My car is a 2016 and has a lot of toys in the infotainment area.  But the radio works about the same as it always has.  I have my preselect stations for FM, Sirius XM and AM, although the car offers more pre selects for FM.  I can use all of the controls either on the screen or steering wheel.  The AM tuner is alright, I can pull in all the Toronto AM stations from Kitchener.  But I know what you are saying, the section for the sound system in my owners manual is huge.  But if you only want to use the radio and not much else then you should be alright.

Jody Thornton wrote:

Does your car of choice have an HD tuner RadioActive?

RadioAaron wrote:

I know you listen to mostly AM radio, so I'd suggest making sure you get a system with HD.

No, my current car doesn't have HD. In fact, I've never owned a radio with that capability, although I'd like to. The car I'm looking at does have it, but too many other needless bells and whistles. You should see this thing. A volume dial that also acts as a joystick, a separate dial controller that you have to click to choose a menu and a separate section with 16 different menus, that then leads to another 16 submenus. Even the videos with spokesmen for the vehicle admit they've had a lot of complaints about it, but they claim it just takes some getting used to. 

That may be true, but I really don't want to have to study for three weeks to figure out how to tune in GNR640 or CBC Radio 1.

paterson1 wrote:

The section for the sound system in my owners manual is huge.  But if you only want to use the radio and not much else then you should be alright.

Yes, but unlike what they say about travel, getting there isn't half the fun! All I want is the damn radio! What an unnecessarily complicated mess and something that's making this idiotically complicated.

The other irritant I've talked about before is FM 1 & FM 2 - which offers up more presets I will never use. Meanwhile, there aren't enough AM choices that I would like to set, and they're very limited. And as noted, yes, I'm not like other car buyers. Why do radios restrict AM and double up on FM? Shouldn't it be up to the user to decide which band he or she prefers?  

Car manufacturers seem hellbent on outdoing each other in the area of entertainment systems. Whatever happened to the KISS method - Keep It Simple Stupid! 

I just bought a 2017 Chev Cruze LT.   It is the RS model and has an upgraded audio system and I LOVE IT.  A little complicated but took the time to learn.
Here is what I love.   There is a small plug just up from shifter that I thought was for a cord to charge phone or whatever.   No.   It is for a USB stick.
All of my music has been uploaded to my computer, so I just downloaded it to a stick (about 6000 songs) and it plays through car audio system which really does sound good.
Also has a read out of song playing, on the screen, a list of what is coming up next ect. so I can jump around, play full albums, or shuffle around, and did I say, it really sounds good.    
Car also came with 3 months of Sirus, but I never use it, nor do I listen to any stations. 
Take a little time, play around, these systems are a little complicated at first, but amazing.  

I drive a 2006 Toyota Camry which has 6 AM and 12 FM presets and yes there are controls on the steering wheel. I had some major repairs done recently and I thought I would check out some of the newer models. I test drove a dark blue with black interior 2020 Camry. When I started the car, push button would take some getting used to, the instrument panel lit up. Talk about information overload. I thought I was in an airplane cockpit. Black interior was extremely claustropobic. The "Entertainment System" sounded great but like you RA, learning how to operate it, would be extremely intimidating for me. I just want to listen to the radio and I do have all 12 FM presets filled. And if I can't find anything interesting, DXing is always an option. For now, I will stick with my 06 Camry.

grilled.cheese wrote:

Get a better data plan and stream everything with your phone

Can't say I disagree with the idea as this is the future of something once known as "radio"
 

Just a Radio Fan wrote:

   Most of those discussing this I believe worked in radio.   On air studios and production studios, many different inputs, buttons pods, as of the last couple of decades computers, etc.  How did you easily manage all of that, but are being scared off by a car stereo?   

Just-a:   Technical difficulties are temporary.     Do not adjust your dial.
 

I expected the derision and you have a point. But you know all this stuff just adds to the cost. I kind of compare it to getting a new computer. One of the first things you do is turn it on and get rid of all the bloatware that's installed on it by the manufacturer. 

That's how I feel about having bells and whistles I don't need or want. I just think there should be a way to avoid them if that's what you want. After all, next to a house, a car is one of the biggest expenses you'll run into in your lifetime. The least they can do for those big bucks is give some consumers what they want - not what the carmakers do. 

These new features are great, but you are in big trouble if you can't dim the infotainment display in a rental car from Halifax airport on a foggy night drive to the city. All systems need a "novice" mode.