One of the biggest characteristics the modern consumer looks for in a car is the infotainment system and what features it offers. While these digital screens were initially found on expensive luxury models a decade ago, now you can have one in a small entry-level economy car as well. You can find some that range from 6-inches small to ones that are larger than 12-inch in size and they come in different orientations as well. Here are five of the best and largest touchscreens that are available in SUVs from factory, that are available in India under Rs 25 lakh.
Tata Harrier
The Tata Harrier comes as standard with a 7-inch touchscreen system. However, the more expensive higher trim models are equipped with an 8.8-inch system that offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The screen has quite an unusually wide orientation and it allows for not only infotainment application, but it can also be used to monitor vehicle dynamics and climate control as well. It has smartphone connectivity, voice command, USB and Bluetooth connection as well. The display also supports the parking sensors and the reversing camera. However, due to its unusual orientation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with the reversing camera function do not utilise the entire screen’s 8.8-inch real estate.
Jeep Compass
The Jeep Compass is the most expensive model among the five SUVs on this list, but it comes with the smallest touchscreen among them. Currently, the Compass uses a 7-inch touchscreen in the lower variants, but the higher trim levels are offered with an 8.4-inch touchscreen with Jeep’s Uconnect infotainment system software. It also supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system offers a list of entertainment & communication applications, displays real-time vehicle data, and also navigation. The Compass also offers the climate control settings and other application functions which can be controlled via the touchscreen system along with two USB outlets, Bluetooth and AUX input.
The Kia Seltos uses a large 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It offers all the standard features like USB, Bluetooth, AUX inputs, along with smartphone connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. But, the Seltos goes a step further by providing split-screen functionality, a 360-degree parking camera and also offers connected features through the Kia UVO Connect. For a detailed video on Kia’s UVO Connect connected car features and the smartphone app, you can watch the video below. The Seltos also offers smart voice command functions for the air purifier, navigation, climate control and other in-car functions. However, lower-spec models of the Seltos come with an 8-inch touchscreen with limited features.
The Hyundai Creta uses the same identical 10.25-inch touchscreen as the Kia Seltos. Being from the same family, the Seltos and Creta share quite a few parts. While the features on offer with the Creta are also similar in fashion, the Creta takes the game up a notch over the Seltos with additional connected features with the latest generation of the Hyundai BlueLink connected car technology. For example, the Creta also comes with a virtual assistant that uses the wake-up command “Hey BlueLink” and it can open the panoramic sunroof with a voice command as well. But the Creta does not come with the 360-degree parking camera.
MG Hector
The MG Hector is the odd-one-out in this list of touchscreens. It offer the largest system measuring in at 10.4-inches in size, but it uses a vertically oriented design. It dominates the Hector’s dashboard with its large size and it is the primary input system for nearly all the in-car controls of the vehicle. The user can not only control all the infotainment function of the car, but also the climate control functions. It offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto along with in-built app functions that offer online music and video streaming as well. It offers a 360-degree view parking/reversing camera. Like the Seltos and Creta, the Hector is also a connected car and uses an eSIM to allow access to MG’s iSMART connected car technology. With the wake-up command “Hello MG”, users can use voice recognition technology to operate many functions of the car like the sunroof, driver window, navigation, music, climate control and more. It can also provide vehicle dynamics and diagnostic reports.