Wait.... No Sirius Xm ???

Sorry, can't help - I generally listen to CDs for music. I'm surprised - do you give the passengers the choice.

That's never happened with TAXIs here - you have to put up with what they've got on - though I've asked it to be turned down once.

 

This works fine for me.

https://priuschat.com/threads/2019-prius-xle-support-sirius-xm-radio.204500/reply?quote=2954040

 

XM has easy add-on solutions for any vehicle that doesn't include an XM tuner. Sure, integrated, built-in solutions are (usually) best but the external tuners work great too. A hidden bonus is sometimes these sound and/or operate better than the OEM tuners.

GOOD LUCK!

 

You can get satellite radio programming through an app on your phone and bypass the satellite transmission system completely, and as @Tideland Prius pointed out above there are plenty of other services that can sell you functionally equivalent streaming audio entertainment.

Why spend dollars to equip the car when you can spend pennies to equip the phone, and then put the phone in the car?

 

Seems every SAT radio thread goes here.

Some reasons SAT is preferred:
Poor or inconsistent cell coverage (yes even in 2019).
Unlimited data plans that really aren't.
Limited data plans.
Cell phone needed for other uses.
Limited phone battery life means mandatory plugging/unplugging in that gets old, fast.
Phone heat issues from heavy use.
Consistent signal (especially road trips).
Specific programming.

Cellular streaming is a good but limited fall back solution for those affected by the above.

 

I’m well aware of that litany, but I chose to discount it because OP said he was driving rideshares.

I hereby open myself to correction- My perception is that much rideshare activity occurs in areas well served by the phone networks, and that rideshare operators are already dependent on mobile data to the extent that they’ve probably already scored the least-limited services available.

I would have had a different answer if OP said he was doing deliveries on indian reservations in Wyoming. Context.

 

I don't think that matters for him. He said rideshare. Most Uber/Lyft aren't driving you 2000miles across country. Rideshares means the phone is already there and plugged in all the time for navigation and the apps for the rideshare.

And even then, having driven all over, I can count the spots I have been without reception and on a road driving on a single hand in 2019. 2 of those are in the remote wilderness of the Northwest Territories and the Yukon Territories.

And I stream music everywhere. At home, at the office, in my car, anywhere. Data usage for streaming is usually in the 3-4 GB range per month. Music streaming just isn't that bandwidth intensive and almost all "unlimited" plans will be more than 3-4GB.

I was one of the biggest cheerleaders for Sirius back in the day. I converted all my cars in 2002 time frame. By 2008 it was a toss-up between satellite and streaming. And doing those cross-continent road trips, the satellite radio was awesome to have. Single station the whole way with reception everywhere (except under big trees...). But in 2010/2011 I cancelled all my sat radios when they took of the stations I most enjoyed and increased the ads played.

For the past 8 years I have used my phone exclusively and have had no issues.

 

Maybe in Texas. Up here every dang tree, building, rock outcrop, leaves you filling in the blanks. For me this is confirmed, each time they have a "free preview" long weekend.

Also: I took out a one year subscription, and expressly asked that it not be auto-renewed.That was a waste of breath: of course they auto-renewed, and it took research and a long-distance pay call, and a lengthy argument, to get it cancelled and charges reversed. I would never go there again.

 

He's probably talking about YouTube Music. I use the free version so I get occasional brief commercials. I stream it from my phone via Bluetooth to our vehicles. It works great as long as there is decent cell phone service. Sound quality depends much more on the vehicle audio system. The selection of music on YouTube Music is incredible - seems far more than any other streaming service. We have the top JBL systems in our Prius v and Sienna and it sounds especially nice. I subscribe to Pandora and it sounds very good too. We let the XM subscription for the Prius expire since my wife doesn't care about it but have XM in the Sienna. XM sounds great in the Sienna but it has a pretty wonderful 10 speaker system with a subwoofer which can probably make anything sound good.

There's an XM radio smartphone app which can be used by anyone who has an XM subscription for their vehicle. I don't use the XM phone app because I have too many other audio choices when I'm not driving. I often use XM via satellite in town but it's especially nice in rural areas without phone service where all there is to listen to on regular AM/FM radio are farm price reports and country music.

I subscribe to Amazon Prime which means I can also use the basic Amazon Music app on my smartphone. The premium Amazon Music is far better but has an additional fee.

We stream audio from Tunein Radio a lot while traveling. There's over 100,000 radio stations on Tunein Radio including most of our local ones

I very occasionally listen to other streaming services including Slacker and iHeartRadio.

It's amazing how many wonderful free and low cost streaming apps there are these days.

 

Yup, everyone's different hence why one solution doesn't always work for all.

In the OP's situation, ease of use should also be paramount especially while driving for a living (using the steering wheel controller to change SAT channels vs face locked to a display screen while swiping thru endless google search results the passenger just requested).

Just my 2cents.