10 Least Expensive Cars With Adaptive Cruise Control

2019 Mazda Mazda3 Hatchback ・ Photo by Mazda

Adaptive cruise control is one of the most useful of all the electronic driver aids you can get for your car. If your regular schedule puts you in a lot of slow-moving traffic on a freeway or expressway, you will appreciate the labor-saving adaptive cruise control offers.

Through computer wizardry, it enables you as the driver to set a maximum speed for your car, which will then automatically slow down to maintain a set interval between it and the vehicle ahead. More advanced adaptive cruise control systems will bring your car to a complete stop when traffic warrants, but even a less sophisticated adaptive cruise control that requires the driver to bring the car to a complete stop can result in much less driver’s fatigue. Once the province of luxury cars, these systems are now readily available on many low-priced vehicles. Here are the least expensive cars with adaptive cruise control.

2020 Honda Fit

The 2020 Honda Fit is one of the most popular subcompact cars in the country, and one reason is its available electronic driver-assistance features. While it doesn’t offer the comprehensive Honda Sensing safety and driver-assistance suite of technologies across the board on all models, it does offer it as standard equipment on EX and EX-L trims.

Included in the suite is adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow that helps the car maintain a set following interval on the highway. In addition to Honda Sensing, the Fit EX features a standard automatic transmission, while the EX-L adds leather upholstery and more. All Fits are powered by a 1.5-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine with a peak output of up to 130 horsepower and 114 lb-ft of torque.

Photo by Honda

2020 Toyota Corolla

The Toyota Corolla features Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC), a feature that is widely available on Toyota cars and crossovers. Intended for highway use, it is what some refer to as “constant speed" cruise control.

To enable the car to maintain a preset speed, DRCC uses vehicle-to-vehicle distance control that automatically adjusts vehicle speed to help maintain a preset distance from vehicles ahead even when they are driving at a slower speed. The system uses a front-grille-mounted radar and an in-vehicle camera designed to detect vehicles and their distance from the car. If a driver in front of you is traveling slower than you are, DRCC will automatically slow your vehicle down. And when the slower vehicle speeds up or pulls out of your lane, DRCC will then accelerate to the preset speed. Even more sophisticated is Full-Speed Range DRCC available on Corollas with an automatic transmission. It is designed to operate at speeds between zero and 110 mph.

Photo by Toyota

2020 Nissan Sentra

The Sentra is Nissan’s best-selling American model of all time, and it has undergone a complete makeover for 2020. The compact sedan is taking the segment to a new level of style and refinement.

A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine replaces the previous 1.8-liter. It delivers 149 horsepower, an increase of 20 percent over the previous model. The new powerplant's 146 lb-ft of torque represents a 17 percent increase. It's teamed with the latest-generation Xtronic continuously variable transmission, now enhanced with a D-mode step shift program that simulates shifts, giving more natural acceleration. The Sentra comes standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360, an impressive array of safety and driver-assistance technology. And, importantly for this article, adaptive cruise control is standard on the mid-line SV and the top-line SR trim levels.

Photo by Nissan

2020 Honda Civic

One of the most fun-to-drive compact sedans available, the 2020 Honda Civic offers Honda Sensing technology across the board. This gives all its buyers the benefits of a number of advanced driver-assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control.

The Civic’s system includes low-speed follow, which helps the car maintain a pre-determined following-interval on the highway, making it unnecessary to change your speed as you encounter slower-moving traffic in your lane. Thanks to the low-speed-follow function, the adaptive cruise control will bring the Civic to a complete stop if traffic ahead requires it. Once stopped, to initiate acceleration the driver needs to press on the accelerator or engage the ACC button. The car will then accelerate back to the pre-determined speed when traffic allows.

Photo by Honda

2020 Nissan Versa

The 2020 Nissan Versa is one of the least expensive cars to offer adaptive cruise control, but it should be noted the technology is only available as an option on the top SR trim. Dubbed Intelligent Cruise Control, the Versa’s adaptive cruise control enables the subcompact sedan to maintain the interval between it and vehicles ahead of it in its lane.

