Mazda announced recently that it has launched a new mobile app that allows you to remotely control various functions of the car. The Mazda Mobile Start app lets you start the engine to preheat or cool the car. You can let your engine idle for up to 30 minutes. The app remembers your last settings for the climate control system and the defroster. Mazda's new mobile app also enable you to lock the car's doors and it can also activate a panic alarm. This new app can also be used as a car finder. The system uses GPS to locate you car on a built-in map. The Mazda Mobile Start app is available for both Android and Apple devices. It can be purchased in either the iOS App Store or in Google Play. Currently, Mazda can install this new system on the 2016 Mazda6 and on the 2016 Mazda CX5 (automatic transmission only).
As fun as useful as this app might sound, it has a few drawbacks. For starters, it is priced at a whopping 500 USD. Its annual renewal fee is $65.
