Today’s cars feature a wealth of gadgets and gizmos to make our lives on the road that much easier. Climate control and reversing cameras are just some of the marvels of automotive technology.

One addition to many cars these days are infotainment systems. There was once a time where motorists were happy with a CD player. But given that we live in a fast-paced digital age, we want more choice as far as our technology goes.

If you are getting a new car soon, should you consider one with an infotainment system? Or are they just an expense you can live without?

Why there is a need for infotainment systems

As I mentioned a moment ago, many of us got used to cars that only had a radio and CD player unit in the dashboard. In 2015, we demand to have the latest news and information at our fingertips.

To give their cars greater appeal, manufacturers have started offering models with infotainment systems. Some come as standard. Whereas others are an optional extra that you specify from your dealer.

What comprises an infotainment system?

They take the existing radio and CD player technologies and build on them. For a start, you have a small TFT touchscreen display on your dashboard. You use the display to control many aspects of your car, such as the HVAC controls. HVAC stands for “Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning” in case you wondered!

You also manage the radio and CD functions from the same touchscreen display. Some infotainment systems have six-disc changers built into the head unit. They negate the need for a CD changer in the boot or glove compartment.

They also have other features too, depending on the make and model of car you are buying. For instance, many infotainment systems have built-in DAB digital radio and satellite navigation.

Others might also incorporate Bluetooth connectivity. That means you can hook up your smartphone to it using a wireless connection. Doing so lets you stream music from your handset. And you can also make and receive calls by using voice commands with the infotainment system.

What cars have infotainment systems?

As you can see, those systems offer a wealth of features that even technophobes cannot resist using! But which cars can you find that have infotainment systems – either as standard or as an optional extra?

You might be thinking that only high-end vehicles would have them. But, did you know that even some of the used Fords at TCH come with them? They are becoming more common with every new vehicle produced these days.

There will come a time where you’ll only find a few cars without infotainment systems installed as standard!

Is it worth the extra cost?

It depends. If you want to use the latest tech in the vehicles you drive, it makes sense to choose models that come with infotainment systems.

You are likely to find that mid-range to high-end models come with them as standard. Basic, lower spec models might not have them unless you’re willing to pay extra.