Mazda ConnectPro: One of the few nonluxury car companies to use head-up display and an intuitive scroll wheel for screen control. Con: The number of submenus is annoying (and distracting). Real-time traffic updates are oddly separate from the navigation app. Chevrolet MyLinkPro: Pair your iPhone and you can use Siri through the voice-command system, which is nearly seamless.Con: Instead of Bluetooth, iPhone owners have to use a USB cable to connect.Ford/Lincoln Sync 3Pro: The touchscreen is responsive and mimics a smartphone, so you can swipe, scroll, and zoom.Con: A lot of that touchscreen functionality isn’t exactly useful. And it’s not very pretty.Chrysler/Dodge UconnectPro: Large buttons are good for fat-fingered drivers. Wireless charging for properly equipped phones.Con: Features like heated seat controls (and volume?!) aren’t given proper physical buttons. Toyota EntunePro: Excellent integration of voice control into apps. Reads your text messages to you.Con: The screen on base models is pretty small, making it crammed and hard to use. Hyundai Blue LinkPro: Works with Android Wear to let you start the car or unlock your doors with a smart watch.Con: Unintuitive, with a touchscreen that often requires multiple taps before recognizing commands.Audi MMIPro: Has a hard Back button so you don’t have to scour the screen every time you open the wrong app. Con: No dedicated button on the steering wheel to end a phone call.Mercedes-Benz COMANDPro: Very user-friendly, with a scroll wheel and real buttons.Con: Slow connection speed for cloud-based applications. Display looks a little like an iPad glued to the dashboard.Honda HondaLink Next GenerationPro: In the event of an accident, HondaLink Assist will automatically connect you with an operator if your phone is paired via Bluetooth.Con: The dual screens can be confusing. The GPS often takes a while to lock onto your location.This story appears in the July/August 2015 issue of Popular Mechanics.
