We can think of three reasons why Toyota's Entune has long been one of our favorite infotainment systems. First, its touch screen is augmented by knobs and buttons, making it easy to operate. Second, it uses your smartphone for connectivity, so it doesn't require a separate subscription. And third, it has one of the most comprehensive and useful suites of apps available. Along with the latest iteration of Volvo Sensus Connect, it's one of the best infotainment systems you can find in a car today.

For the all-new 2016 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4, the Entune system has been updated with capacitive touch controls that give the interface a sleek new appearance, but lose the ease and feel of physical buttons. Fortunately, it retains two large, convenient knobs for volume and tuning, and the ability to reconfigure key icons to your liking. It's enough to keep Toyota Entune at the very top of the infotainment field, and earn our Editors' Choice.

Overview
The infotainment interface we tested in the Tacoma consists of a 7-inch touch screen flanked by capacitive touch buttons for Audio, Apps, and Home on the driver's side, and Seek/Track and Phone buttons on the passenger side. Below either group sit knobs for volume/power (left) and radio tuning/track skip (right). Many of Entune's features can also be accessed via voice recognition, which includes Siri Eyes Free, by holding down the Voice button on the steering wheel.

The Entune Premium Audio package standard on the 2016 Tacoma includes CD, AM/FM HD Radio, SiriusXM satellite radio (with a three-month All Access subscription), a USB port, an aux input, and Bluetooth audio. Bluetooth is used by Entune to access streaming music from iHeartRadio, Pandora, and Slacker via a gateway Entune app on your iOS or Android smartphone. The system uses your smartphone's data plan rather than any built-in cellular radio for these features, which means you don't have to pay any additional subscription fees, like you do with BMW iDrive.

The system also includes apps for Open Table for restaurant reservations, MovieTickets.com for movie showtimes and ticket purchases, and Facebook Places for checking in at the various locations you drive to. Entune also includes apps for Yelp and Destination Search (both of which are are tied into the navigation system), a comprehensive Maintenance app, and additional generic apps for information on fueling stations, sports, stocks, traffic, and weather.