Vauxhall IntelliLink infotainment touchscreen explained

Phone connectivity is now a vital feature of any new car, with some buyers choosing between cars based on their phone integration tech. Gone are the days when you got a tiny display screen and lots of buttons; everything media and infotainment-related is usually displayed on a large touchscreen now.

Most manufacturers develop their own software for these touchscreens, and Vauxhall has its IntelliLink system - although the brand seems to have dropped this name in its latest brochures. It was originally an optional extra but now Vauxhall fits a touchscreen to nearly all of its cars as standard.

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What is the IntelliLink infotainment system?

From the touchscreen mounted in your Vauxhall’s dashboard, you can access many functions. These include music and podcast playback, radio station selection and sat nav (if fitted). When your phone is connected via Bluetooth, you can also make and receive phone calls hands-free.

Vauxhall IntelliLink also features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Our guides explain them in more detail, but they allow you to see and use a selection of your phone’s apps on the car’s touchscreen. You can use apps like Google Maps or Waze for navigation - especially useful if sat nav isn’t fitted as standard - and your favourite music apps.

You’ll find the IntelliLink system in the Vauxhall Corsa, Astra, Insignia, Crossland X and Grandland X, plus in older models like the Mokka and Adam.

How do I use Vauxhall IntelliLink?

Like many touchscreen infotainment systems, Vauxhall’s IntelliLink system is designed to be similar to a smartphone in how you control it. Each function is accessed by pressing a tile on the screen and you can switch between menu screens by swiping. There are a handful of physical buttons underneath for going to the home screen and music playback, and a volume knob. The buttons on the steering wheel also control some of the system’s functions, which saves taking your hand off the wheel to change the song, for instance.

If you don’t like Vauxhall’s system, plugging in your phone will allow you to use Apple or Android’s operating system instead.

Vauxhall OnStar

If you’re looking at a Vauxhall that’s a couple of years old, it might advertise a feature called OnStar. It provided a WiFi hotspot to which you could connect up to seven devices and introduced internet-based services, such as vehicle diagnostics, roadside assistance and emergency service contact after a collision. You can also use OnStar representatives to book hotels and find car parking. However, Vauxhall is discontinuing all OnStar services from 31 December 2020. Features like automatic emergency contact remain on the options list of certain models.

Read our reviews of current Vauxhall models here.