Astonishingly, there are over 12,000 road traffic accidents each year caused by some form of impairment or distraction. This comes as it’s also revealed that you’re twice as likely to have a crash while texting than drink driving. But do our cars contribute at all to the difficulty in maintaining concentration? We’ve revealed the best and worst models for helping you to keep focus behind the wheel, as well as our top tips to avoid distraction on the road.
Revealed: the cars to avoid for distracting driving
To determine the most distracting in-car entertainment system, 20 models were tested and scored out of 30 in a recent study by Whatcar? This total combined six scoring factors, including how easy it is to alter settings and user-accessibility*.
Analysing the results, there’s no model with a more distracting interface than the MG ZS EV (12). The MG car scored lowly across most categories, only redeemed slightly by the conveniently large and operational air-con dials. Scoring similarly poorly, you should also aim to steer away from the Fiat 500X (14) and Skoda Citigo-e iV (16), for a distraction-free driving experience. Rounding off the worst five cars, we also have the Peugeot 508 SW (17) and the Lexus RX (18).
At the other end of the scale, the BMW 3 Series gets full marks in almost all scoring categories; it offers the least distracting infotainment system, with an impressive test score of 28/30. Joint second, we have the Mercedez-Benz CLA (27) and the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid (27), while the Audi Q3 Sportback (26) and Mazda3 (25) complete the top five.
We’ve outlined the complete ranking order below:
Rank | Brand | Car system | Points |
1 | MG | MG ZS EV with 8.0in touchscreen | 12 |
2 | Fiat | 500X with 7-inch touchscreen and Uconnect Live | 14 |
3 | Skoda | Citigo-e iV with colour screen and phone holder | 16 |
4 | Peugeot | 508 SW with 10-inch Connected 3D Navigation and voice recognition | 17 |
5 | Lexus | RX with 12.3-inch multimedia display | 18 |
6 | Honda | CR-V with 7-inch touchscreen, Honda Connect and Garmin navigation | 18 |
7 | Nissan | Juke with Nissan Connect | 19 |
8 | Toyota | Corolla with Touch 2 media system and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto | 20 |
9 | Volvo | S60 with Sensus | 20 |
10 | Jaguar | XE with 10-inch Touch Pro Duo system | 21 |
11 | Skoda (premium) | Kamiq with 9.2-inch touchscreen, voice control and Amundsen sat-nav | 21 |
12 | Vauxhall | Corsa with 10-inch Multimedia Navi Pro | 22 |
13 | Hyundai | Ioniq with 10.25-inch touchscreen and Bluelink connectivity | 22 |
14 | Ford | Fiesta with Sync 3 navigation and FordPass Connect | 23 |
15 | Volkswagen | Passat GTE with 8-inch Composition Media system | 24 |
16 | Mazda | Mazda3 with 8.8-inch colour display and Mazda Connect | 25 |
17 | Audi | Q3 Sportback with Virtual Cockpit Plus | 26 |
18 | Porsche | Panamera E-Hybrid with Connect Plus and Porsche Communication Management | 27 |
19 | Mercedes-Benz | CLA with 10.25-inch touchscreen | 27 |
20 | BMW | 3 Series with Live Cockpit Professional | 28 |
Top tips for avoiding distractions while driving
Collaborating with driving instructor John Parry from Parrys Fleet Services, we’ve provided our top tips to follow to avoid distraction while on the road:
1. Put your device away
To avoid temptation while driving, place your mobile device out of sight and out of reach, ideally in the glove box or tucked away in a bag.
2. Know where you’re going
If you’re using a navigation system for directions, make sure to input the destination before you set off, rather than mid-journey.
3. Ask passengers for help
If you’re driving with somebody else in the passenger seat, don’t be afraid to ask for help to navigate, make a call, or send a message.
4. Pull over
If you must make a call or send a message while driving, make sure to first pull off the road safely and stop.
5. Be a good passenger
If you’re in the passenger seat, keep alert to any distractions or dangers your driver may not have noticed. Don’t be afraid to speak up if you spot something.
6. Don’t be a distraction
If you know that a friend or family member is driving, avoid calling or texting them. Even if they’ve put their phone aside, they may be distracted by a ping or ring.
7. Activate do not disturb
Turning on the ‘Do not disturb’ feature on your Apple or Android device will prevent calls from coming in while you’re driving.
Our top tips aren’t just suited to drivers; pedestrians and cyclists should also make every effort to avoid distractions. This means you should never text, call, or play games while walking or cycling.
Methodology
Rankings were gained from a recent What Car? study
To rank each of the 20 types of car brands, What Car rated each on six different scoring elements. Each element was worth an equal five points. These were:
- Turn up the temperature by two degrees.
- Increase the fan speed by two settings.
- With a 20-mile route programmed into the satnav and the infotainment screen on the home page, go to the map screen and zoom out to see the entire route.
- Cancel route guidance.
- With the radio tuned to Virgin Radio DAB, and the infotainment screen on the home page, go to the main list of DAB stations and switch to BBC Radio 4.
- Using the voice control button on the steering wheel (if fitted), ask the car to find the nearest service station.
With some cars noticeably worse than others for distracting you from the road ahead, whether through dashboard difficulty or complicated controls, it’s important to consider how your vehicle affects your driving safety. For even more helpful advice and expertise, head on over to our blog.