There’s plenty of choice these days, but which infotainment systems are best? Consumer Reports members can speak to that.
First of all, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto trump built-in devices, although it’s close. Sixty-four and 59 percent of members said they were very satisfied with these respective options in a survey encompassing 60,000 vehicles. The same degree of satisfaction across automaker infotainment was 58 percent.
For the smartphone-compatible systems, car owners highlighted the easy-to-use design of Apple CarPlay, while Google Assistant’s voice control was a particular strength of Android Auto – beating many built-in equivalents.
Built-in systems, however, were praised for how easy it is to switch between functions, such as audio, navigation and phone.
If you’re considering which infotainment direction to take on your next vehicle purchase, smartphone-enabled or otherwise, have a look at the ranking for the extensive range of manufacturer options that follow. Members rated these on audio, calling and navigation capabilities. With each automaker is the name of the system and percentage of vehicles for which it received an owner rating of “very satisfied.”
Best built-in infotainment systems
Manufacturer, system name and overall percentage score
Tesla – IVI, 86
BMW – iDrive (with Gesture Control), 80
Genesis – Genesis Display, 75
Ford/Lincoln – Sync 3, 73
FCA (Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Ram) – Uconnect 4, 72
Porsche – PCM, 69
Volkswagen – MIB 2, 68
BMW – iDrive (touch), 68
Audi – MMI (Virtual Cockpit), 68
Cadillac – Cue, 67
Hyundai/Kia – Hyundai Display Audio and UVO3, 67
General Motors (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC) – GM Infotainment, 66
Volvo – Sensus Touch, 63
Nissan – NissanConnect, 61
Infiniti – Infiniti Intouch, 60
Audi – MMI, 59
Mercedes-Benz – Comand, 58
Toyota – Entune, 58
Honda – HondaLink with one screen, 56
Lexus – Remote Touch, 56
Acura – AcuraLink Touchpad, 55
Subaru – Starlink, 55
Jaguar/Land Rover – InControl, 54
Alfa Romeo – Alfa Romeo Display, 54
Mazda – Mazda Connect, 53
Acura – AcuraLink II, 52
Honda – HondaLink with two screens, 50
Lexus – Remote Touchpad, 46
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With 10 years of experience in auto finance, Rob Looker helps car shoppers find the right vehicles with the right financing so they can enjoy the road ahead. When he’s not creating content, he’s often behind the wheel, exploring new…
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