14 Cheap Cars With Standard Apple CarPlay And Android Auto

Buying a car is, for most people, their second biggest expenditure after buying or renting a property. Much like house prices, average car prices have been on an upward trend for years now, and according to CarEdge data, the average new car price as of January 2025 is $49,740. Just 10 years ago, that figure was around $35,000. However, there are still plenty of options out there for buyers who won't or can't spend that much money on a new car. The affordable car market is still a packed one, and many new cars can be bought for less than $30,000.

These 14 models all fit into that under $30,000 category, and offer what's arguably the gold standard for affordable car connectivity: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Many drivers prefer to rely on Apple or Google's suite of in-car apps rather than use in-built apps from car manufacturers, and doing so can also save a significant amount on navigation subscriptions and connectivity fees too.

Some of the listed cars offer wireless connectivity as standard, while others offer a mix of wired and wireless or even wired-only in a few cases. However, all of them come with connectivity for both popular platforms across their entire trim range.

Honda's veteran nameplate receives a refresh for 2025, with new styling tweaks and the introduction of a hybrid powertrain for the hatchback variant. That hybrid sits at the top of the Civic range and is thus too expensive to be considered 'cheap,' but even for buyers limited to a base-spec Civic, there's plenty to like here. The Civic's combination of practicality and efficiency remains unchanged across all trims, as does its reassured handling. The hybrid's extra potency gives it an extra boost off the line compared to base gas trims, but the latter isn't sluggish either.

The Civic's infotainment and safety tech package remains a highly competitive one, although buyers looking for the best Honda can offer will have to splash out on a pricier trim. Lower trims feature a 7.0-inch touchscreen and 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster, with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Higher trims see upgrades all around, with a 9.0-inch touchscreen, 10.2 inch instrument cluster, and standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

A recently launched entry at the cheapest end of Buick's lineup, the Envista crossover is a kind of Buick for buyers who wouldn't usually consider a Buick. It's available in bright color schemes, it looks sharp and sporty — although its handling doesn't reflect that — and it's affordably priced. The base-spec trim with no options hovers around the $25,000 mark for the 2025 model year. It shares a platform and a 1.2L three-cylinder engine with the Chevrolet Trax, and also borrows parts from GM's other crossovers.

Among those borrowed parts is an 11.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, which features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It's offered as standard across the full range of trims, including the base-spec Preferred, mid-spec Sport Touring, and top-spec Avenir. Buyers get plenty for their money then, but one thing that's missing is the option to add all-wheel drive for better traction in winter conditions. Puzzlingly, it's not offered on any Envista trim, but then neither is it available on its Chevy-badged sibling, the Trax.

Mazda's entry-level crossover gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across all trims, with an 8.8-inch infotainment screen fitted as standard. Base trims get wired connectivity to both platforms, while buyers of the CX-30 2.5 S Carbon Edition get wireless connectivity. Further up the trim range, the CX-30 2.5 Carbon Turbo trim and those above get touchscreen functionality alongside their wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — buyers of lesser trims have to make do with a control knob instead.

This isn't the most generous infotainment setup considering that similarly priced crossovers offer wireless connectivity and touchscreens in their base trims, but the CX-30's selling points don't center primarily around its infotainment. Rather, it's the car's handling and peppy drivetrain that sets it apart from its competitors, as well as its looks, which are cleaner and less polarizing than many of its rivals — despite the CX-30 no longer being the freshest design on the market. 

Prices for the 2025 CX-30 start around $26,000 including destination fees, but go further up the trim range and they can quickly jump up. A fully-loaded, top-spec CX-30 can cross the $40,000 mark.

Another model refreshed for 2025 is the VW Jetta, which sees minor aesthetic changes made as well as upgraded tech and interior finishes. An 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen is available as standard, with VW's App-Connect — which acts as an interface between Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and the car itself — also standard. The top half of the Jetta trim range gets wireless connectivity, while the lowest trims are only available with wired connections.

Other connectivity features available in the Jetta include two USB-C charging ports that can deliver up to 45W, plus an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Higher trims also benefit from voice control, SiriusXM, and a wireless charging pad. Additional packages for live navigation and a Wi-Fi hotspot are also available for buyers willing to cough up an extra monthly fee. Alongside the added tech, higher Jetta trims offer plusher interior finish, including faux leather or leather upholstery and heated and ventilated front seats.

