What to Look for in Your Next Infotainment System

Do you have the right infotainment system in your car? Do you know what to look for in this system when you’re ready to drive?

Infotainment is the linking of information and entertainment to create a feature in your vehicle that does both. This system is often used for everything from playing the music you love to control the temperature inside your vehicle. These fully-integrated systems can be the most advanced item you use all day, but some of them can also create a frustrating situation for you.

These Systems are Still New

Many older drivers remember the days before cassette tape players were part of the entertainment system of a vehicle. Whether you come from the days of the 8-track player or AM-only radios in cars, or you’ve only ever seen cars with CD players, the advancement of our in-car entertainment is incredible. Most systems are new enough that upgrades are made each year to give us more controls and functions for the screen. In some cars, this is exactly what you want, while other vehicles should keep some controls separated for drivers. We’re still not at a point where balance has been reached.

Is Your System Too Complicated?

The thought that a five-year-old might be better equipped to understand your infotainment system than you is abhorrent. Even so, there are some systems that feel like they are too complicated to function well. Whether the automaker plugged everything into this system and made it user-friendly with natural voice recognition or it’s made to keep you guessing, your infotainment system might be too complicated for you. Because these systems are still fairly new, we’re learning that some controls are better kept out of the screen, but not every automaker has figured this out.

What Should Your Infotainment Screen Offer?

You might be tempted to choose the system with the most features, but that’s not always the best idea. Even though you can afford to pay for a system with all the bells and whistles doesn’t mean you should. If you know you’ll only use a few of the items on the screen; there are ways to find the system you desire.

What do You Like When You Drive?

If you love to listen to a playlist on one of your music apps, you can queue this up with just about every infotainment system in the market. Even if all you have is a Bluetooth connection, you’ll hear the music you love in your car. On the other hand, if you need navigation features, a system with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto that can project your navigation information on the screen can be extremely helpful.

Do You Need to Be Connected?

While it’s not advisable to worry about text messages or social media notifications during your drive, some of us feel that we have to be connected to everything going on. From behind the wheel, your concerns should be on the road, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use the hands-free voice functions of your vehicle to stay connected with the rest of the world. Some infotainment systems offer talk-to-text and an easy way to hear your text messages while you drive.

What are the Best Systems in the Market

Uconnect System from Stellantis

The four main brands we see in the North American market using the Uconnect system are Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram. This system comes with several screen sizes depending on the vehicle chosen. The Uconnect system offers a clean, intuitive interface that runs smoothly in your vehicle. Some of the most recent models have a wireless connection via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to give you the screen projection you want from your smartphone.

Kia Offers UVO, Which is One of the Best Systems

Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis all use the UVO infotainment system to give you amazing connectivity, fast processing speeds, and the animations you’re after. The UVO system is responsive and it offers various screen sizes and the connectivity desired. Some models have redundant rotary controls to give you a secondary way to select menus and find the information desired. Even the factory navigation system is useful and clear in the UVO system, which is a welcome change from other systems.

Mercedes-Benz Does Infotainment Right with the MBUX System

The MBUX system is so named to stand for Mercedes-Benz User Experience. This connectivity system is one of the best in the market, giving you the quick, responsive, and intuitive connections you desire. The MBUX system allows you to use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant as part of the program. This system learns your habits and creates shortcuts to your favorite playlists and the path you take when heading to work to give you the desired traffic updates so you can have a smooth ride.

You’re Sure to Enjoy the Ford Sync 4 System

In its fourth iteration, the Ford Sync 4 system is an impressive system with a full package of features to get you connected during your drive. This system is one of the quickest in the industry, and it brings you information, including maps, weather, and traffic, to help you during your daily drive. This latest version delivers better voice command accuracy and provides a wireless connection using Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Similar to the MBUX system, the Ford Sync 4 system learns your habits and creates shortcuts.

The Volvo Sensus System is Straightforward

You might not expect to find a straightforward infotainment system in a Volvo, but the Sensus system is just that. This system is more callable than previous versions, and it uses massive tablet-like screens to give you the connection you’re looking for. Sensus more easily controls the climate system, along with the connectivity to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which means if it didn’t work, that would be a serious problem. Thankfully, Volvo has taken many steps to ensure this system is operational at all times. You can’t g wrong with the Volvo Sensus system.

Which one of the infotainment systems will you choose? This decision might lead you to the brand of vehicle you want to drive.