It doesn't make headlines or shave off seconds round the Top Gear test track. But in-car tech like nav, Bluetooth and smartphone integration is the biggest differentiator in modern motoring. Here's our guide to the best and worst deals you can buy.
Shop around for a 1.8-litre diesel hatchback and you'll find most of the key metrics are separated by a cigarette paper.
Power, performance, emissions, passenger space, they're often almost identical. OK, the warranties that cover all that hardware can vary. But the oily bits are awfully similar.
The driving experience is very samey, too. It's often said there are no bad cars any longer. When it comes to things like ride and handling, that's almost true.
But not when it comes to in-car technology. From touchscreens to voice control and DAB to internet connectivity, there are huge differences in infotainment pricing and capability.
Put it this way. You probably won't notice whether a Golf or a Focus has better steering feel. But you definitely will know if you iPhone syncs more smartly or if that clunky navigation doesn't support postcodes.
However, the good news is that things are changing fast. Manufacturers are waking up to the fact the cars buyers simply won't stand for paying five times as much as a tablet computer for half the functionality.
Five best deals in infotainment
Audi A3 MMI with Navigation
£495
Premium manufacturers are addicted to hitting customers with big bills for infotainment options. In this part of the market, full-feature in-car systems with navigation typically command four-figure fees.
Indeed, systems costing £2,000 or more are not unusual. But things are beginning to change. The new Audi A3 gets a fair amount of MMI functionality as standard, including the main LCD display, the input wheel and Bluetooth right across the range.
Meanwhile, upgrading to the navigation-enabled option costs £495. That looks pricey comapred with an aftermarket option like a TomTom. But it's very aggressively priced for a premium factory fit system.
BMW and MINI (every model) DAB radio
£Free
It seems like an obvious thing to do, fitting DAB radio as standard to every car. Instead, you'd be amazed just how many cars can't even be had with DAB radio as a cost option.
Hats off, then, to BMW for making DAB standard on every BMW and MINI branded car it sells . It'll cost BMW almost nothing in terms of fitting the hardware. But it does mean they miss out on on upselling DAB as an option. Here's hoping more car makers follow BMW's lead.
Fiat 500 Blue&Me
£250
When Blue&Me first appeared on the cutesy Fiat 500 back in 2007, it was one of the most innovative in-car system on the market with its early take on in-car apps like ecoDrive.
Since then, Fiat has rather let Blue&Me stagnate. Smartphone integration and internet connectivity are conspicuous by their absence. However, For just £250 you still get a simple, effective little system that does the basics better than most. That includes music from iPhones or USB devices and Bluetooth telephony. For around £240 more, you can add an semi-integrated TomTom device for navigation.
Vauxhall Adam Intellilink
£275
Vauxhall's new city car has a tough job on its hands. Whatever the price point, from the VW Up! To the Fiat 500 and Audi A1, the competition is seriously stiff.
But the oddly named Adam's new Intellink system could help turn heads. For just £275, you get what Vauxhall claims is seamless iPhone and Android integration along with access to internet-based apps and GPS navigation via your handset. The Adam is so new, we haven't tried it yet. But it looks great on paper.
VW Up! Maps and More
£300
It's not perfect. But it is very cheap at just £250. And it has all the critical features covers. That's the VW Up!'s Maps and More infotainment system. At a glance, it looks like a boggo, off-the-shelf Navigon satnav device.
But it's actually a bit cleverer than that. It's integrated into the Up!'s telematics and audio system. So features like the trip computer, music playback and Bluetooth functionality are all brought together on the x-inch touchscreen. And because it's based on a Navigon device, you can whip it out of the car and use it as a portable nav device.
