when did handsfree and bluetooth

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become standard in middle range vehicle. someone hit my CRV and its looks totaled. now i need to look for a new vehicle. my crv was a 2011 ex and it did not have handsfree or bluetooth.

So now i need to go car shopping. i would like bluetooth and handsfree in a vehicle about $10k . somewhere along the way it became standard in cars now. So when was it it when they appear to be standard on the mid tier models?
 
My wifes 2012 Mazda3 had it and so has every car we bought since. But if your looking for Android Auto or Apple carplay be careful. The only thing I like about Android Auto is when i use Waze, which is rare.
 
I would think around 2010, give or take. Ultimately you'll have to read the spec's on any car, something like that should be in the ad, or easily seen in the photos (look for buttons on the steering wheel).

If you prefer, you could get an aftermarket radio and add it in. I did that in my '99.
 
It is going to vary greatly depending on marque. The factory Alpine system in my wife's '06 Charger had Bluetooth/handsfree, but that was basically the only "smart" feature. Navigation was built into the unit and I don't even think I could stream music from the phone through the head unit. UConnect, which appeared around the same time and eventually became the standard across the product line is more capable, particularly in more recent incarnations.
 
My 2009 Clubman has it, as does my son's 2009 3er. Pretty rudimentary however- neither will stream music without an adapter.
 
05 prius has it. Just for voice, not music streaming.

The interface is clunky-- car wants to remember its own address book presets, not use the phone's.

Also has a cassette deck. Golden years in automotive design, right there.
 
Be wary first iterations had terrible audio quality for calls. So try it out.

The system in my 07 Acura MDX has incredible integration with vehicle (caller id in center display, lowered fan, radio mute etc) however the audio quality was terrible on calls.
 
A lot of factory systems suck. I'd get the car you want and put in something like the Sony XAV-AX100 (or AX5000 for an upgraded unit). Plus you can get CarPlay if you want it (which I only find useful for maps).
 
Originally Posted by WhyMe
my crv was a 2011 ex and it did not have handsfree or bluetooth.

That's too wide open of a question. The 2011 CR-V did have phone bluetooth integration but you had to get the EX-L trim so just asking "what models" isn't accurate enough. Since you had an '11 vehicle, will you get something older or newer ? You want another CR-V or small SUV ? Narrow down what people should advise you on....
 
My kids 2012 Scon xB has it standard, I think the xB got it in 2010.
My sisters 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe has it also, but is voice only for calls, not music.

I agree it was the 2010-2013 time-frame that it became standard on all but the base models.
I think now even base models have it.

But as mentioned, aftermarket has it in most models, but the implementation and sound can vary greatly.
 
Originally Posted by smc733
I'd get the car you want and put in something like the Sony XAV-AX100 (or AX5000 for an upgraded unit). Plus you can get CarPlay if you want it (which I only find useful for maps).

Replacing audio systems on modern cars is getting more cumbersome year after year. Some vehicles don't even have dash kits available. For my car, using Crutchfield as an example, when I do their "what fits my vehicle", they say:

We don't recommend replacing the radio in your vehicle
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
Wait until he discovers automatic climate control and heated seats.


My 2008 Mercedes E-350 had all that. Heated seats, both driver and passenger and 3 memory position power seats for both also. Plus duel climate control. And bluetooth for voice. It's pretty good, no one ever complains about it. The 2010+ models had both bluetooth and music, earlier models only had bluetooth. The earlier models it was an option but most cars had it. You can easily get the 2008/2009 models for under 10k. The 2010-2013 models are probably in the 10k+ range if the mileage is high. Android Auto/Apple carplay didn't appear as an option til 2016+. For many cars, you can just add an aftermarket radio unit and if you get a high end enough unit, you will get bluetooth along with android auto/apple carplay.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
Wait until he discovers automatic climate control and heated seats.


is that where the windows roll down automatically to adjust the temp inside?
 
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by WhyMe
my crv was a 2011 ex and it did not have handsfree or bluetooth.

That's too wide open of a question. The 2011 CR-V did have phone bluetooth integration but you had to get the EX-L trim so just asking "what models" isn't accurate enough. Since you had an '11 vehicle, will you get something older or newer ? You want another CR-V or small SUV ? Narrow down what people should advise you on....


thinking of getting another small SUV style. A sub forester or outback . they seem to be in my price range in the 2009 to 2011 models.
 
Originally Posted by Sierra048
Ok. I admit it, I'm an old fogey. Just what is Apple Auto Play and Android Auto Play? What's their purpose. I really don't know.


It's Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; they essentially mirror your phone's apps on the cars telematics screen. With a few exceptions(like BMW) your phone needs to be plugged in to a USB port in the car for either feature to work. On most cars it's a nice feature to have, although on some cars I prefer the factory navigation system.
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
My 2008 Mercedes E-350 had all that. Heated seats, both driver and passenger and 3 memory position power seats for both also. Plus duel climate control. And bluetooth for voice.

Ehhh, my 2008 G35 has all that same stuff (except only 2 seat memory positions). Have no trouble connecting any devices from an iPhone 8, iPhone X?, or Galaxy S10.
 
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