Today’s 4×4 off-roader is far from a basic-to-basics bush-bashing technophobe, but tech levels vary wildly among the leading brands
In 2022, SUV buyers have rightly come to expect a minimum standard of infotainment technology, particularly when the budget extends up to $100,000. Beyond the staples of Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, and wired smartphone mirroring, the contenders in carsales Best Off-Road SUV begin to either lose coverage quickly or ramp it up, their tech features ranging from sparse to savvy. Who are the main culprits? Let’s find out…
Having technology at our fingertips is the new normal, but it has taken car-makers a while to catch up.
It has really only been in the past five years or so that you could reasonably assume that any new vehicle would have both hands-free mobile phone facility and smartphone mirroring.
So for all the contenders lining up for Best Off-Road SUV 2022, you can be guaranteed to be able to pair your phone for calls and audio streaming, have at least one USB port to charge your devices and be able to pair your (USB-connected) smartphone for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto via a centre touch-screen.
You can also expect AM/FM radio, of course, and all the SUVs on test offer voice recognition facility.
Beyond these essentials, there are generally very few frills in this group of contenders.
You’ll be able to enjoy the improved audio quality of digital radio in all but the LDV D90 Executive, Nissan Patrol Ti and the Toyota Fortuner GX.
While smartphone map mirroring is a benison for many, it requires adequate cellular reception and phone data.
If you prefer an embedded (native) satellite navigation system that doesn’t rely on your phone, you’ll only see it in half of the 12 vehicles on test: the Ford Everest Ambiente, Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Night Eagle, Jeep Grand Cherokee Night Eagle, Land Rover Defender 110 P300, Nissan Patrol Ti and the Toyota Prado GX.
Only the Defender offers wireless phone charging, and it’s also the sole SUV in this group to offer wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Fortuner, Prado and even the all-new Toyota LandCruiser GX make do with just one front USB port each – clearly a shortfall for Toyota to consider – while every other 4×4 on our mega-test has multiple ports.
An embedded modem with access to connected services is offered with the Everest, Defender, Fortuner and the LandCruiser 300 Series.
And there’s only one vehicle here with a truly premium audio package – the Jeep Wrangler, which has a nine-speaker system fitted standard.
Keyword: Best Off-Road SUV 2022: Technology