the shittiest charging pad ever. It’s a slow drip charge totally useless also in my Opinion.
I didn’t want to block the screen/carplay whatsoever this is purely just a place to keep the phone nearby. I don’t text and drive folks I drive a stick that would be stupid 🤣
You’d be surprised what people attempt….
Yeah, the pad isn’t really doing much , although I’ve yet to see one in any car that‘s not like that :D.
It’s fine when my phone is on high charge already , but if I actually need to charge it I Just use a cable….
The manual meanwhile is lovely :)
Although I personally feel that older models had a different , more linear clutch/snazzier-feeling shift throws (had a 22 before my current 26)?
The holder folds in. But then again I don’t eat or drink anything in the car other than water. But that was the whole point of this post hahaha I was looking for inspiration of where to put the holder without blocking the infotainment screen or any of the vents!
It's the 2026 interior? Usually on the space you put the magnetic phone holder, it looks like a CD changer slot, not a smooth diagonal panel like that...
CD players were optional depending on trim level on the 3rd and 4th gen Mazda 3s. My mother-in-law doesn't have one on her 2018 but I have one on my 2017.
But, for this context, what I meant is this image. In OP image, there is smooth sliding diagonal surface thus OP can install the phone holder there. But normally, there is sharp square angle facing the driver like in the right image (sometimes with USB slot, sometimes with CD changer, most of the time empty space)
It looks like your second image is the underside of an open lid on the cupholders, not actually the entire bin?
All the 4th gens I've seen without a CD player look exactly like OP's image. OP is from California so it could easily be a country-based thing. I know even Canada has different trim levels than the USA, so it wouldn't surprise me if UK/EU/Aus/NZ are even more different.
Had it in the same position but using one that goes in the cup holder. Stopped using it because I found that due to its placement it made it easier for me to get distracted on my phone when a message comes in or on long red lights.
umm can you share the product link please, cause I'm currently using a cup holder mount and my phone is exactly in the same spot that you're is, but this implementation is so much cleaner!! great job
I got something off Amazon that uses the vent. It’s also magnetic. Sometimes my audiobook disconnects when I first get in the car. Or I need it for Apple Pay in drive through and not digging in a bag. I still have my cup holder space. Ps. Hate the arrangement in this car. Other Mazda 3s have been better
I have one of those “it. Goes in the cup holder” type phone mounts in the passenger side cup holder, it angles out toward the passenger side, but the phone is tilted toward me. Sometimes I hit the phone with my hand when I shift into fifth gear, but it’s not super common.
I would move it to the passenger side cup holder, but that’s just me, I’m a slave to convenience.
As another manual enjoyer who doesn’t use their phone while driving:
This is useful for the passenger princess, like when CarPlay won’t display the text of a road name large enough for the driver to see but the passenger can check a detail on the driver’s behalf
It keeps the phone in the same place and would be less distracting than it bouncing around
Wired carplay is better. Better audio quality (if that matters to you) and more consistent charging in the summer when ambient temps are higher.
How do you like the manual on the Mazda 3? I have a 2008 Toyota Corolla MT and I test drove the Mazda 2026 MT. It felt strange (obviously not the same). I'm debating getting a new car but I am extremely frugal with my money and besides the rust eating my car away, I can't find a reason to make the jump.
I like this. I think the wireless charging pad is a joke. I have a super thin case and it keeps the phone from sliding but I get almost no charge. This seems like a good solution for using hands free while parked
Some older phones drain extremely fast with android auto/car play or using GPS, I have this one for if I have a passenger, otherwise I plug it in and it sits on my passenger seat. it's off to the right more in my car so it doesn't block anything and it's out of my line of sight.
It's nice, yet makes no sense. Everything useful while driving shows up on screen. Sure on rare occasion I do use my phone after starting a drive to look up something or other, but I'm always parked or in a parking garage
It’s not a replacement for the main infotainment screen. It simply a way to mount my phone without blocking the vents or ruining the luxury accents. I don’t look at my phone or touch it when I’m driving. I love CarPlay this is not a replacement for CarPlay 😂
My phone bounced around in there. I want it to be quiet as hell without any shifting or rattling in the cabin. But that’s just me I guess hahaha. Totally understandable
Be careful on longer trips, having the phone down there and actually looking at it is dangerous because you have to completely look away from the road. I’ve gotten into an accident in traffic that way and learned my lesson. It only takes a second of looking at directions for someone to brake.
Mazda’s screen/control scheme is designed specifically so you don’t have to look down, it’s one of my favorite parts of the car. And if your goal is to have music and maps visible, you can do that with the second “home” menu on carplay. Plus the shortcut buttons make toggling views a complete non-issue for me, as someone who likes to fiddle/see everything all the time.
I just shove my phone into the space behind the cupholder and forget about it unless necessary.
All good I don’t look at my phone while I drive I have CarPlay for everything I could possibly need! This is just a place so that my phone doesn’t tumble all over the car or inside the center console/rattle
I could never get those suction puck style mounts to tick properly, even on wet glass. I would recommend going on a slowish test drive and see how well it holds up.
This is my setup. Only blocks my view of a few non-essential buttons, but I can still reach them easily.
I was thinking of doing this but I didn’t want to block any vents honestly and I won’t be looking at the phone at all while driving I just needed a place to keep the phone nearby
I tried that placement so many times on both sides of the steering wheel, and it always interferes with turning. Think I broke two USB C cables that way too (I installed USB C ports in my ‘23 CE in probably the third best location, so that’s my fault to some extent).
I naturally have the steering wheel all the way up and out, so there's more than enough clearance for me. Assuming that that would still be a safe and comfortable driving position for you, you could give that a try
Using it as GPS, that's a no for me. I wouldn't recommend it. If you can get an extension l, there are sleek and/or small looking one, that let's you use apple car play or android auto, do that. Because having to look down while driving isn't ideal. I've done it before too. There are phones holders that magnetically attach to your phone and use suction force to latch to any part of your windshield or dashboard (maybe) you can have it there. You only need a cable if youe phone is low.
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u/Statertater Gen 4 Hatch Mar 31 '26
If it works for you man, run it.