Is Idrive really better than COMMAND?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 626
Likes: 19
From: Austin, TX
14 GL550; 14 E63s
Is Idrive really better than COMMAND?
I'm shopping around between MB and BMW for my new ride and it's getting down to splitting hairs at this point. But my question is all these reviews and comparos say the idrive is so much better than COMMAND. Yes the screen is bigger. That's the first thing I always hear. But why else?
I've been using the COMMAND since 2009 and have grown very accustomed to it's pros and cons. I don't really use nav that much, but that is one area where MB is deficient in my opinion. It works great once the destination is entered, but getting to that point is a pain if you don't know the address. Entering the address via voice is easy. But if I want to search for say a starbucks, it's a pain. Is it business, shopping, restaurant, etc.
With Mbrace and the 2013 COMMAND, can you search via your mbrace app and send it to the vehicle? Our 2006 lexus had a very easy search function and would tell you where the closest starbucks was.
I do like how the idrive has 8 programmable buttons which resemble just radio presets. But apparently you can program them to dial a number, go to a destination, etc. by just one click of a button. Pretty cool.
Not too concerned about facebook or twitter or email or surfing the web.
I think the stock MB sound system is better than BMW's for my tastes. I have not compared the B&O. It's a 3700 dollar upcharge in the BMW and I think a 6500-7000 upcharge in the MB!!
Anything else I'm missing?
I've been using the COMMAND since 2009 and have grown very accustomed to it's pros and cons. I don't really use nav that much, but that is one area where MB is deficient in my opinion. It works great once the destination is entered, but getting to that point is a pain if you don't know the address. Entering the address via voice is easy. But if I want to search for say a starbucks, it's a pain. Is it business, shopping, restaurant, etc.
With Mbrace and the 2013 COMMAND, can you search via your mbrace app and send it to the vehicle? Our 2006 lexus had a very easy search function and would tell you where the closest starbucks was.
I do like how the idrive has 8 programmable buttons which resemble just radio presets. But apparently you can program them to dial a number, go to a destination, etc. by just one click of a button. Pretty cool.
Not too concerned about facebook or twitter or email or surfing the web.
I think the stock MB sound system is better than BMW's for my tastes. I have not compared the B&O. It's a 3700 dollar upcharge in the BMW and I think a 6500-7000 upcharge in the MB!!
Anything else I'm missing?
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 851
Likes: 0
c63
I'm shopping around between MB and BMW for my new ride and it's getting down to splitting hairs at this point. But my question is all these reviews and comparos say the idrive is so much better than COMMAND. Yes the screen is bigger. That's the first thing I always hear. But why else?
I've been using the COMMAND since 2009 and have grown very accustomed to it's pros and cons. I don't really use nav that much, but that is one area where MB is deficient in my opinion. It works great once the destination is entered, but getting to that point is a pain if you don't know the address. Entering the address via voice is easy. But if I want to search for say a starbucks, it's a pain. Is it business, shopping, restaurant, etc.
With Mbrace and the 2013 COMMAND, can you search via your mbrace app and send it to the vehicle? Our 2006 lexus had a very easy search function and would tell you where the closest starbucks was.
I do like how the idrive has 8 programmable buttons which resemble just radio presets. But apparently you can program them to dial a number, go to a destination, etc. by just one click of a button. Pretty cool.
Not too concerned about facebook or twitter or email or surfing the web.
I think the stock MB sound system is better than BMW's for my tastes. I have not compared the B&O. It's a 3700 dollar upcharge in the BMW and I think a 6500-7000 upcharge in the MB!!
Anything else I'm missing?
I've been using the COMMAND since 2009 and have grown very accustomed to it's pros and cons. I don't really use nav that much, but that is one area where MB is deficient in my opinion. It works great once the destination is entered, but getting to that point is a pain if you don't know the address. Entering the address via voice is easy. But if I want to search for say a starbucks, it's a pain. Is it business, shopping, restaurant, etc.
With Mbrace and the 2013 COMMAND, can you search via your mbrace app and send it to the vehicle? Our 2006 lexus had a very easy search function and would tell you where the closest starbucks was.
