Which car has the best infotainment system?

July 12th, 2016  |  Auto

Competition in the auto industry has gone through all sorts of phases in terms of what features customers deem most important. At one point it was about power, at another it was strictly about fuel consumption. In 2016, many young buyers prioritize in-car tech when looking for new vehicles.

The infotainment system may seem like a secondary or tertiary consideration to many buyers, but to a lot of drivers, many of the other aspects of a vehicle are more or less equal. So it comes down to things like convenience and affordability. Because of this, automakers are packing as many connected car features into lower-priced models as they can. Infotainment systems are designed to change the way a driver interacts with their vehicle while driving, making it easier to do certain tasks without distracting them. So knowing which system leads the pack in ease-of-use and functionality could indirectly make for a safer and better driving experience.

According to the Globe and Mail, the Fiat Chrysler Uconnect 8.4 system ranked highest in customer surveys by Consumer Reports. 70% of the respondents told reviewers that they were very satisfied with the system. It earned that satisfaction with its simple interface and inclusion of both physical controls and an 8.4” touchscreen.

While the 8.4 edition ranked highest, the smaller-screened 5.0 versions of the Uconnect tech fared noticeably worse with just a 49% satisfaction rate. In second place came Hyundai with 63% and third place went to BMW with 60%. Toyota, who led the charge in reliability and build quality received the worst rating for its infotainment.