Connected Service in Your Car: Cost by Brand, Free Trials and Setup

What is connected service in a car, and is it free?

Connected service is a plan run by your carmaker that uses a cellular modem built into the car to link it to the brand's phone app, so you can check on the car and control some features from your phone. Most new cars come with a free trial, and many features need a paid plan once it ends, though a few brands such as Ford include basic remote features at no extra cost.

This guide covers connected services in cars only, since the phrase is also used for software and smart devices. For a general introduction, see our guide on what connected car services are.

Each brand has its own name for it: the Ford app (formerly FordPass), Toyota Connected Services, MyMazda, Hyundai Bluelink or Bluelink+, OnStar and myChevrolet, Volkswagen Car-Net, Stellantis Connect One (2027 models; Uconnect or SiriusXM Guardian on older ones) and SUBARU STARLINK.

What you get with a connected service plan

Features depend on the brand, model, year and plan. These are the most common ones, all handled through the carmaker's own app.

• Vehicle status: Location, odometer, fuel or EV battery level, tire pressure and oil life, shown in the carmaker's app.
• Remote commands: Lock and unlock, remote start and climate control from the carmaker's app on your phone.
• Maintenance and recall alerts: Reminders and warnings when the car needs service.
• Safety: Stolen vehicle location, emergency and roadside help, and automatic collision notification.
• Extras: Connected navigation, streaming and a Wi-Fi hotspot in the car, often sold as paid add-ons.

Free trials and prices by brand

Each brand sets its own trial length and price, and most trials start on the date the car was first sold new. Prices checked October 2026; confirm with your carmaker before you buy a plan.

• Ford (Ford app, formerly FordPass): Remote start, lock and unlock, vehicle status and location are free with an activated vehicle modem. Features vary by model. Wi-Fi and some security features are paid add-ons, such as the Ford Connectivity Package and Ford Security Package.
• GM (OnStar, myChevrolet): OnStar Basics, which includes remote commands in the app, navigation and voice assistance, comes standard for up to 8 years on 2025 and newer GM vehicles. Paid OnStar plans ran from $9.99 to $34.99 a month in 2025 pricing. Check onstar.com for current prices.
• Hyundai (Bluelink and Bluelink+): 2024 and newer models, plus the 2023 IONIQ 6, use Bluelink+, and its terms differ from the older Bluelink. Older Bluelink was free for 3 years, then $9.90 a month or $99 a year per package. Confirm current terms in the MyHyundai or Bluelink app.
• Mazda (MyMazda): Free for 3 years on 2024 and older models and the 2025 CX-70, and 1 year on other 2025 models and all 2026 and newer models, counted from the retail sale date. After that, about $10 a month, based on 2024 reporting. You must enroll in the MyMazda app, and remote start is not available on cars with a manual transmission.
• Stellantis (Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, Alfa Romeo): 2027 models in the US get 10 years of standard Connect One service, including remote lock and unlock, over-the-air updates, monthly vehicle health reports, recall alerts and automatic SOS. Since July 2026, app remote start is also included on most 2027 models. Connect Wi-Fi Plus costs $15.99 a month, with 3 months free if you enroll within 30 days of purchase, and adds a hotspot for up to 8 devices, stolen vehicle help, connected navigation and remote horn and lights. Older models use Uconnect or SiriusXM Guardian, so check with your dealer for those terms.
• Subaru (STARLINK): Remote engine start with climate control is on select models only (not manual transmissions) and needs the paid Security Plus package, which also includes stolen vehicle recovery, alarm notification, remote lock and unlock and remote horn and lights. New Subarus include a limited trial. Solterra Remote Connect has a 5 year trial on 2027 models (trial length varies on older years), then costs $8 a month.
• Tesla: Standard Connectivity is free for 8 years from delivery on cars ordered after July 20, 2022, and free for life on earlier orders. Premium Connectivity is $9.99 a month or $99 a year.
• Toyota: Trial length depends on model year and trim. Toyota said in 2021 that some 2020 and newer models got up to 10 years, but many 2025 and 2026 models, such as the 2026 RAV4 and GR86, get a 1 year Remote Connect trial. After that, a paid plan costs about $8 a month or $80 a year on its own. Some 2026 Corolla LE trims get no trial and have no remote start. Key fob remote start works during an active trial and needs a paid plan after it ends. Check the Toyota app with your VIN.
• Volkswagen (Car-Net): Remote Access is free for 5 years from purchase on most 2020 to 2023 models, then needs a paid Remote Access plan. Terms for 2024 and newer models may differ, so check the myVW app for current US pricing.