I do like how the idrive has 8 programmable buttons which resemble just radio presets. But apparently you can program them to dial a number, go to a destination, etc. by just one click of a button. Pretty cool.
Not too concerned about facebook or twitter or email or surfing the web.
I think the stock MB sound system is better than BMW's for my tastes. I have not compared the B&O. It's a 3700 dollar upcharge in the BMW and I think a 6500-7000 upcharge in the MB!!
Anything else I'm missing?
i don't care for COMAND. it is pretty subpar compared pretty much any other nav unit I've seen in the past few years.
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 658
Likes: 2
From: DFW
C63 AMG Coupe P31
Comand is the worst nav/audio system i have ever had. even my old 2007 infiniti was more user friendly.....mostly, imo.
i just bought an f150 and sync is years ahead of comand.
and whats with that cream brown yellow color. could they have chosen a more dreadful color. blue would be much better.
i just bought an f150 and sync is years ahead of comand.
and whats with that cream brown yellow color. could they have chosen a more dreadful color. blue would be much better.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,675
Likes: 11
From: NA
Yes
Disagree, I have both. Idrive is more feature rich but COMAND is much easier to use. Little things like map usage are much simpler and quicker. If you want bells and whistles I drive is more advanced (like the presets which are AWESOME) but my emphasis is on dayto day usage and COMAND wins for me.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 46
Likes: 0
From: Baton Rouge, LA
2011 C63 AMG, 2011 Z4, 2013 BMW 335
Disagree, I have both. Idrive is more feature rich but COMAND is much easier to use. Little things like map usage are much simpler and quicker. If you want bells and whistles I drive is more advanced (like the presets which are AWESOME) but my emphasis is on dayto day usage and COMAND wins for me.
Overall, I would say the idrive is better if you take the time to learn it.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,300
Likes: 381
From: Texas
10 C six trizzle
the honest truth comand navigation blows, benz navi always has. It cant ever find the right street in the right city if it does it wont go to that address number only a range. It wont let you search while driving but you can using voice control. as for the ease of use for audio/phone etc... it is amazing and simple.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 4
From: ChiTown
06 Carrera4
for DD i would go with Command over anything mentioned in this thread. It is so much easier to use than anything i have ever tried. And im willing to sacrifice the lack of navigation options (which if you really needed can still be used quite well) for everything else command offers. with cellphones these days you can get the latest maps and navs at any moment and your car is obsolete the day it comes off the line.
My wife used to have a BMW, my sister and brother in-law also have bimmers, the Icrap system is imposible to use and no one will ever change my mind on that. It is too much to be able to quickly get to things you need. Infinity that my sister has also is not as user friendly as Command in the benz.
Personally i find the colors they chose for it suits it well. they are easy to look at at night or day.
Is it perfect? no, but for the lack of something you can build on your own, i'd go with this.
Also both BMW and Infinity voice system (nav excluded) are way more annoying to use than even my old 2001 C class i had years ago.
To each their own. Everyone has their own things they want and expect out of the vehicle no matter what it is. You need to see what you like and can live with because you will get 3 opinions between two people when you ask something like that.
My wife used to have a BMW, my sister and brother in-law also have bimmers, the Icrap system is imposible to use and no one will ever change my mind on that. It is too much to be able to quickly get to things you need. Infinity that my sister has also is not as user friendly as Command in the benz.
Personally i find the colors they chose for it suits it well. they are easy to look at at night or day.
Is it perfect? no, but for the lack of something you can build on your own, i'd go with this.
Also both BMW and Infinity voice system (nav excluded) are way more annoying to use than even my old 2001 C class i had years ago.
To each their own. Everyone has their own things they want and expect out of the vehicle no matter what it is. You need to see what you like and can live with because you will get 3 opinions between two people when you ask something like that.
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Newbie
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
2011 C63 AMG
I have both as well, the Command is no where near as good as the idrive. The only good thing that I could think of is u can enter address with buttons on the command. The thing i hate the most about the command is that it wont let u enter anything into the navi while driving.
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