11 cars with dedicated storage for your gadgets
Modern vehicles offer nifty nooks and charging options for connected occupants
Smartphones and other tech devices have become such important staples in our lives. We carry them everywhere and they are often close at hand.
Automakers are finally starting to understand the idea that we can’t go anywhere without our smartphones, so a lot of new cars are designed with dedicated places to hold all your tech, which is a thoughtful little detail that deserves some recognition. Here are some cars that do that trick very well. Lexus RX Not only does the new Lexus RX have wireless charging support, but it also features a big storage bin in the centre console that can easily accommodate a tablet.
There’s also a small shelf for the second row passengers to put their smartphones, too. Toyota Highlander The Highlander is an excellent family car, especially with the Driver Easy Speak system that allows the occupant behind the wheel to communicate to the passengers in the third row of seats without needing to yell or even turn their head.
The car also makes things easy for the folks up front, with a neat shelf below the HVAC system. While the shelf can easily accommodate a smartphone, it also features a passthrough so a charging cable can be neatly connected to your device and kept out of the way. Volkswagen Golf The latest Golf features a huge storage bin just ahead of the gear selector. While this is typically where you’d find something like an ashtray, the modern Golf has an area deep enough to store even a big phablet (those massive tablet-like phones) like an iPhone 6 Plus or a Samsung Galaxy Note. The compartment is even rubberized so your device doesn’t move around. Honda Civic Like the Highlander, the Civic proves that it pays attention to the small details. It has two shelves for tech storage, with the rubberized upper unit featuring a cable pass through to a lower storage area.
That lower storage area features both a USB and 12-volt outlet so you can use your familiar charger cable or an adapter. Honda Pilot Honda promises that the centre console in the Pilot is large enough to handle a handbag, but all we see is its ability to hold a tablet or laptop. And in case you think that storage area is a bit too excessive for a smartphone, the Japanese automaker has you covered for that device as well — the cupholders are separated by a cutout where you can place your phone. Nissan Titan Nissan’s new pickup has a small slot for your phone, a bucket for your tablet, a pass-through in the cupholder and a large armrest, all in the centre console. Even truck folks need to have their phones nearby, especially because their trucks often act as rolling offices. Chevrolet Volt The tech-focused Chevrolet is not only available with a wireless charging system, but it also has a slot next to the shifter that can easily accommodate your smartphone sideways, even a bigger one.
If it’s one car that’s there for tech geeks, it has to be the Volt. Nissan Murano Nissan’s new SUV is luxurious and plenty powerful, but it also has a few smart touches for its passengers. In front of the armrest is a small slot that can hold smaller smartphones.
Our editors with bigger devices say that the slot isn’t quite deep enough, but, fortunately, the car also has a system like the Pilot, with a slot between the cupholders.
The Murano also accommodates rear-seat passengers with a slot in the top of the armrest perfect for tech storage. Chrysler Pacifica Of course a minivan is going to be practical, but the Chrysler Pacifica has the advantage of being designed for a modern family.
The centre console is capable of storing whatever smart devices you may have and a small shelf and slot can handle your smartphone with ease. One criticism is that the lower shelf is a bit too low to reach comfortably, but you shouldn’t be driving and using your phone anyway, so that’s not a big deal. Audi Q7 Audi’s new Q7 is a technological whiz, and that translates into the interior design as well. There’s a large, rubberized open storage area on the centre console that will easily fit your smartphone. That extra finish helps your device not slide around when you test out the German car’s handling credentials. Cadillac and GM’s Secret Shelf One secret feature in many Cadillacs and even a few Chevrolet, Buick and GMC vehicles is a motorized compartment in the centre of the dash that houses at least one USB port and is big enough to hide most phones.