We don't add a lot of new categories to the Readers' Choice survey list every year, but when an opening arrived, slotting in a survey of how PCMag readers feel about vehicles felt almost...automatic. The issue that stepped into the road as we drove toward this survey was, how do we differentiate from all the other car and truck surveys out there? Leaning into our own expertise, we decided that while we would indeed ask people for their overall satisfaction with their make and model of auto, that wouldn't be the main criteria for an award. Instead, what mattered most in in these results was connectivity.
Specifically, we asked readers with manufacturer year 2016 to 2020 vehicles to rate their feelings about its infotainment system—features like audio, navigation, wireless support, as well as the dashboard interface—on a scale of one to 10, with 10 as the best. It turns out that people feel strongly about their connected vehicle brands.
Connected Cars
Top ratings for expensive products is nothing new in our surveys. So it wasn't a total surprise that people gave a brand like TeslaTesla such high marks. What was surprising was the consistently incredible ratings the EVs got for connectivity features and overall as vehicles.
//Even when other vendors come close, they can't top Tesla. A 9.6 as a car and a 9.5 for connectivity, plus a 9.6 for the likelihood people would recommend the Tesla brand for connectivity, all ensured the company's win. It's the other high marks that underscore it.
For example, look at the competitiveness in the area of backup camera. The feature is standard in every new vehicle in America since 2018, and included in most of them long before that (the requirement was announced in 2014). The scores make it clear: people love having the backup cam. But not all executions are the same. Mercedes-Benz owner gave theirs a 9.6; BMW and Hyundai users said 9.5. Neither of them are as good as the large-screen backup on the Tesla, which scored an almost-perfect 9.8.
Tesla only competes in a few other areas. Bluetooth implementation tied for the top spot with GMC at 9.4; on GPS navigation, it ruled with an unrivaled 9.6. If Tesla has any so-called weak spot it's the overall system interface on the dash, but even that was a 9.3 out of 10—it's only "weak" because that's the lowest number any Tesla user was willing to dole out.
Let's be honest, the numbers earned by many other cars are still on the "pretty great" scale for connectivity. Hyundai in second place with an 8.8 is only weak because Tesla is so strong. Had Tesla not made the cut of with the 100-response minimum, Hyundai would have been the winner by a long shot. It's a brand no one is going to be displeased with when behind the wheel.
It's worth noting that many (but not all) modern cars offer the ability to connect smartphones using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Both can replace the proprietary interface found in most car models when the right kind of phone is connected (sometimes via Bluetooth, usually via a USB cable). Not all cars have the same setup or configuration, so it's telling how people feel about them. For example, four car makers got a 9.1 for using CarPlay (Hyundai, Kia, Volkswagon, and Subaru). But the highest score for Android Auto use was a stellar 9.4 to BMW. No other car maker could top 8.9 (Jeep).
Other features you may want to consider per car brand are satellite radio (Hyundai rules with a 9.3) and the growing number of cars with a Wi-Fi hotspot function. Three brands got an 8.9 for their internet options: GMC, Ford, and Honda.
A quick note on some data we got that was a little more specific. Since we did ask for every model and year of your cars as well, we looked at those with enough response to meet our minimum for requirement. At the top of that list for connectivity by year were 2019 Subarus with a 8.8 for connectivity, followed by a 2019 Chevrolet with an 8.7 for connectivity.
When we got down to the specific model (not by year), we only had six cars make the cut. Top of them was the Tesla Model 3 with a 9.5 for connectivity—it's the model most PCMag readers with a Tesla own. A somewhat distant second for connectivity is a tie between the Subaru Forester and the Ford F150 pickup truck (all styles) at 8.4. Third is another Ford, the Escape, at 8.2.
If you're curious about the average PCMag reader's ride, turns out the majority of them have an SUV (41.9 percent) but the number goes up if you only look at cars from the last five years (50.2 percent). They're almost all standard gas cars; 5 percent have hybrids. Those Tesla owners and other all-electrics only make up 2.5 percent of the total (again, it's higher if you look only at the last five years, when they shoot up to 4.6 percent).
For more, read PCMag Cars & Auto ReviewsPCMag Cars & Auto Reviews, in particular The Best High-Tech Cars for 2020The Best High-Tech Cars for 2020.
Full Results
The PCMag Readers' Choice survey for Connected Cars was in the field from May 11, 2020 through June 1, 2020. For more information on how the survey is conducted, read the survey methodology.
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