The 2025 trim range of the Subaru Crosstrek continues mostly unchanged from 2024, with the off-road oriented Crosstrek Wilderness returning for the latest model year. In base form, it can be found for comfortably under $30,000, while at the other end of the range, the top-spec Wilderness trim costs at least $33,915 including destination fees. After spending some time with it in 2024, SlashGear wasn't entirely convinced that the Wilderness trim was worth the extra cash, since its added off-road chops didn't match up to Subaru's larger SUVs and its fuel economy and ride comfort suffered due to its knobby tires.

In terms of infotainment, the Premium trim gets all the key infotainment goodies, and it costs several thousand dollars less. Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard across lower trims, while the Premium trim and above get wireless connectivity as standard. They also get a larger infotainment touchscreen — 11.6-inches compared to the base Crosstrek's 7.0-inch screen. Buyers looking for a wireless phone charger and the full suite of assistive driving features will have to head further up the trim range, but they'll be crossing the $30,000 barrier in the process.

In hybrid form, the Hyundai Elantra is one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the market, but that's not the only reason it stands out from its peers. It also offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard across all trims, and is one of the cheapest cars on this list overall, with a starting price of $23,220 including fees.

Its infotainment stack varies depending upon trim: SE, SEL, and Blue HEV trims get an 8.0-inch touchscreen as standard, while higher trims get a 10.25-inch touchscreen with built-in navigation and SiriusXM. The larger screen is also optionally available on the SEL trim. Higher trims also get voice recognition as standard, alongside an eight-speaker Bose audio system.

Many buyers now prefer SUVs over sedans, and have done so for some years now. The sedan market has subsequently been shrinking, but it means the few offerings that are left have to be highly competitive to generate sales. That's good news for buyers — it means that cars like the Elantra offer great fuel economy and impressive standard tech at a price that's equal or lower to that of many smaller value-oriented crossovers.

Another competitively priced sedan that competes alongside the Hyundai Elantra is the Nissan Sentra, and it starts at an even lower price than its South Korean rival. Buyers get wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard on all trims, although unlike the Elantra, the Sentra doesn't offer wireless connectivity. In lower trims, the infotainment touchscreen spans 7.0-inches, while higher trims get a slightly larger 8.0-inch unit.

The Sentra's 2.0L four-cylinder engine delivers 149 horsepower, enough to put it on par with its competition, but not enough to make it in any way exciting. Likewise, the eight speaker Bose audio system that's available in top-spec variants is competitive with what else is on the market at this price point, but it's far from exceptional. The cruise control and SiriusXM radio that arrive as standard with the SV trim are welcome additions, but buyers looking for heated front seats and a heated steering wheel will have to step up to the top SR trim.

Although it's not an exact replacement, the Kia K4 is effectively the successor to the Forte sedan. It's slightly larger and heavier than the Forte, but features the same turbo-four engines. The added size puts it more directly in line with the likes of the Honda Civic and the Elantra from Kia's sister brand, Hyundai. Much like the Hyundai, the K4 offers standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, but the two are far from clones. For starters, on higher trims, the K4 offers standard dual 12.3-inch touchscreens for the infotainment and digital instrument cluster, plus a tertiary 5.0-inch screen for the climate control.

On base trims, just one 12.3-inch screen is offered. The triple-screen setup in higher K4 trims is borrowed from the Kia EV9, and helps give the car a more upscale feel than its price suggests. The available Harmon/Kardon audio system is also an upscale touch, although SlashGear's reviewer wasn't impressed with its real-world performance. At higher volumes, they reported, the bass didn't deliver the punch that would be expected from a typical Harman/Kardon system.

The most affordable SUV in Chevrolet's 2025 lineup is the Trax, which starts under $25,000. Much like its platform sibling, the Buick Envista, the Trax features a 1.2L three-cylinder engine and is only available with front-wheel drive. Its performance is predictably modest but there's enough grunt for drivers to shuttle themselves and their loved ones around town without hassle. Regular highway drivers might want something more than the 137 horsepower that the Trax offers, but in Chevy's lineup at least, they'll pay a notable premium for those higher powered models.

The most likely reason that buyers will opt for the Trax is how much standard equipment they get for their money, particularly in base trims. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, while the base 8.0-inch infotainment screen is respectable for its segment. Higher trims get an 11.0-inch infotainment screen plus an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Other niceties available in higher trims include a heated steering wheel and automatic climate control.

