I like my most things about my 2016 model as it is, but here would be my suggestions:
1. More robust armrest.
2. Prefer the infotainment display in the dash rather than on top of it. The CX-5 and 6 setups look much less obnoxious.
3. Ditch the CD player and move commander controls to the dash betwen the display and HVAC controls. Then move the cupholders forward to make room for
#1 . I could live with a single cupholder in the center console if the door pockets were changed a little bit.
4. Fix the rattling issues in various places in the dash. Seems to be a fairly common issue on the 2016's. Not sure about the 2017's yet, but seems likely.
5. USB 3.0 to better support larger music collections and improve indexing speeds.
6. More amps from the USB ports for faster device charging or to support devices that require a higher minimum.
7. Improve the cowl over the gauge cluster to better shield it from sunlight. Can be a little hard to read at times.
8. Make auto-wipers and headlights separate from the rest of the iActiveSense system and make it standard on all but the bottom trim levels.
9. Powered/auto folding mirrors available for all markets.
10. Get rid of vinyl seating material. Just go cloth or real leather.
11. Any way to make the rear seats fold all the way flat? The slight incline can be a bit annoying at times when I need to put the seats down.
12. Is the sub-floor panel in the cargo area necessary? I'd argue it isn't and one floor panel is adequate.
13. I'd like a little quieter cabin, but it's not a deal-breaker for me.
14. A tad more power would be nice. 20 bhp (approx. 15% increase) would be appreciated when needed. Our FWD CX-5, to me, feels quicker despite being much bigger and heavier. Again, not a deal breaker.
15. Wish we had the same extensive accessories collection available in the US that other markets get.
16. I personally like the mechanical parking brake. I'd say keep it. My wife's CX-5 has the electronic brake and while it works, I'm not a huge fan of it. I use it sometimes in the snow to help get the rear end around quicker when I want/need to. It's not often I use it for that, but it's nice to have when I do.