23Jun
The most technologically advanced cars aren't always the most expensive
Luxury and the best cutting-edge technology often go hand in hand. However, the cars with the coolest tech aren’t necessarily the most expensive luxury cars and SUVs, many of which most people would be lucky to lay eyeballs on more than once a year. Today, we're happy to present you with ten of the best high-tech cars on the road that you can actually afford without breaking the bank. When discussing cars with the most high-tech features, we look beyond touchscreen infotainment displays and automatic emergency braking.
We’re rating cutting-edge features like augmented reality (AR), digital car keys, or even sprawling dashboard screens that feel more like a cockpit. In other words, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are admittedly cool and novel technology but won't suffice in the pantheon of the most technologically advanced cars, which, for example, lets you turn on the ignition via fingerprint.
As technology advances, the automotive industry is keeping pace by incorporating advanced hi-tech features into cars. These features improve the driving experience and enhance safety, making driving more enjoyable and safer than ever before. Below are the top ten regular cars with the best hi-tech features.
Related: The Top-10 Smartest Cars In The World
10. 2020 Kia Telluride
- Tech Highlight: DriveWise ADAS System
- Price: From $24,199 (₦19.8 Million)
Kia unveiled the DriveWise suite of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). However, the Kia Telluride midsize SUV expanded and refined the system with a spacious and technologically advanced interior.
The Kia DriveWise system is more than just a suite of driver assistance features like adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking.
It also includes features like navigation-based smart cruise control, intelligent front lighting system, and remote smart parking assist. These features work together to keep the car and passengers safe on the road.
In addition to Telluride's host of infotainment features, including a massive 10.25-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, it also features a UVO link system, allowing remote vehicle access and control via a smartphone app.
Kia introduced the Telluride in 2020 with the DriveWise system and other hi-tech features, so you don't have to buy the latest and more expensive model to experience this cutting-edge technology.
9. 2020 Ford Mustang Mach-E
- Tech Highlight: BlueCruise Autonomous Driving
- Price: From $31,495 (₦25.7 Million)
The Ford Mustang Mach-E is an all-electric SUV packed with hi-tech features. Many purists and Mustang fans couldn’t hide their disapproval when Ford unveiled the midsize crossover SUV in 2019 with the “Mustang” moniker attached to its name.
The Mach-E may not be a true-to-form pony car but it certainly crammed plenty of cool features, starting from the push-button doors sans door handles, designed to sharpen the SUV’s aerodynamics in its bid to take on the Tesla Model X.
Also, the Mach-E showcased Ford’s new BlueCruise self-driving and active driver-aid technology, which meant that the SUV can drive itself on certain highways using radars and cameras positioned around the vehicle.
Furthermore, the Mach-E allows up to three passengers to customize their riding experience via an app even before entering the vehicle or using onboard voice recognition software.
Mach-E goes beyond pre-selected individual seating positions to include climate control, mirrors, and audio custom settings.
There’s, of course, the Ford Co-Pilot360 system as well - a suite of driver assistance features that includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking.
The Mach-E’s infotainment features include a massive 15.5-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, while the SUV’s FordPass Connect system, introduced in 2016, also allows for remote vehicle access and control via a smartphone app.
8. 2013 Honda Accord
- Tech Highlight: HondaLink System
- Price: From $7,499 (₦6.1 Million)
The Honda Accord midsize sedan is known for its outstanding reliability and advanced technology.
You’re most likely surprised at the mention of the ubiquitous Honda Accord on this list at all but remember we're discussing the best hi-tech cars regular people can actually afford.
The midsize sedan is here because it debuted the HondaLink system in 2013 and is also the most popular Honda model in the Nigerian automotive market using the system.
Unveiled in July 2012, the HondaLink is an in-vehicle connectivity system that allows remote vehicle access and control via a smartphone app.
The system provides remote access to a host of features, including security alert alarm, geofence alert, driver feedback, remote start, remote lock/unlock, stolen vehicle locator, Amazon Alexa voice command, destination by voice, vehicle health report, enhanced roadside assistance, Find my Car feature, and numerous other features.
Accord also comes with the Honda Sensing system – a suite of driver assistance features that includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking.
It also features a host of infotainment features, including an 8-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
7. 2019 Audi A8
- Tech Highlight: Electric Door Handles
- Price: From $35,168 (₦28.7 Million)
The Virtual Cockpit made a big impression on the automotive industry when Audi debuted the hi-tech feature on the TT Mk3 in 2014.
However, if someone says the coolest thing about the Audi A8 is the Virtual Cockpit, it’s almost likely the person doesn’t own an A8. Like the Bimmer, Audi is another brand seriously vying for the mass-market luxury segment crown.
Luckily for you, you can save money by opting for the fully-loaded 2020 Audi A8 3.0T, complete with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreens, and that 12.3-inch virtual cockpit digital gauge cluster.
However, the features that earned the Audi A8 its place on this list include exit warning indicators, handwriting recognition, advanced 3D camera view, advanced laser headlights, and fully electric door handles.