The base Impreza starts at $24,665 including destination fees for the 2025 model year, and even the top-spec Impreza RS can be had for a shade under $30,000. Every trim comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, with the Sport and RS trims featuring wireless connectivity. The base trim will require a wire to connect to a driver's smartphone. As standard, the base Impreza comes with two 7.0-inch touchscreens for infotainment and driver instruments, but the higher two trims receive a larger 11.6-inch touchscreen.

Higher trims also get a more robust safety package, with the Impreza Sport offering optional automatic emergency steering, blind spot detection, and rear-cross traffic alert. That will require buyers to splash out an extra $1,900, or alternatively, the top-spec Impreza RS gets all these features as standard. The Impreza RS also adds dark gray 18-inch alloy wheels and a variety of interior tweaks, including new upholstery and a wireless charging pad.

Toyota has sold over 50 million examples of the Corolla since it was introduced, making it one of the most popular nameplates in automotive history. The latest Corolla remains just as much of a sensible choice as ever, with competitive efficiency figures, affordable pricing, and an attractive tech stack on all trims. For 2025, the LE and SE trims receive an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity as standard, while FX and XSE trims get a larger 10.5-inch screen.

Both systems offer SiriusXM for a monthly fee, although a three-month trial subscription is included. A nine-speaker audio system engineered by JBL is also optional on the top-spec XSE trim, while all other trims make do with the standard six-speaker setup. Other features such as a Wi-Fi hotspot and remote vehicle start are available through additional subscription, and are available on all Corolla trims.

Unlike some other budget cars here, Toyota offers its Safety Sense 3.0 driver assistance package on all trims. This includes adaptive cruise control, road sign assist, lane keeping assist, and an automatic emergency braking system with pedestrian detection. That range of equipment is an impressively broad one considering the Corolla's base starting price of $23,460 including fees for 2025.

The current generation Mazda3 has been on sale for several years now, but it's been subject to a few recent minor tweaks to keep it competitive. One of those tweaks is the introduction of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto further down the range — for 2025, it's available for the 2.5 S Carbon Edition and upwards. Lower trims offer wired connectivity. In base-spec form, the Mazda3 comes with an 8.8-inch infotainment screen, but the top-spec 2.5 Carbon Turbo and 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus trims come with a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen.

Pricing across the Mazda3 range quickly jumps upward, with the entry-level sedan starting at $25,135 including fees and the range-topping 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus hatchback easily cresting the $40,000 barrier with options added. That said, buyers looking for the best that the Mazda3 can offer might want to head as far up the trim range as they can justify, as in its top-spec form, the car's interior is a surprisingly plush place to be, with materials and finish more typical of the class above.

Its cabin tech is competitive, with base trims receiving an 8.0-inch infotainment screen and higher trims benefitting from a 10.25-inch unit. However, in other regards, the VW Taos isn't quite so appealing. First, let's focus on the good bits: wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across all trims, wireless phone charging is available on higher trims, and dual-zone climate control can also be had on pricier variants. The Taos also looks inoffensive — the same cannot be said about some of its rivals — and it features a set of interior colorway options that make it feel less drab inside than many of its competitors too.

However, the Taos' flaws aren't always easy to overlook. Many of the more competitive options are introduced in the mid-range SE trim, leaving the base S option looking less attractively equipped compared to rivals at its price point. Then, there's the car's performance, which SlashGear thought was not up to par for drivers covering a lot of mileage on the highway. Our reviewing editor also found the Taos to be less fun to drive than most of its rivals, and in the subcompact SUV segment, that's saying something, as driving dynamics aren't usually manufacturers' top priority to begin with.

There's no getting away from the fact that the Hyundai Kona is a polarizing vehicle to look at. At its starting price of just under $26,000, there are plenty of crossover rivals that offer more conservative styling, and some offer similar levels of standard tech to boot. Nonetheless, the Kona remains competitive in the latter regard, with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across all trims. Both are accessed through a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, with higher trims also benefiting from built-in navigation.

A six-speaker audio system is standard across most of the trim range, with the exception of the N Line and Limited trims, which boast an eight-speaker Bose system. The Limited also features a surround-view camera system for better visibility when navigating the car into tight spaces. Wireless charging is available on all but the SE and SEL trims, while a rear camera is standard across all trims.