Exploring the New Toyota Audio Multimedia System: A Seamless Driving Experience

Hаve you checked out Toyota's lаtest infotainment system? It's a game-chаnger! Forget the old battle with Apple and Android systems; Toyota has crafted something that feels right at home in the smartphone era—clean, straightforward, and super intuitive.

Remember the Entune system? Well, Toyota ditched it back in 2021 and brought out their new Audio Multimedia System. They kept the name simple this time, and for good reason. The focus here is all about making everything user-friendly, just like your phone.

I recently got a spin in the 2024 Toyota Crown Platinum, decked out with this tech. The car features a cool 12.3-inch touchscreen that mirrors the size of the digital dashboard right behind the steering wheel. All screens are in landscape format—so you won’t find any of those awkwardly tall screens that are popping up in some other models.

The first thing you’ll notice? It looks a lot like your smartphone. The icons are big, the graphics are crisp, and there's no fuss. Toyota scrapped the traditional home screen and instead, gave us a slick vertical bar on the left with quick access to stuff like navigation, your music, and phone mirroring. It’s a breeze to use, especially when you're trying to focus on the road.

The navigation is just as neat and easy as what you'd find on Apple or Google Maps. Zooming and scrolling are smooth, and if you decide to go for Toyota's Connected Services with Drive Connect Navigation (yep, it’s an extra $15 a month), you'll get up-to-the-minute traffic updates and search capabilities for places you might want to check out.

Now, the voice assistant can be a bit temperamental. You need to say “Hey, Toyota” quite clearly or hit the voice command button on the steering wheel to get it to listen. But when it works, it feels like magic—changing radio stations or adjusting the AC without lifting a finger. And if your friend in the passenger seat asks for the AC to be turned down, the system smartly adjusts just their side. How cool is that?

Music buffs, take note: Toyota has baked Apple Music and Amazon Music right into the system, but it’ll cost you another $15 a month for the Integrated Streaming service. Luckily, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, so you can always stream directly from your phone.

A small annoyance? There's no physical home button. You have to tаp the Toyota icon on the screen to get back to the mаin menu. It’s something you’ll get used to, but it’s a change.

One of the standout features is the anti-glare, anti-smudge screen coating. Even if you do spot some fingerprints, a quick swipe with a microfiber cloth, and they’re gone.

Alright, let’s talk money. If you want the bigger screens or some of the cooler features, be prepared for some extra monthly fees. Integrated streaming and Drive Connect navigation are $15 each per month, and if you want Wi-Fi, that’s an extra $25. You can bundle music and navigation for $25 a month, but it’s still an added expense.

All in all, Toyota’s Audio Multimedia System is easily my favorite on the market right now. It’s sleek, the graphics are stunning, and it’s so easy to use. Yes, you might have to pay a bit more for the full experience, but in my book, it’s totally worth it.