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iPod

If you love music, chances are you have an MP3 player – but will it work in your new car? Manufacturers have rushed to embrace this tech, so before you pay extra for sockets and adapters, see what you’re getting as standard. Most new cars provide a basic auxiliary input, allowing you to play your favourite tunes from an external source using a 3.5mm jack. Yet this will mean controlling your music selection through the player itself, and it won’t be charged, either. 

A USB port lets you keep your MP3 device topped up and play most files via the car stereo – but not always. Fiat’s Blue&Me system has a USB port, but its Microsoft software doesn’t work with iPods.