The best car infotainment systems available now

There’s no getting round it – the in-car touchscreen is here to stay. Modern cars have, in some cases, almost entirely ditched physical buttons in favour of increasingly giant screens.

The fact is that, with modern cars having so many functions to control, there’s just no way we can return to the tidy, simple dashboards of yesteryear. There’s also a bit of nostalgia goggles going on there, as many people forget that some old cars, particularly top-spec executive models, had absolute button-fests that were arguably far less easy to use than even the most complex touchscreen.

There’s a balance to be struck, though, and we think that the ideal car interior has a mixture of physical buttons for essential functions as well as a big, easy-to-use touchscreen.

So, since we’ve established that you have to have a touchscreen in your car – which ones are the best? We’ve rounded up the most impressive, easiest-to-use and highest-tech systems out there.

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Mercedes MBUX

Mercedes is possibly the least screen-agnostic brand going – its latest model, the GLC Electric, has an absolutely mammoth 391-inch touchscreen stretching the full width of the dashboard. Other Mercedes models have various sizes and arrangements of screen, but all run the same kind of software, branded MBUX.

And no matter what your feelings are on the display real estate here, there’s no denying that MBUX is a really good operating system. It’s clearly been designed with touchscreens in mind, as the icons are all big, easy to hit and simply laid out. The Mercedes voice assistant is a bit eager, but it’s among the best for actually understanding what you’re saying and achieving your goals. And the whole system operates really quickly and smoothly, with no crashes or awkward loading times.

BMW Panoramic iDrive

BMW revolutionised in-car entertainment with the original – and much-criticised – iDrive system back in 2001. Since then it’s gone through generations of change, finally reaching the newest generation – Panoramic iDrive, as fitted to the latest BMW iX3.

This looks odd, with a weirdly slanted touchscreen, but it’s really snappy to operate and very simple to navigate. The sheer number of functions can be overwhelming but you soon learn where the essential ones are. Plus, the ‘Panoramic’ part – the full-width display just under the windscreen edge – is customisable, looks cool and is easy to read.

Renault OpenR Link

Your car has many of the same functions as your smartphone, so why shouldn’t it run smartphone software? Well, that’s what the latest Renault system has – it runs Google’s Android Automotive, giving you a phone-like interface and access to a wide range of apps which run natively. OpenR Link comes fitted to all the latest Renault products such as the Austral, Symbioz and Renault 5.

For existing Google users, it’s amazing, as you can log into all of your existing accounts for a totally seamless experience from phone to car. But even without that, the built-in Google Maps and voice assistant are way better than most manufacturers’ own systems.

Tesla OS

Tesla has always fitted its cars with massive touchscreens but the latest Model 3 and Model Y go further by having them do almost everything in the car. Not just infotainment, the central display in a Tesla also contains your speed and driving info and even the drive selector. The only other controls in the car are the scant few buttons on the steering wheel and the door handles.

However, Tesla’s insistence on building everything in-house means that the touchscreens fitted to the Model 3 and Model Y are more seamlessly integrated than just about anything else. The car’s functions all work together perfectly, from the navigation to the audio to the self-driving features, and the Tesla companion app is really impressive too. It’s incredibly intuitive to operate, though the introduction of the AI assistant Grok isn’t all it’s cracked up to be…

Land Rover Pivi Pro

The Pivi Pro system fitted to all current Land Rovers and Range Rovers doesn’t really do anything clever, but it looks great and it makes a lot of sense in operation. One clever feature is the contextual settings button, which when pressed presents you with the settings for whichever feature you’re currently in – media, maps, etc. – as well as opening out to a full settings menu. A small touch that works well.

The sliders at the sides of the screen to control temperature are intuitive and the display itself is crisp and clear. Plus, it’s not so big that it’s a distraction while you’re driving – in keeping with the discreet luxury air that Range Rover products aim for.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

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