In addition to available ICC, the new Nissan Versa features optional Nissan Safety Shield 360 that helps provide front, side, and rear safety monitoring and intervention. The system includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, a lane-departure warning, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, and a rear cross-traffic alert. A standalone system called Intelligent Driver Alertness is also available.

Photo by Nissan

2020 Mazda Mazda3

We consider the 2020 Mazda3 one of the most attractive compact cars in the United States, continuing in a tradition that has made it one of road testers’ favorite models. Available as a four-door sedan or five-door hatchback, all 2020 Mazda3s are equipped with a Skyactiv-G 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is rated to deliver 186 horsepower and 186 lb-ft of torque.

On the safety and driver-assist front, the Mazda3 offers a Driver Attention Alert that displays an alert and sound when it detects driver fatigue or decreased attentiveness. Also included as standard features are Smart Brake Support, a lane-departure warning with automatic lane-keeping assistance, automat high beams, automatic headlights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and Mazda's G-Vectoring Control Plus are standard as well. But perhaps most important, sophisticated radar cruise control with stop-and-go functionality is on the standard features list.

Photo by Mazda

2020 Subaru Legacy

Subaru worked diligently to earn its current reputation for safety, and now that extends to a number of driver-assistance technologies that limit driver fatigue. Its multi-camera-based EyeSight Driver Assist Technology now includes a lane-centering function that combines with EyeSight’s Advanced Adaptive Cruise Control feature to provide steering assist when it senses the vehicle might veer outside its lane. This helps the driver maintain a direct path and avoid drift-out-of-lane collisions.

In a related effort, the model’s DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System, which is optional on the 2020 Subaru Legacy mid-size sedan's Limited trim level and standard on the Legacy's two XT trims, uses a camera and facial recognition software to identify signs of driver fatigue or driver distraction.

Photo by Subaru

2020 Hyundai Sonata

The 2020 Hyundai Sonata is not only one of the most attractive mid-size sedans on the road, but it is also filled with driver assistance technology. Hyundai’s SmartSense advanced driver-assistance systems use three radar sensors, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and five cameras to guide and issue warnings to the driver, and it takes overt action when necessary.

The Sonata also features Advanced Smart Cruise Control, a stop-and-go-enabled system, as standard equipment. Ideal for heavy traffic, it will bring the car to a full stop if traffic conditions require, and it will automatically resume forward progress with no driver input. Lane Following Assist, also standard, can automatically adjust steering to help keep the sedan centered in its lane, and it works both on the highway and on city streets.

Photo by Hyundai

2020 Honda Insight

The hybrid-powered Honda Insight compact car delivers startling fuel economy (55 mpg in city driving) plus the Honda Sensing suite of driver-assistance and safety technology that is standard on all trims.

The Honda Sensing group of systems includes adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, much the same as in the Honda Civic. It enables the Insight to maintain a following-interval on the highway, changing speed automatically as it encounters slower-moving traffic. The low-speed-follow function will bring the car to a complete stop when warranted. Once stopped, the car will remain stationary until the driver presses on the accelerator or hits the ACC button. The car will then accelerate back to the pre-determined speed while maintaining its interval with the vehicle ahead.

2020 Mazda Mazda6

The Mazda6 mid-size sedan has always won acclaim for its driving performance and level of interior refinement. But there is more to the Mazda6 than that. Its collection of driver-assist technology is among the most robust in its segment.

Mazda labels its safety technologies i-ACTIVSENSE, and at the top of the list is radar cruise control with the convenient stop-and-go-function. The Mazda6 will maintain its interval in free-flowing traffic, bring itself to a complete stop when traffic requires it to, and it will resume speed without driver intervention. The i-ACTIVSENSE suite also includes blind-spot monitoring with a rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, smart brake support, a lane-departure warning with lane-keep assistance, and automatic high beams. 

Photo by Mazda