How to turn on connected service

The screens differ by brand, but most carmakers follow the same order. Our guide on how to activate connected services walks through the steps in more detail.

• Check that your car has it. The carmaker's app or your dealer can confirm whether your car has a built-in modem and connected services.
• Download the carmaker's app, such as the Ford app, MyMazda, the Toyota app, myChevrolet or OnStar, MyHyundai with Bluelink, or myVW.
• Create an owner account and add your car with your name and VIN (vehicle identification number).
• Accept the connected services terms.
• Turn on connected services. Set a PIN or pick a plan if the app asks. Some brands also ask you to confirm in the car, for example on the dashboard screen.
• Allow data sharing. This setting, often called something like Vehicle Data Collection, lets third-party apps read live data from the car.
• Give it time. A newly set-up account can take a while to become active, so it may not connect right away. If features don't show up, close the app and open it again.
• Check your trial end date and decide whether you want a paid plan.

Buying or selling a used car

Because trials usually start on the date the car was first sold new, a used car may have little or no free time left. You can often still sign up for connected services, just without the free trial.

A previous owner may still have access to the car through their own account. If you buy a used car, ask the seller, the dealer or the carmaker's connected services support to remove the previous owner's account before you set up your own.

If you sell a car, cancel your plan and remove the car from your account so the new owner's data stays private. Some carmakers, such as Ford, have a support page for disconnecting remote vehicle access. Our guide on transferring connected services after buying a used car has more detail.

Can you turn off tracking or data sharing?

Connected services send data such as location, fuel level and tire pressure from the car to the carmaker's app. The data sharing setting in that app, often called something like Vehicle Data Collection, controls whether other apps can read live data from the car. With it turned off, third-party apps get no live data.

You can also cancel your plan or remove the car from your carmaker account. Our guide on whether connected car tracking is safe covers privacy and security in more detail.

Using a third-party app with your car

Some apps that are not made by your carmaker can read data from your car or send commands to it. Apps built on Smartcar need you to have an active connected services account with your carmaker first.

CarConnect is one of these apps. It does not replace your carmaker's connected services account, and what it can do depends on your car's make, model and year. It works with 45+ car makes, though not every make is available in every country.

You sign in with your carmaker's own login, and the link runs through Smartcar. Without an active connected services account with data sharing allowed, you can still add the car, but the app gets no live data from it. No hardware or OBD dongle is needed, and a free in-app compatibility check by make, model and year shows whether your car is eligible.

• On eligible vehicles, it can show location, fuel or battery level, range, odometer, tire pressure and VIN.
• On eligible vehicles, it can send lock and unlock commands.
• On eligible EVs, it can start or stop charging and set a charge limit.

Common questions

Does my car have connected service? It depends on the brand, model year and trim. Some brands added a built-in modem only around 2018 or 2019, and some trims, like certain 2026 Corolla LE models, have no remote features. Your carmaker's app or dealer can confirm it with your VIN.

Do I need a subscription for remote start? It depends on the brand. Ford includes app remote start in the Ford app, and GM includes app remote commands in OnStar Basics on 2025 and newer models. Stellantis includes remote start on most 2027 models. Toyota and Mazda need an active trial or paid plan, and Subaru puts it in the paid Security Plus package on select models.

Does connected service work without cell signal? The car uses a built-in cellular modem to reach the carmaker, so remote features depend on mobile coverage where the car is. Subaru, for example, notes that Solterra Remote Connect depends on the 4G network.

Why don't my features show up after I sign up? A newly set-up account can take a while to become active, and some brands need you to confirm in the car. If nothing appears, check that connected services are switched on and data sharing is allowed in the carmaker's app.