Playing music in your car used to be so limited, didn’t it? If you didn’t like what was on the (FM) radio, you’d either have to look through a bulging CD folder searching for that Limp Bizkit disk you burned, or even root through the glovebox searching for a cassette.
Nowadays, not only is there DAB radio with hundreds of stations to choose from, but the wealth of music streaming services means you don’t need to own even a single track to be able to choose almost any song in the world to accompany you on your drive.
But connecting these streaming services to play music from your phone to your car isn’t always totally straightforward. We’ve rounded up the best ways below, starting with the most modern – but if you have an older car, keep scrolling and you’ll find solutions for you too.
Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
For modern cars equipped with touchscreen infotainment systems, these are the best way to connect your phone to your vehicle. Apple CarPlay (for iPhones) and Android Auto (for Android devices from manufacturers like Google, Samsung, Xiaomi and OnePlus) function very similarly and provide the slickest, most stable connection.
Once you’ve connected your phone to the car – usually via a USB cable, but wireless systems are becoming more common – you’ll see the touchscreen’s interface replaced by a system that looks a lot like your phone’s OS. That’s because your phone is now running the show, and you can make calls, navigate or use voice commands all powered by your handset.
All the major music streaming services have dedicated players for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so it’s as easy as simply navigating to them in the app drawer and listening to your heart’s content.
These systems aren’t yet perfect, and can be a little buggy at times – plus, your phone’s liable to get very hot, so our advice is to make sure it’s placed in the shade – we’ve been caught out before having our handset on the passenger seat in the blazing sun and actually having it shut down through overheating.
Other USB connectivity
Some older models did come with their own flavours of USB connectivity, such as Fiat’s ‘Blue&Me’. These systems don’t always work with modern smartphones, though, and if they do often only function for music that’s downloaded to your device – no good for streaming services.
Bluetooth
Very widely-used, and for good reason. Bluetooth connectivity began making its way into mainstream cars in the late noughties – an evolution of the much-maligned hands-free headset – and soon became practically an essential feature.
Every car will have a subtly different way to pair your phone, but once you’re connected up you’ve a stable link for phone calls and audio. In some cases, this is purely an audio link, and you’ll need to use your phone’s screen to select music or answer calls. If this is the case, make sure you invest in a sturdy phone holder and only interact with the device while you’re stationary.
More sophisticated systems allow you to use the stereo or steering wheel controls to answer calls or skip tracks, so you can keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel.
Bluetooth links are generally stable and once paired, you won’t have to worry about the connection dropping out as long as your phone stays in the car. Make sure you have plenty of charge, as streaming can be heavy on your phone battery.
Aux-in
We move down the low-tech line right back to cables. Even most new cars still have an aux-in – where you plug one end of a 3.5mm audio cable into your car, and the other into your phone. This is once again just a straight audio feed, so you’ll need to control everything from your phone. So invest in a phone holder and don’t interact with your device while moving.
The biggest problem here is that most modern smartphones have actually dispensed with their audio jacks altogether. While you can use a dongle, in most cases you can’t charge while this is connected, giving you the choice of music or having a phone with some battery left. Splitter dongles with charging and audio functionality do exist.
The sheer number of cables trailing across the cabin may become a problem, though – it’s messy, and if it gets in the way of the car’s controls you’re in for a bad time. A possible solution is to get an aux-to-Bluetooth connection.
Cassette adaptor
If you’ve an older car with a cassette deck – maybe a classic you want to keep its original stereo – then cassette adaptors provide aux-in through the existing equipment. Sound quality depends on how good an adaptor you have, but also the state of your cassette equipment, as most systems are pretty elderly and a little knackered.
You can also purchase cassette adaptors which connect to your phone via Bluetooth, which is an even cleaner way to do things – but these are typically cheap with poor-quality components and even worse sound,
FM transmitter
An even more roundabout solution – these plug into your cigarette lighter, connect to your phone via Bluetooth, and then transmit that over a spare FM frequency that you can tune your car’s radio into. Usually quite poor sound quality, but good in a pinch.
Bluetooth speaker
A low-tech but surprisingly useful solution is simply to invest in a standalone Bluetooth speaker. You don’t need to spend much – around £50 will get you something that sounds great and has hours of battery life. True, you’ll miss out on the immersive sound of a car audio system, but if you don’t want the faff or expense of a stereo upgrade this could work.
Can I upgrade my car’s stereo?
Certainly. Almost every model can be upgraded by slotting a new stereo into the dashboard’s ‘DIN’ slot – though some cars make this easier than others. It’s a great way to modernise an older model.
Generally, you’ll need to purchase a surrounding bezel if you want the upgrade to look slick, and depending on your car you may need to get creative with wiring if you’d like items such as the steering wheel controls or reversing camera to work.
A good-quality single-DIN radio might cost as little as £100, though if you’d like a bigger touchscreen unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto you’ll need to spend closer to £400. It’s a worthy upgrade to make though, and if you hang on to the original stereo you can always take your posh new touchscreen with you when you sell the vehicle.
