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Best car infotainment systems: From UConnect to MBUX, these are our favorites

Declaring one infotainment system the best over any other is an inherently subjective matter. You can look at quantitative testing for things like input response time and various screen load times, but ask a room full of people that have tried all car infotainment systems what their favorite is, and you’re likely to get a lot of different responses. For the most part, the various infotainment systems available all share a similar purpose. They aim to help the driver get where they're going with navigation, play their favorite tunes via all sorts of media playback options and allow folks to stay connected with others via phone connectivity. Of course, most go way beyond the basics these days and offer features like streaming services, in-car performance data and much more. Unique features are aplenty when you start diving through menus, but how they go about their most important tasks vary widely. Some of our editors prefer systems that are exclusively touch-based and chock full of boundary-pushing features. Others may prefer a back-to-basics non-touch system that is navigable via a scroll wheel. You can compare it to the phone operating system wars. Just like some prefer Android phones over iPhones, we all have our own opinions for what makes up the best infotainment interface. All that said, our combined experience tells us that a number of infotainment systems are at least better than the rest. WeÂ’ve narrowed it down to five total systems in their own subcategories that stand out to us. Read on below to see our picks, and feel free to make your own arguments in the comments. Best infotainment overall: UConnect 5, various Stellantis products Ram 1500 Uconnect Infotainment System Review If thereÂ’s one infotainment system that all of us agree is excellent, itÂ’s UConnect. It has numerous qualities that make it great, but above all else, UConnect is simple and straightforward to use. Ease of operation is one of the most (if not the single most) vital parts of any infotainment system interface. If youÂ’re expected to be able to tap away on a touchscreen while driving and still pay attention to the road, a complex infotainment system is going to remove your attention from the number one task at hand: driving. UConnect uses a simple interface that puts all of your key functions in a clearly-represented row on the bottom of the screen. Tap any of them, and it instantly pulls up that menu.

Marchionne threatens to move Alfa production out of Italy

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne was unsurprisingly frank when asked by reporters about potential investments in Italian manufacturing for Alfa Romeo and Maserati, giving the Italian government the ultimatum, "Italy should decide if they want [Alfa Romeo's relaunch] to happen here or not as Fiat and Chrysler have several alternatives." Them's fightin' words.
Fiat's issue with the government stems directly from its courtroom clashes with the Fiom labor union. The two are currently embroiled in proceedings over longer shifts and shorter breaks, as Fiom has so far refused to sign a new contract citing revised labor laws that it says are anti-union.
According to Bloomberg, Fiat will be spending over $2.5 billion on development of eight new Alfas and six new Maseratis, in a bid to wrest some of the luxury pie away from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. But that's only going to happen if the government is willing to play ball and make life easier on Fiat.

Maserati Levante is Italy's answer to the Porsche Cayenne

When Maserati released the first images of the new Levante – and said little else about it – we wondered what it would be under the hood. Crossover or not, it is still a Maserati, after all. The full details are now here. Globally speaking, Maserati will offer the Levante with three engine options. All of them are turbocharged 3.0-liter V6s, but they vary widely in output and even burn different types of fuel. The base model packs 350 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque for a 0-62 time of 6.0 seconds flat – the same as the base Ghibli, but four tenths slower with a bigger form to move. The Levante S offers a rather impressive 430 hp and 427 lb-ft (more than the Ghibli S) for a 5.2-second sprint. And while the diesel model has the least power, it also offers the most torque, at 275 hp and 442 lb-ft (slightly more than the oil-burning sedan) for a 6.9-second time. Whichever engine is chosen, it comes mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, all-wheel drive, and a limited-slip differential. Those output figures compare rather favorably to the Porsche Cayenne with which the Levante will invariably be compared. But Porsche and Maserati aren't the only high-end, old-world automakers that have now broken into the crossover game. So have Bentley and Jaguar, and soon so will Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Lotus, and Rolls-Royce. It's all part of an onslaught of crossovers coming from some of Europe's most vaunted marques. And while Maserati hasn't gotten there first, it hasn't gotten there last, either. With two sedans already out and a new sports car on the way, the Levante puts the Modenese automaker in prime position to grow, and grow big. View 21 Photos View 4 Photos Related Video: MASERATI LEVANTE DEBUTS AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW Maserati's first SUV receives its eagerly-anticipated world unveiling at the Geneva International Motor Show Modena, 01 March 2016 – Maserati has chosen the 86th Geneva International Motor Show to introduce the first SUV in its hundred-year history: the Levante. As with many Maseratis from the past, the new car's name is inspired by a wind: the Levante is a warm Mediterranean wind that can change from a light breeze to an irresistible natural force in an instant, mirroring the character of the first Maserati SUV. The Levante is the ideal complement to the Maserati range. Combined with the Quattroporte, Ghibli, GranTurismo and GranCabrio, the range now covers the entirety of the global luxury automotive market.