deciding on new car: carPlay or none

[grandM]

So I must buy a new car. I'm looking at two brands at the moment due to the location of dealers (and a current discount).

The first brand has a lousy infotainment system (not compatible with android or carPlay). The discount is nice. I can buy a volvo v40 at 24k and a v60 at 28k (having leathers seating, their native navigation system, fast front screen heating in the winter, etc). Thing is it hasn't a touch screen nor does it recognise traffic signs (a big minus). You can google the system.

The second brand has all the new gadgets: it recognises traffic signs, touch screen, carPlay, etc. It doesn't have the winter fast heating of the front screen though (which is a big minus). It's the peugeot 308 at 24k.

Wonder what you guys would suggest?

 

[BarracksSi]

CarPlay built-in means that the microphone works fine (or at least it should), the air conditioning fan speed drops to reduce noise when the system listens to your voice, the nav map is as up-to-date as you can get, if you're on a phone call outside the car and then plug it into the car it'll continue uninterrupted, the rearview camera works fine, etc.

I went from a car where I had to jerry-rig my iPod (and, later, my iPhone) to work by audio output only, and got a new car this spring (Honda Civic) with CarPlay integrated with the OEM system.

I will not buy a car without CarPlay. It's not perfect, but it's as up-to-date as your iPhone is, which is at least four or five years ahead of whatever is installed by the car manufacturer. (well, apart from when you can update the OEM built-in nav data, which is once a year for my Civic's Garmin-based unit)

 

[boston04and07]

CarPlay built-in means that the microphone works fine (or at least it should), the air conditioning fan speed drops to reduce noise when the system listens to your voice, the nav map is as up-to-date as you can get, if you're on a phone call outside the car and then plug it into the car it'll continue uninterrupted, the rearview camera works fine, etc.

I went from a car where I had to jerry-rig my iPod (and, later, my iPhone) to work by audio output only, and got a new car this spring (Honda Civic) with CarPlay integrated with the OEM system.

I will not buy a car without CarPlay. It's not perfect, but it's as up-to-date as your iPhone is, which is at least four or five years ahead of whatever is installed by the car manufacturer. (well, apart from when you can update the OEM built-in nav data, which is once a year for my Civic's Garmin-based unit)

I too just got a Honda Civic and I couldn't love the whole CarPlay integration any more. I spend a lot of time in my car and having it that much easier to navigate and listen to audiobooks and stuff is just so nice. As @BarracksSi said, there are a bunch of little niceties that I didn't realize were a part of CarPlay - the air conditioning momentarily lowering when you're speaking to Siri is one of my favorites. I'm really glad I have it and would definitely get it again if I had to.