Thousands of new addresses have been added—businesses open and close all the time—and an outdated navigation system may not be able to find any of them. Order your maps today. And make sure your navigation system is current. Update Your Maps Now. Or stop by your local Volkswagen dealership to order your map update. 2016 VW models receive the MIB II system with App-Connect features By Product Expert Posted in FAQ, VW Features & Technology on Tuesday, June 21st, 2016 at 6:52 pm What is the Volkswagen MIB II system and App-Connect?
- Pros
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Large radio preset icons. Proximity sensor feature.
- Cons
Limited connectivity. Tiny icons in some menus.
- Bottom Line
Volkswagen's new MIB II infotainment system lacks for built-in connectivity options, but uses Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to great advantage.
Volkswagen has been slow to adopt the latest connected car technology and interface trends, and instead has gradually evolved the touch-based infotainment interface it's used for several years. But sometimes this has proved too gradual: When VW introduced the MIB interface for the 2014 model year, the system lacked any form of connectivity or even a USB port. The new MIB II infotainment system finally adds a USB port instead of a proprietary device connection, as well as the Car-Net App-Connect platform with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink compatibility. These updates allow for cloud-connected content, although the VW itself doesn't include much of its own.
Overview
We tested the MIB II system in the 2016 Volkswagen Beetle Dune. It consists of a 6.3-inch touch screen with four buttons on either side: Band, Media, Phone, and Voice on the left, and Eject, Sound, Mute, and Menu on the right. This is accompanied by volume and tuning knobs in the lower corners. The buttons can be used to directly access their labeled features or submenus, and redundant touch-screen controls are also available for the main features such as Media, Phone, and Sound.
The system uses a smartphone-like scroll feature to present main menu items, while submenus are fairly easy to get to, since VW has largely eliminated the frustrating labyrinth-like menu structures it used in the past. The Radio menu is particularly well executed. It has large preset icons with station logos that can be automatically transmitted by a radio station and displayed on the screen. Presets can be arranged to your liking, and swiping your finger across the screen allows you to quickly scroll through them all, while an analog-style tuning display at the bottom of the screen helps find your way on the dial for manual tuning. Other menus, such as the App-Connect screen, use frustratingly tiny icons that can't be enlarged.
As in the 2015 VW Golf TDI we tested, the Beetle Dune's MIB II interface uses proximity sensors that highlight existing icons or cause new ones to appear as your hand reaches for the screen. While the information that appears can be somewhat redundant, hiding it until it's needed keeps the screen uncluttered.
Limited Connectivity Options
While VW is late to the connected car party, this can almost be considered fortunate, since the automaker arrived just in time for the rollout of Apple CarPlay and Google's Android Auto. The 2016 Beetle Dune we tested relies entirely on these two platforms (as well as MirrorLink) for cloud-based content.
This means that MIB II doesn't have its own apps and instead uses those that are part of CarPlay and Android Auto. We tested the system with an iPhone 6s, which provides access to native iOS apps for Phone, Music, Messaging, and more content via streaming apps for Pandora, Spotify, Stitcher, NPR News, and iHeartRadio.
But this also means that you're captive to Apple or Android for connected navigation and local search. We've found in-dash options helpful in other vehicles, although this sometimes requires paying a separate subscription for a car's embedded connectivity. Thankfully, MIB II uses your connected smartphone's data.
Conclusions
Overall, Volkswagen's MIB II infotainment interface is intuitive to use, and the updates are largely positive. While we can't blame VW for relying on smartphone-mirroring platforms for infotainment connectivity, this approach is somewhat limiting. That said, VW makes good use of the 6.3-inch screen through proximity sensing and a smart layout, so the system is much easier to navigate than the previous iteration. Like the Beetle itself, MIB II isn't quick to change, but it's a solid option nonetheless.
Volkswagen MIB II (2016)
Bottom Line: Volkswagen's new MIB II infotainment system lacks for built-in connectivity options, but uses Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to great advantage.
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