You could say that electric door handles lack actual functionality, but that doesn't negate the cool factor. The feature also allows the A8's doors to open with the slightest touch, whether from the inside or outside, which certainly beats yanking or pulling.
The electric doors also support the A8's exit warning indicators that use sensors to detect incoming movements from blindspots behind you while exiting the car and prevent you from opening the door.
Note that the exit indicators work on all four doors of the 2019 A8. Furthermore, the Audi A8 also features a host of safety features such as adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking, and many others.
6. 2015 Volvo XC90
- Tech Highlight: Pilot Assist Technology
- Price: From $21,000 (₦17.147 Million)
Although Volvo’s state-of-the-art Pilot Assist has appeared on Volvo cars since 2016, the system came to the fore when the Swedish company launched the world’s first self-driving production car in 2019 – the Volvo XC90, in partnership with ride-share firm Uber.
Before you argue this claim, we mean the first self-driving system capable of full autonomy.
Volvo explained that the Pilot Assist system combines feedback from cameras and radars positioned around the vehicle to detect surrounding vehicles and adjust the car's speed and steering accordingly.
The XC90 isn’t the only Volvo to feature the Pilot Assist, but, according to the automaker, “it is fitting that this Volvo was a specially adapted XC90.”
The Pilot Assist works in synergy with the adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning systems to optimize driver and passenger safety. Today, the Volvo XC90 luxury SUV is known for its advanced safety features.
The XC90 also features a decent list of infotainment features, including a 9-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
Additionally, the SUV’s Sensus Connect system also allows for remote vehicle access and control via a smartphone app.
Related: The Porsche Mission X: A Spectacular Reinterpretation Of A Lightweight Electric Hypercar
5. 2021 Porsche Taycan
- Tech Highlight: Porsche Com. Management System
- Price: From $69,990 (₦57.1 Million)
Luckily for you, the Taycan debuted in 2020 with the sixth and latest generation of Porsche’s Communication Management (PCM), making it one of Porsche's models fielding the cutting-edge system alongside the Panamera, 911, and Cayenne.
Porsche Communication Management (PCM) is a state-of-the-art central control unit for all audio, communication, navigation, and standard vehicle functions of the Porsche vehicle.
According to Porsche, "The most important innovations include integrations of Apple Music and Apple Podcasts built into the PCM and wireless Apple CarPlay support. In addition, Android Auto is included for the first time, and the Voice Control assistant can now understand more instructions in natural language.
The navigation system calculates faster and displays its information more clearly. PCM 6.0 also ensures that software updates will be possible using over-the-air technology – this means they can be carried out wirelessly.”
The super-seamless mobile integration effectively makes Porsche Taycan a class-leading all-electric sports car where vehicular connectivity is concerned.
The car’s 10.9-inch infotainment touchscreen display is intuitive and can get customized to display a variety of information, including navigation directions, vehicle diagnostics, and media playback.
These are besides the Taycan's numerous safety features, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking.
Additionally, Taycan's Active Lane Keep Assist system uses cameras and sensors to keep the car centered in its lane and adjust the steering based on road conditions.
4. 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
- Tech Highlight: MBUX Infotainment System
- Price: From $79,979 (₦65.3 Million)
Although the A-Class was first to feature the MBUX in 2018, the S-Class debuted the system’s next generation in 2021, the first time the three-pointed star would embrace the touchscreen display.
The MBUX (short for Mercedes-Benz User Experience) is a bleeding-edge infotainment system that Mercedes developed for deployment in the latest Benz, AMG, and EQ models.
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a luxury sedan made famous for its advanced hi-tech features. It debuted the next-generation MBUX state-of-the-art infotainment system, heralded by a massive 12.3-inch easy-to-use customizable touchscreen display.
The screen fields a variety of information, including navigation directions, weather forecasts, and even the car's fuel economy.
The S-Class’s MBUX user interface was marked by fewer buttons thanks to a new hardware suite with enhanced responsiveness and an improved "Hey Mercedes" voice command system.
Mercedes is currently working on embedding the MBUX with ChatGPT, but the 2021 S-Class remains a high-tech luxury sedan you can afford right now.
No need to long after a ChatGPT-enabled infotainment system when you have an S-Class with cool tech features like a 3D display behind the steering wheel and personal profiles accessible via fingerprint sensor or voice and facial recognition.
Furthermore, the S-Class also features a host of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking, while the car's Active Steering Assist system uses cameras and sensors to keep it centered in its lane and adjust the steering based on road conditions.
3. 2023 BMW 7 Series
- Tech Highlight: Cinematic Smart 8K Screens
- Price: From $89,977 (₦73.5 Million)
Forgive us for not going back to previous models you could buy cheaper on the used car market but you simply couldn't do better than the totally revamped 2023 BMW 7 Series when it comes to innovative features.
The new 7 Series packs enough bells and whistles to threaten the luxury sedan segment crown on the S-Class Mercedes-Benz's head, same Benz that inspired Davido’s Maybach.
Supporting the 7 Series' quest for the luxury segment crown is the new all-electric i7 included in the lineup to challenge the three-pointed star's all-electric EQS.
