10 Least Expensive Cars With Android Auto

2018 Subaru Impreza front three quarter hatch ・ Photo by Subaru

The dominance of the Apple iPhone is well-established, but mobile phones running the Android operating system also represent a big chunk of the marketplace. Unlike Apple CarPlay, Android is an open system, so many mobile phone makers have adopted it and web developers have gotten creative with it. It’s backed by Google, the web’s ubiquitous search engine, which gives it power and credibility.

Android Auto is designed to deliver the Android experience in your car. For instance, you can get real-time alerts with Google Maps and Waze and ask your Google Assistant to find gas along the way. You can see it all on your car’s dashboard display. In recent years, some vehicles offered Apple CarPlay but did not offer Android Auto. That has largely changed; most current models that feature Apple CarPlay also offer Android Auto, though some still have neither. Here are the 10 least expensive cars whose infotainment systems are compatible with Android Auto.

2020 Chevrolet Spark

Chevrolet wants young people to buy its Spark minicar, and the brand's execs know that young people love their Android-system mobile phones. So Chevrolet offers Android Auto compatibility as standard equipment in the 2020 Spark.

The standard infotainment system features a 7-inch-diagonal color touchscreen, two USB ports, an auxiliary input jack, and a Wi-Fi hotspot with available 4G LTE data. Air conditioning and split-folding rear seats are also standard, and heated seats and power sunroof are available. The Spark is definitely a minicar, but it doesn’t feel cramped inside, and its interior is finished in a style that belies its extremely low price.

Photo by Chevrolet

2020 Mitsubishi Mirage

Competing with the Chevrolet Spark is the 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage, a minicar that is available as a five-door hatchback or four-door sedan (called the Mirage G4.) With a 78-horsepower engine, you wouldn’t guess that the Mirage would be fun to drive, but in its own way, it is. Of course, you also get exceptional fuel economy and some surprising standard features like automatic climate control.

While the Spark offers Android Auto on every trim level, it is not available on the Mirage’s lowest trim. But the LE model has Android Auto compatibility plus heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and other features you’d probably appreciate. A 7-inch touchscreen audio system and Bluetooth streaming are standard across all Mirages.

Photo by Mitsubishi

2020 Toyota Yaris

Earlier versions of the Toyota Yaris were pretty dull appliance tools. But these days, the Yaris subcompact has a new verve and glow about it. That’s what new styling and equipment upgrades will do for you. In fact, the Yaris XLE model — the highest trim level — is a tiny luxury car. It has leatherette front seats, leather-trimmed steering wheel, shift knob and parking brake, automatic climate control, automatic LED headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and illuminated entry — kind of a miniature Lexus.

But you don’t have to buy the XLE to get Android Auto capability. It is standard on every Yaris trim level, and it is accompanied by the standard 7-inch multimedia system with voice recognition. Every Yaris also has a low-speed automatic emergency braking. 

Photo by Toyota

2020 Nissan Versa

Like the Toyota Yaris, the newly redesigned 2020 Nissan Versa is a subcompact car that has a feature set previously reserved for more expensive models. It comes with an impressive list of standard convenience features, including cruise control, remote keyless entry, front and rear power windows with driver's one-touch auto up/down, and speed-sensing auto door locks.

The available Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite delivers electronic front, side, and rear safety monitoring and intervention technologies. Its features include automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, and a lane-departure warning, among other systems. Nissan’s adaptive cruise control is also available. For those seeking an ultra-low price, the most modest Versa trim doesn’t offer Android Auto capability; however, the feature is available in the SV and SR grades as part of Nissan Connect.

Photo by Nissan

2020 Kia Rio

The Kia Rio cruises into the 2020 model year with an all-new powertrain. The 120-horsepower 1.6-liter multi-point injection four-cylinder engine doesn’t produce as much peak horsepower as the previous engine, but when teamed with the all-new iVT continuously variable transmission it is more drivable and satisfying. Plus there’s an increase in fuel economy.

