Best First Car 2022: Technology
Some brands are generous in the tech spec of their most affordable cars, while others take a back-to-basics approach…Car-makers are often playing catch-up to the tech giants who are routinely upgrading our devices such as smartphones and personal computers. But we’re at a point today where the technology in every new car, regardless of price or position in a model line, should at least facilitate smooth integration with portable devices. From there, it’s a case of how far the car-maker wants to take us into the digital age with their latest tech. Our nine contenders for carsales’ Best First Car 2022 cover the basics, but where some brands leave it at that, others go much further…
In each of the affordable compact cars we’ve rounded up for carsales’ Best First Car 2022, there’s a useful amount of technology on board.
You can expect to be able to pair your mobile phone for calls and audio streaming via Bluetooth, there will be at least one USB port to charge your devices, and you’ll be able to link your smartphone for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto mirroring via a central touch-screen.
You can listen to the radio on AM or FM bands, but digital radio (and the clarity of sound reproduction it provides) is not a given.
That’s our cue to once again dive into the detail of our Best First Car candidates and separate the best from the rest.
Digital radio? That’s found on the Mazda2 Pure, Mazda3 Pure, Subaru Impreza 2.0i-L, Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport and Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport.
Those cars on test here that don’t provide DAB+ are the Hyundai i30 Active, Kia Cerato S, Kia Rio S and the Suzuki Swift GL S Plus.
A redeeming feature on the two Kia models that none of the others include is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, leaving the others to plug in via a USB port.
And of those ports, let’s count them. The Kia Cerato is at the top of the pile with three ports, while the Toyota Corolla and Yaris make do with only one. The rest have two.
There’s no wireless smartphone charging pads on any of our contenders, so not forgetting to bring the aux cord along for long trips is real.
The smartphone mirroring allows you access phone navigation, but that relies on mobile phone reception. Embedded sat-nav is a better way to go, but only the Mazda3 has this feature fitted as standard.
What’s more, the Mazda3 is the only model on test with speed sign recognition, which is a handy inclusion.
Another car among this cohort with a standout tech feature is the Toyota Corolla, which has access to Toyota Connected Services (TCS) that allows for SOS emergency calls, automatic collision notification and stolen vehicle tracking. The first year is complimentary, then requires ongoing monthly payments.
The Toyota Yaris currently doesn’t have access to TCS.
The entry-level spec of these Best First Car contenders rules out advanced features such as a fully digital instrument cluster and a head-up display.
Central colour touch-screens are provided on the dash, and although none of them make you feel as though you’ve walked into the widescreen TV section of your local electronics store, there are some important differences in size.
The Mazda2 and Toyota Yaris have the smallest screens at 7.0 inches, rising to 8.0 inches for the Hyundai i30, Kia Cerato, Kia Rio, Subaru Impreza and Toyota Corolla.
The Mazda3 is a step higher with its 8.8-inch display, while the Suzuki Swift stands tallest with a 9.0-inch screen.
For audiophiles and traditionalists alike, we’d like to point out that the Subaru Impreza still has a CD player – it’s the only one among our nine contenders still catering to a certain (and we’d suggest pretty large) portion of the population – while the Mazda3 is the standout for sound quality with its eight-speaker stereo system.
The Suzuki Swift makes do with only four speakers, while the rest have six-speaker units.
Best First Car 2022 – Technology | Hyundai i30 Active | Kia Cerato S | Kia Rio S | Mazda2 Pure | Mazda3 Pure | Subaru Impreza 2.0i-L | Suzuki Swift GL S Plus | Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport | Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport |
Apple and Android connectivity/wireless | Y/N | Y/Y | Y/Y | Y/N | Y/N | Y/N | Y/N | Y/N | Y/N |
Bluetooth phone/audio streaming | Y/Y | Y/Y | Y/Y | Y/Y | Y/Y | Y/Y | Y/Y | Y/Y | Y/Y |
Centre screen size/attributes | 8.0" | 8.0" | 8.0" | 7.0" | 8.8" | 8.0" | 9.0" | 8.0" | 7.0" |
DAB+ digital radio | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y |
Digital dash display | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
Satellite navigation | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N |
In-car connected services | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | Y | N |
Wireless phone charging | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | N |
Speed sign recognition | N | N | N | N | Y | N | N | N | N |
USB ports | Y 2 | Y 3 | Y 2 | Y 2 | Y 2 | Y 2 | Y 1 | Y 1 | Y 1 |
12V outlets | Y 2 | Y 1 | Y 1 | N | N | N | Y 1 | N | Y 1 |
Audio speakers | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
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