Ford Sync (With MyFord Touch)

Ford has come a long way with Sync, its flagship in-car infotainment system. Unlike with stand-alone GPS navigation devices, we don't normally review in-car systems as separate products?especially since the layout and features can vary from model to model. Besides, we're not a car magazine. But we do cover car tech, and we're of the opinion that Ford has reached a bit of a milestone with this extremely capable system. It's worth a close look. And despite a lengthy list of minor irritants, it's still worth buying, particularly in its top-of-the-line MyFord Touch configuration?Ford has really taken the lead here in bringing tech into mainstream vehicles.

Displays and Sync Interface
For this review, I tested the revised Ford Sync with MyFord Touch in the newly refreshed 2013 Ford Taurus SHO, as part of a weeklong excursion for PCMag's Fastest Mobile Networks 2012. For the uninitiated, Ford Sync attempts to integrate the car's GPS navigation, entertainment options (including iPod and satellite radio), climate controls, and hands-free voice calling into a single, unified in-dash interface. There are four main Sync packages, some of which are available in different cars; Ford's website details them all in a feature comparison table.

With the Taurus, Ford Sync with MyFord Touch is standard on the SHO and Limited models, available as an $800 upgrade on the SEL, but not available on the SE. Ford Sync with MyFord Touch is also available on the Ford Edge, Explorer, Focus, and Fusion, as well as the Lincoln MKX and upcoming 2013 Lincoln MKZ. During this review, I'm going to focus entirely on Ford Sync, and de-emphasize other features like the rear-view backup camera, the various safety systems, and the twin-turbo V6-powered Taurus SHO's overall performance and handling?which was surprisingly excellent, despite the car's 202-inch length and 4,300-pound curb weight.

With all that out of the way, let's get to the Ford Sync system itself. Inside the Taurus SHO, you get a distinct sense of being in a "Car of the Future," even though the system has been available for several years now, albeit in lesser form. The first thing that hits you are the multiple displays. A large, 8-inch, plastic resistive touch screen sits in the center of the dashboard. Two smaller, non-touch, 4.2-inch LCD cluster screens flank an oversized speedometer in front of the driver. All three screens are bright and colorful, with finely drawn fonts.

Two five-way control pads?once on each steering wheel spoke?control each of the cluster LCDs. Numerous dashboard and additional steering wheel buttons also control various aspects of the system. Open the center-mounted armrest and you'll reveal two USB ports, an SD card slot, and a set of composite audio and video jacks.

Ford has listened to some of the criticism regarding Sync, and has upgraded the system significantly for 2013. It's most obvious in the user interface, which now features larger fonts, clearer buttons, and streamlined menus. Getting around the Sync with MyFord Touch interface now qualifies as intuitive for the most part. But at times, it's still frustrating. On the main screen, for example, there's a four-quadrant interface, with each quadrant color-coded to a specific task: Entertainment, Navigation, Climate, and Voice. The UI is laid out well enough, but to switch modes, you must press the absolute corner of the screen?why not just press anywhere in the quadrant to switch?

But the main culprit is still touch sensitivity. For the 8-inch center-mounted screen, Ford employs a plastic resistive touch display, which requires deliberate presses and often doesn't trigger properly. I found myself pressing the screen two or three times just to advance each step. On a few occasions, the screen stopped responding entirely. When this happened, I had to jump back to the home screen, and then return manually to where I was to restore functionality. Other times, the system blinked out entirely, returned to the home screen, and forgot what mode I was in altogether. Cars generally don't feature glass capacitive touch screens?Ford is far from alone here?but given the level of sophistication inherent in Ford Sync, it could use one.

POI Database and Destination Search
Ford gives you a variety of options for setting up destinations, including a comprehensive POI (point-of-interest) database, as well as the ability to enter street addresses and intersections. You can also search for POIs near the car and near a particular city. There are several sublevels of POI categories, most of which are sensibly organized. You can also set up multi-segment routing, entering each destination as a waypoint.

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