Wayne Cunningham,
Senior Editor
May 6, 2008
Most people end up scrambling around through coat pockets and purses when their cell phone starts ringing. In a car, this usually means trying to push aside a seat belt or reaching over into the passenger seat, resulting in off-the-grid driving experiments. But, if the car and the cell phone have a solid relationship forged by Bluetooth, the phone can stay comfortably hidden away while the driver answers the phone by pushing a steering wheel button. Here are the cars that we've reviewed with the best Bluetooth integration currently available. All of these systems import contact lists from cell phones, letting you see your stored numbers in the car's interface. The Ford and Mercury particularly stand out for their use of Sync, which lets you make calls merely by speaking the name of a person in your phone book.
- More Resources
- Bluetooth in-car calling devices,
- Photos: Best Bluetooth headsets
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| Review date | February 13, 2008 | May 05, 2008 | January 18, 2008 | November 07, 2007 | October 15, 2007 | February 12, 2008 |
| The Bottom Line | The 2008 A4 demonstrates Audi's ability to run with the competition when it comes to performance, but the car's imminent cabin-tech upgrade can't come soon enough. | Although we have some minor criticisms, the 2008 BMW 135i is, overall, an excellent car to drive every day or take out on the track. It scores big in performance and cabin tech. | With the exceptional Sync system as standard, the all-new Ford Focus SES has one of the highest tech-to-price ratios of any car we've seen. | The restyled 2008 Honda Accord EX-L looks good and offers a very comfortable drive. It works well as a commuter and family car, and its low emissions make it an environmentally conscious choice, but don't expect the most cutting-edge cabin tech. | The 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 covers cabin tech basics and drivability very well, without going over the top. Its imperturbable handling is good but doesn't generate much excitement, while its cabin tech gets the job done without many frills. | Don't expect to enjoy the driving experience in the 2008 Mercury Sable, but it will support your phone and MP3 player, and deliver car-shaking bass, if that's what you're in to. |
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| Drivetrain available | All-wheel drive | rear-drive | Front-drive | Front-drive | Rear-drive | Front-drive |
| Available Engine | Gas | Gas | Gas | Gas | Gas | Gas |
| Body style | Sedan | Coupe | Sedan | Sedan | Sedan | Sedan |
| Trim levels | 2.0T quattro | 135i | SES | EX-L V-6 | C300 Luxury | Premier |
| Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications | Full specifications |
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