10 Least Expensive Cars With Automatic Emergency Braking

2020 Nissan Sentra blue front view parked ・ Photo by Nissan

It is nice when good things happen automatically. When the good thing that happens automatically can prevent injury or even death, that is even nicer, and that is just what automatic emergency braking is all about.

A car equipped with automatic emergency braking can sense an impending collision and slow the car autonomously. The best result is the automatic braking enables what otherwise would have been a collision to be avoided. Sometimes the physics of the incident makes avoiding a collision impossible, but by slowing the vehicle before impact, the resulting crash can be far less severe. Many current automatic braking systems, especially those on inexpensive cars, are only operative at fairly low speeds, while others work in conjunction with adaptive cruise control systems to bring cars to a full stop automatically when that’s called for (including in normal traffic, not merely in emergencies). Here are the least expensive cars that have automatic emergency braking.

2020 Toyota Yaris

The 2020 Toyota Yaris is a subcompact car that offers features typically found on larger, more expensive cars. As you might guess, it offers very high fuel economy and a low price, but it also has an advanced infotainment system with a sizable 7-inch display and compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

On the safety front, the Yaris offers what Toyota calls a Low-Speed Pre-Collision System that scans the road ahead for potential vehicle collisions. Not intended for highway use, it can provide automatic emergency braking if necessary. In some instances, that can prevent a collision. In others, it can mitigate the severity of a crash.

Photo by Toyota

2020 Kia Rio

The Kia Rio is a subcompact sedan that offers better-than-expected driving performance. For the 2020 model year, the Rio is equipped with a new, more fuel-efficient powertrain. An all-new Gamma 2 1.6-liter multipoint injection four-cylinder engine replaces last year's Gamma 1.6-liter direct-injection four-cylinder, while an equally new iVT continuously variable transmission replaces the six-speed conventional automatic to improve fuel economy.

A 7-inch color touchscreen infotainment system that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay leads the standard equipment list. Kia's Forward Collision Avoidance system is optional on the S trim level. The driving safety system is designed to help prevent the vehicle from colliding into obstacles lying ahead by warning the driver and controlling the vehicle’s braking functions if its sensors detect risk factors.

Photo by Kia

2020 Nissan Versa

The Nissan Versa is a subcompact sedan that has been completely made over for the 2020 model year. It comes with a long list of standard convenience features, including front and rear power windows with auto up/down, speed-sensing automatic door locks, cruise control, and remote keyless entry.

The Nissan Safety Shield 360 array of electronic driver’s aids isn’t standard, but it is available on the SV and SR trim levels. It features automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, which assists the driver when there is a risk of a collision with a vehicle ahead or with a pedestrian. The emergency braking system is radar-based, while the pedestrian detection uses a camera installed behind the windshield to help look for pedestrians in danger of being struck. Nissan Safety Shield 360 also includes rear automatic braking and a lane-departure warning, among other technologies.

Photo by Nissan

2020 Chevrolet Spark

The Chevrolet Spark minicar might not be well-known in America, but it is an international star. It’s available in more than 13 countries around the world, and its global sales top 2.6 million. Because of its broad popularity, it can be purchased with a modest level of equipment or a much more robust feature set.

When equipped with an automatic transmission, the 2020 Spark's 2LT offers an optional Driver Confidence Package that includes a forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and a lane-departure warning. The forward-collision alert warns the driver of an impending frontal collision, while automatic emergency braking applies the brakes when necessary to avert or mitigate an accident.

Photo by Chevrolet

2020 Kia Forte

Following a redesign last year, the Kia Forte compact sedan goes the sporty route for 2020 with two new sport trims: GT Line and GT.  Two engines are available in the Forte: a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that delivers 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque and a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that delivers 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.

The Forte also offers an impressive litany of driver-safety features, including both a forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking. The latter uses its front camera and front radar to compute the relative position and speed of obstacles in front of the vehicle. If it believes the vehicle will collide with an obstacle, the system warns the driver with visual and audible alarms while taking over control of the vehicle’s braking. It also tries to prevent the Forte from colliding with other vehicles that are approaching from the opposite direction and may intrude into its lane.

Photo by Kia

2020 Honda Fit

The Honda Fit’s performance-oriented character goes well with its interior versatility, making it a great car for those who have an active lifestyle (or who pretend to). The Fits features an economical 1.5-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine with a peak output of 130 horsepower. A six-speed manual transmission is standard in the LX and Sport trim levels, while a continuously variable transmission is available on those trims and standard on the EX and EX-L.

Speaking of which, the Honda Sensing safety suite is standard on the EX and EX-L, and it includes potentially life-saving technology like automatic emergency braking. Using radar and a high-resolution camera, the system operates in three stages. After determining a collision is possible, it first emits audible and visual warnings, then it lightly applies the brakes to alert the driver. If those efforts fail, it strongly applies the brakes in an attempt to avoid or lessen the negative effects of a collision.

Photo by Honda

2020 Nissan Sentra

The best-selling Nissan model in America, the Sentra compact sedan has been completely redone for 2020. Among many changes, a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine replaces the previous 1.8-liter four-cylinder. It delivers 149 horsepower, giving this Sentra generation better performance. The new powerplant is teamed with the Xtronic continuously variable transmission, which features a D-mode step shift program that simulates conventional automatic gear shifts.

The Sentra also offers Nissan Safety Shield 360, an impressive array of safety and driver-assistance technology, as standard equipment. The system’s automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection comes into play when there is a risk of a collision with an object or vehicle ahead or, as the name suggests, with a pedestrian. In either instance, the system will send warning and then automatically brake.

Photo by Nissan

2020 Hyundai Elantra

The 2020 Hyundai Elantra compact car is the beneficiary of a new Intelligent Variable Transmission, Hyundai’s take on the increasingly popular continuously variable transmission. One big benefit is improved fuel economy.

More to the point for this list is the addition of Hyundai's Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist across the Elantra line. The system integrates a forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking to give drivers better peace of mind. Using a front-facing camera, the system monitors the vehicle ahead in the same lane and warns the driver if a collision might occur. If the driver fails to respond in time, the system initiates braking. The system is supplemented by the Elantra’s standard lane-keeping assist. 

Photo by Hyundai

2020 Hyundai Accent

The Hyundai Accent is a highly reliable and economical front-wheel-drive subcompact sedan that is powered by a 120-horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. Buyers are offered a choice of six-speed manual transmission or a new CVT automatic.

Since Hyundai wants to appeal to buyers who might otherwise choose a used car, it keeps the price down by not offering automatic emergency braking on most of its trim levels, but the system is available on the Limited model. On the Accent, it operates in much the same way as on the Elantra, first emitting warnings and then applying the brakes if necessary. Another big plus for the Accent is the length of its warranty.

2020 Subaru Impreza

Subaru doesn’t just love dogs, it also loves people as demonstrated by its highly rated EyeSight Driver Assist Technology. The 2020 Impreza is a compact, available in 4-door sedan and 5-door hatchback variants. All Impreza models equipped with the Lineartronic CVT automatic transmission come with Subaru’s EyeSight safety and driver-assist array. It includes Automatic Pre-Collision Braking and Throttle Management, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Departure and Sway Warning as well as Lead Vehicle Start Alert. Using dual forward-facing cameras, EyeSight can detect potential collisions and reduce the throttle to lower engine power. This can help mitigate the effects of a collision. In addition, the system can trigger pre-collision braking that could help you avoid a crash or minimize the damage from a crash that can’t be avoided.

Photo by Subaru