Edmunds.com Names Top Picks for Tech-Averse New Car Buyers
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — March 11, 2015 — High-tech vehicles aren't for everyone, and while low-tech configurations are becoming more obsolete on the new car market, car buying platform Edmunds.com today revealed a list of eight new cars and trucks to meet the needs of shoppers who want minimal or no connectivity in their next new car.
"Car manufacturers are investing a lot of energy and resources into building more connected cars, and that's raised some legitimate concerns about safety and privacy among consumers, even if there is little or no risk to them at this time," says Edmunds.com Senior Editor John O'Dell. "But even if those dangers never come to fruition, some people just do not want a vehicle packed with technology, and this list should be valuable to them as they shop for their next new car."
Here are eight "unconnected" vehicles on today's new car market, as identified by Edmunds.com:
- 2015 Hyundai Accent GS hatchback and GLS sedan, 1.6-liter engine, six-speed manual transmission
- 2015 Kia Rio LX, hatchback or sedan, 1.6-liter engine with six-speed manual or automatic
- 2015 Mazda Mazda3 iSV sedan, 2.0-liter engine, six-speed manual or automatic
- 2015 Mazda MX-5 Miata, 2,0-liter engine, five-speed manual
- 2014 Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric car
- 2015 Nissan NV passenger van, 4.0-liter and 5.6 liter engines, five-speed automatic
- 2015 Nissan Titan S pickup, King Cab and Crew Cab models, 5.6-liter engine, five-speed automatic
- 2015 Smart fortwo Pure Coupe, 1-liter engine, five-speed automatic
Edmunds.com created the list by identifying new vehicles without such features such as navigation systems, Bluetooth functions, exterior cameras, keyless ignitions or embedded cellular connectivity. These vehicles roll without such systems as adaptive cruise control or accident avoidance that use potentially hackable networked electronics to control critical functions such as braking, steering and acceleration. Most vehicles on the list are base models and likely come with connected features on higher trim levels.
Edmunds.com offers tips for car shoppers who seek to minimize the technology in their next new or used vehicle at http://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/how-to-buy-a-low-tech-car.html.
Also, a recent report by Edmunds.com found that while car hacking is not a real threat to drivers today, experts and manufacturers are starting to take steps to make sure it does not develop into a danger in the future. Learn more about the findings at http://www.edmunds.com/car-technology/can-your-car-be-hacked.html.
Edmunds.com Consumer Advice Editor Carroll Lachnit will moderate a panel during SXSW on Friday at 4:30 p.m. CT on developments in vehicle-to-vehicle communication and connectivity. The panel will be one among a series of events and discussions at SXSW's C3 Connected Car Pavilion. Learn more about the pavilion and its sponsored events at http://www.cthreereport.com/event/c3_pavilion/.
About Edmunds.com
Car-shopping website Edmunds.com serves nearly 18 million visitors each month. With Edmunds.com Price Promise®, shoppers can get an instant, upfront price for cars and trucks currently for sale at 10,000 dealer franchises across the U.S. Shoppers can browse not only dealer inventory, but also vehicle reviews, shopping tips, photos, videos and feature stories on both Edmunds' wired site and on its acclaimed mobile apps. Regarded as one of the best places to work in Southern California, Edmunds.com was also named one of "The World's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies of 2015 in Automotive" by Fast Company. Edmunds welcomes all car-shopping questions at our Help Center and on Twitter and Facebook. The company is based in Santa Monica, Calif. and has a satellite office in downtown Detroit, Mich., but you can find Edmunds from anywhere on YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+ and Flipboard.
