Best high tech cars
Technology is one of the most important features to consider when buying a new vehicle. These models have the best car tech we've tested.
| 2015 Tesla Model S P85D | 2017 Chevy Volt Premier | 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid | 2017 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited | 2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring | 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid EX | 2017 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid | 2017 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid | 2017 Nissan Leaf SL Review | 2017 Toyota Mirai |
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Start Your Engines
Buying a new car ranks right up there with visits to the dentist and tax audits as most people's least favorite experiences. And it's gotten even more frustrating and complicated thanks to all the new technology coming to modern vehicles.
It doesn't help that the latest connected cars can vary widely in user-friendliness and available features. So it's essential that you know what to look before starting to shop for a new vehicle. And given that a new car is such a large purchase—and you'll likely be holding on to a vehicle for at least a few years—you have to live with that choice much longer compared with, say, deciding which new smartphone or tablet to buy.
Here are some of the main technologies you want to keep in mind when shopping for a new car:
Infotainment Interfaces
Infotainment is one of the most difficult tech features to judge, since there are no industry standards. It's also an area where automakers (and car buyers) are struggling. Controlling audio playback, navigation, and in-car apps when behind the wheel is a lot different than tapping away on your iPhone when sitting comfortably in your living room. A couple of infotainment interfaces we find easy to use are Toyota Entune and Volvo Sensus Connect for the former's configurable interface and the latter's large display layout.
Connectivity and Apps
Connectivity is what lets you access navigation, real-time traffic updates, local search, and more while on the road. That's why automakers are aggressively adding connectivity and in-dash apps to vehicles in three varieties: embedded, tethered, and a hybrid approach.
Embedded means there's a modem in the vehicle (and a subscription is usually required) to connect to the cloud, as with Mercedes-Benz mbrace2 system. Tethered systems leverage the connectivity—and data plan—of your portable device by syncing to the car's infotainment system, as with Chevy MyLink. The hybrid approach uses a combination of the two: embedded connectivity for critical functions such as automatic crash notification, and tethered connectivity for, say, infotainment apps.
We prefer the tethered approach (and not paying a monthly subscription) that's best exemplified by systems that feature Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Apple and Google's tethering ecosystems offer broad support across multiple infotainment platforms.
For a closer look at connectivity options, read Buying a New Car? Know Your Connectivity Options.
Audio
Music was the original consumer electronics technology to enter the car. And today there's more ways than ever to get great road tunes in your ride: AM and FM (now in HD), satellite radio, CD and DVD, in-dash hard drives, portable device integration via USB and auxiliary inputs, SD cards, and streaming music apps. But no matter how many music sources you have in your car, they'll only be as enjoyable as the stereo system they're played through. The good news is that premium audio in cars is better than ever and range from the expensive and esoteric, as with the Bang & Olufsen systems in several luxury makes with tweeters that rise out of the dashboard, to the low- or no-cost options like the sweet-sounding Infinity systems in many Kia vehicles.
Navigation
Knowing how to get where you're going is vital when driving, which is why in-dash navigation systems have made paper maps almost obsolete. And nav systems have gotten better with cloud connectivity, allowing for real-time traffic info, local search, and compatibility with portable devices. Audi's MMIsystem is a good example of just how far navigation has come. It offers Google Earth mapping, parking information that lets you find available spots in advance, and even a "picture navigation" feature that uses the geotagged information from a digital photograph to find an address and route the car to it. Of course, if you aren't happy with your vehicle's built-in navigation, you can always turn to a free GPS app.
Bluetooth
Blueooth was originally just for hands-free phone usage, but has evolved into providing streaming music from a portable device. It also serves as the link between a car's infotainment system and designated apps on your smartphone. Compatibility issues that have plagued the connection between phones and cars can still be a problem, however. That's why it's important to make sure your devices and new car can communicate with one another.
In fact, when you're test-driving new vehicles, make sure to spend time trying out the tech features. Get to know the operation of the infotainment system, understand how the car connects to the cloud and which apps are available, listen to the audio system and check out its music sources, enter a destination into the navigation system, and pair your device with the car via Bluetooth and make a few phone calls. This way you lessen your chance of buying a car with poor technology that you'll be stuck with for years to come.
It's Electric!
For the first time ever, this list consists exclusively of electric and hybrid vehicles (and in one case, hydrogen). These cars eschew standard gasoline engines for much more technologically advanced and fuel-efficient means of propulsion. You still need to top them off in some form or another, though.
Hybrid vehicles use both a gasoline engine and an electric motor instead of relying on gas alone. The electric motor works in tandem with the engine, assisting with most maneuvers to use much less gas. Conversely, the gas engine helps keep the battery charged through regenerative breaking, putting power back into the battery that drives the electric motor every time you coast to a stop.