In addition to the hybrid and combustion engine variants, the 7 Series now naturally comes with a slew of new technology and convenience features to ensure each version delivers a motoring experience on par with the nameplate.
It’s a crass understatement if we simply said that the new 7 Series is a hi-tech car. If the radically redesigned exterior doesn’t betray the fact, the cinema-style screens inside will do it the moment you look inside.
Since most owners are executives who use chauffeurs, the rear cabin gets a massive 31-inch theater screen spanning the breadth of the interior to create a cinema-like ambiance.
We’re talking 8K resolution screens capable of delivering ultra-widescreen shows where available. Twitch, Amazon Fire TV, Discovery+, and other streaming channels come either integrated or available.
Once engaged, the rear window and sunblinds close automatically to prevent glare because – it’s show time.
But “show time” isn't the only hi-tech credential in the 7 Series' belt. Note that what’s really powering the 7 Series’ suite of new tech and driver-aid features is its latest iteration of the iDrive.
The latest iDrive runs on the company’s in-house OS-8, powering features like the Bimmer’s latest version of the head-up display, AR function behind the steering wheel, and many other cutting-edge features – features you can keep fresh down the road via OTA updates.
And oh, BMW offers optional bulletproofing with the 7 Series, just in case you need it.
2. 2023 Toyota Prius
- Tech Highlight: Efficient Hybrid Powertrain And Safe Exit Assist System
- Price: From $27,450 (₦22.5 Million)
The Prius is verifiably one of the smartest cars in the world, despite not rolling with the proverbial apex predators of powerful cars.
Initially, the Prius got launched to great fanfare mostly due to its impressive hybrid technology that delivered splendid fuel efficiency. However, the Prius’ efficient powertrain isn’t the only reason it is one of the best hi-tech cars money can buy today.
The latest model now comes with an Advanced Park system, which makes parallel parking a lot more convenient, even in tight spots.
The Prius Advanced Park practically takes over the brakes, accelerator, steering wheel, sensors, and cameras to execute a parallel park neat enough to make onlookers gawk.
And that’s not all. The 2023 Toyota Prius is digital key-ready, meaning you can pair your smartphone with the car's computer to lock/unlock the car as well as turn it on/off.
Of course, an older Prius is cheaper, but the latest model is, hands-down, the best version of the Prius, both cosmetically and technologically.
Lastly, the new Prius features Safe Exit Assist, which uses built-in radars in the rear bumper to detect incoming movements like cars and bikes and notifies you via an audible alert and visual warning on the side mirrors while you're opening the door. How cool is that?
Additionally, there’s the Toyota Safety Sense system – a suite of driver assistance features that includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking, along with a host of infotainment features, including a 7-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto.
The car's Entune system also allows for remote vehicle access and control via a smartphone app.
1. 2023 Tesla Model S
- Tech Highlight: Enhanced Autopilot Driver Assistance System
- Price: From $90,130 (₦73.9 Million)
The Model S is arguably the most technologically advanced car money can buy right now, thanks in huge part to Elon Musk’s Autopilot software.
Although Tesla unleashed the first version of the Autopilot driver-aid system in 2015 as part of the company’s 7.0 software version, the next iteration, dubbed 7.1, saw improvement in the software, especially with the deletion of some features to forestall risky driving.
The Autopilot Level-2-Autonomy system has matured considerably since then.
Autopilot features include Traffic-Aware Cruise Control that matches the car’s speed to the surrounding traffic, Autopark that helps with parallel or perpendicular parking, Smart Summon that moves and navigates the car around complex environments, and many other ultra-hi-tech features.
The Tesla Model S, especially the P100D variant, is a class- and segment-leading electric car, not just because it is a regular-looking sedan that vrooms from 0 to 60 mph in under three seconds but also due to its unparalleled self-driving capabilities.
But that's hardly half of it. The Model S packs so many hi-tech features to leave new initiates oohing and aahing forever and ever.
The Model S now boasts a Nividia machine learning system behind its array of cameras, ultrasonic sensors, and radars. The software update we mentioned limits the car’s speed to 45 mph when in auto-driving mode and automatically slows down the car when you take both hands off the wheel.
Space won't let us dive into the Model S's numerous cool features, such as Sentry Mode, Dog Mode, Plaid Mode, Ludicrous Plus Mode, Bioweapons Defense Mode, auto-raising air suspension, web browser, Caraoke, keycard, Easter eggs, streaming and video gaming, and others.
Introduced in 2012, any model-year Model S is cool enough. It largely depends on your budget.
Final Word On The Top-10 Most Affordable Hi-Tech Cars On The Road
As technology continues to advance, cars are becoming more connected and more advanced than ever before. From electric vehicles to luxury sedans and SUVs, the cars on this list are packed with hi-tech features that enhance the driving experience and keep passengers safe on the road.
Whether you're looking for an all-electric sports car or a spacious SUV, there's a car on this list that is sure to meet your needs. As technology keep advancing, the automotive industry is sure to introduce even more hi-tech features that will further enhance the driving experience and improve road safety.
Pricing sourced from TrueCars and Edmunds.
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