This front-wheel-drive subcompact is available in four-door sedan and five-door hatchback body styles, and it has an optional forward collision avoidance system. The Rio has a bigger footprint than the Honda Fit, and its longer wheelbase offers good stability on the highway, something many small cars lack. Another thing some small cars lack is Android Auto complete with a 7-inch color touchscreen, but you'll get it on every trim level of the Rio.

Photo by Kia

2020 Chevrolet Sonic

A trend among small cars is the addition of features that were previously reserved for larger, more expensive cars. After all, no one wants to drive in a “penalty box.” Chevrolet has jumped on this trend with a vengeance. Features on the 2020 Chevrolet Sonic include keyless entry, LED running lights, and split-folding rear seats.

Ten airbags and a backup camera are standard safety features, and an optional “driver confidence package” includes a forward collision alert, a lane-departure warning, and rear parking assist. Cruise control is standard on the LT and Premier trims and keyless entry/start is standard on the Premier trim and available on the LT. The Sonic’s standard infotainment has a 7-inch touchscreen and includes Android Auto capability.

Photo by Chevrolet

2020 Hyundai Accent

Yet another subcompact on this roster, the Hyundai Accent is a front-wheel drive car with several similarities to the Kia Rio that also graces this list. One comes under the hood where the Accent features a 120-horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine.

The engine can be paired with a traditional six-speed manual transmission or a fuel-saving CVT (continuously variable transmission). If you choose the manual transmission, though, think economy — not sporty driving characteristics. A remote trunk release and a power moonroof are notable additions to the options list. Android Auto is only available on the SEL and Limited trim versions, accessed through a 7-inch touchscreen.

Photo by Hyundai

2020 Honda Fit

If you put a willing 130-horsepower engine in a small, light car, you have the makings of a fun ride. That’s exactly what Honda has done with its Fit subcompact.

The Fit features a 1.5-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine. The LX and Sport trim levels offer a standard six-speed manual transmission, with a continuously variable transmission as an extra-cost option. The CVT is standard on up-level EX and EX-L trims. The Honda Sensing array of electronic safety and driver’s aids isn’t standard across the board as it is for most Honda models, but it is standard on the EX and EX-L. In a similar vein, Fit doesn’t offer Android Auto compatibility across the range, but it is standard on the Sport, EX, and EX-L trim levels. Among the vehicles on this list of the most affordable cars with Android Auto, the Honda Fit is the most fun to drive.

Photo by Honda

2020 Kia Soul

The Kia Soul is likely the most exuberant car on this list. It retains a similar profile to last year’s version, but it is newly redesigned for 2020. It was nice to learn that the Soul has not turned its back on its music-oriented roots. Its available sound mood lighting shoots rays from the center door panels and a 3D pattern surface on the upper door panels, turning the Soul into a tiny disco rigged for chair-dancing. Customizable colors add to the frivolity, and the colors throb to the beat of the music.

A 10.25-inch HD color touchscreen with split-screen functionality is available, while Android Auto and a Bluetooth6 Multi-Connection — which enables you to hook up two separate Bluetooth devices — are standard. Beyond the music, the Kia Soul offers a variety of powertrains, and it is likely the most versatile vehicle on this list.

Photo by Kia

2020 Subaru Impreza

The 2020 Subaru Impreza, available in four-door sedan and five-door hatchback configurations, brings a lot of advantages — including symmetrical all-wheel-drive as standard equipment, one of the brand’s signatures. Another brand signature is the 2.0-liter 152-horsepower horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine.

Then there’s Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assist technology. All Impreza models equipped with the Lineartronic CVT automatic transmission have it, and it is one of the best systems of its kind. If you’re the forgetful type, you might appreciate the optional Rear Seat Reminder that warns the driver to check the rear seat for a child or pet before exiting the vehicle. The Subaru Starlink multimedia system is standard across all Impreza models, and it includes a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Android Auto compatibility. The Impreza might also be the safest compact car available in the United States.

Photo by Subaru