Electric vehicles drop the gasoline engine entirely and rely only on electricity to run. Cars like the Nissan Leaf and Tesla's offerings don't use any gas or give off any emissions. The trade-off is that fueling takes much longer and can be more difficult to find, and the range for these vehicles is limited. You need to plug electric vehicles in to charge them, and if you set up a quick charger at your home you can easily top off in about half an hour. If a dedicated charger isn't handy, though, charging through a power cable plugged into a more conventional 110/120-volt outlet can take four to eight hours.
Plug-in hybrids like the Chevy Volt are, well, hybrid hybrids. They're hybrid vehicles that charge like electric cars and can run entirely off of the electric motor and battery for a distance. If you need to drive farther than the battery allows, a gasoline engine lets you keep going without plugging it in. They offer the environmental friendliness of an electric vehicle while providing options for when you can't find a charging station and don't want to wait hours to drive.
Hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles like the Toyota Mirai are still in their fledgling stages, even compared with hybrids and electric vehicles. They use hydrogen instead of gasoline to drive their motors, which makes them emission-free and environmentally friendly. They also have a much aurther range than electric vehicles, with the Mirai able to go up to 300 miles between fills. The problem is that they're currently California-only vehicles, because that's the only state where you'll find hydrogen fuel stations with any remote regularity.
These vehicles are all much more green and economical in the long term than cars that rely only on gasoline engines. However, they're consistently more expensive than conventional vehicles (at least initially; the savings in fuel can help make up for that with a few years of driving), and they generally offer less cargo space. The trunks of most hybrid and electric vehicles are at least partially occupied by the bulky battery needed to drive the electric motor, so there simply isn't as much room in the back for your groceries or suitcases.
Safety
Last but not least is actually one of the first things you should consider when buying a new vehicle, and that's safety. Modern driver-assist systems use various combinations of cameras and sensors to keep track of dangers you may not notice, like the car ahead of you suddenly hitting the breaks, or another car approaching in your blind spot. Dash cams are useful in case you do get in a fender bender, as they continuously record what happens and can be used to limit your liability.
Depending on the driver assists in your vehicle, you might receive an alert warning you of potential hazards, while some systems will automatically take over for you. And that's worth a heck of a lot more than a new sound system. For more, see The Best Driver-Assist Cars.
Here you'll find a list of vehicles we tested that are examples of the best car tech in the categories above. If you're looking to upgrade your exisiting ride, check out some of our favorite ways to soup up your current ride with tech.
Featured High-Tech Car Reviews:
2015 Tesla Model S P85D Review
Bottom Line: The 2015 Tesla Model S leads the way for electric vehicles with its cutting-edge technology, and the P85D model leaves many luxury and performance competitors behind.Read Full Review
2017 Chevy Volt Premier Review
Bottom Line: Improvements to the 2017 Chevy Volt make it more efficient, safer, and more fun to drive, while further distancing it from the increasing plug-in hybrid competition.Read Full Review
2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid Review
Bottom Line: With its attractive design and excellent features, the 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid is the among the best full-size non-luxury hybrid sedans on the road.Read Full Review
2017 Toyota Avalon Hybrid Limited Review
Bottom Line: If you're looking for the exceptional fuel economy of a hybrid but want more room, a bit of luxury, and a little extra performance, Toyota has you covered with the 2017 Toyota Avalon Hybrid.Read Full Review
2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring Review
Bottom Line: The redesigned 2016 Toyota Prius Four Touring offers increased passenger and cargo space, better handling, and remains one of the most fuel-efficient hybrid cars you can buy.Read Full Review
2017 Kia Optima Hybrid EX Review
Bottom Line: The 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid's good looks, solid performance, and high value-to-cost ratio make it an excellent choice among midsize hybrid sedans.Read Full Review
2017 Kia Optima Plug-in Hybrid Review
Bottom Line: The midsize 2017 Kia Optima Plug-In Hybrid sedan's comfort, utility, and alternative fuel appeal makes it a solid pick for eco-minded buyers.Read Full Review
2017 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid Review
Bottom Line: Acura's first hybrid SUV builds on the long-term success of the gas-powered MDX, but also shares some of its shortcomings.Read Full Review
2017 Nissan Leaf SL Review Review
Bottom Line: The Nissan Leaf proves that an EV can be a viable everyday vehicle within certain circumstances.Read Full Review
2017 Toyota Mirai Review
Bottom Line: As the only hydrogen-powered vehicle you can buy, the 2017 Toyota Mirai has certain advantages over electric cars, but also the drawbacks of limited availability and fueling options.Read Full Review
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