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Many automakers provide a limited free trial of connected features on new models that would normally require a paid subscription. In many cases, these freebies last for a year, and the rationale for offering them is simple: Live with a convenience for 12 whole months, and it becomes hard to live without it. That’s why I pay $15 a month for remote locks on my GR Corolla. Stellantis has been on a roll as of late, though, and evidently wants to continue that trajectory, so it’s promising to grant buyers of most 2027 models across all brands a full decade of features like remote start, locks, and automatic SOS calls before they’re required to pay up.
It’s all a part of a revitalized “Connect One” plan, which includes the following features:
- Remote engine start/stop
- Remote lock/unlock doors
- Over-the-air (OTA) software updates
- Monthly vehicle health reports
- Vehicle health and recall alerts
- Service scheduling
- Automatic SOS calls
- Remotely clear personal data
- In-vehicle games via the App Market
Connect One does not offer remote horn/flashing lights, stolen vehicle assistance, or connected navigation—those are available in the upgraded Connect Plus tier. However, anyone who buys a 2027 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Wagoneer S, or Alfa Romeo gets three years of that, too. At that point, the only feature you’d have to add, if you wanted to, is a Wi-Fi hotspot for $13 per month.
But, back to the Connect One stuff. For the life of me, I don’t understand why more automakers don’t try this. These conveniences cost nothing to run, and while obviously giving them away for 10 years means losing out on some profit, it’s an easy freebie to throw in particularly if you’re not selling as many cars as you’d like, or when prices of vehicles themselves rise to deal-breaking levels for many consumers.
Now, when I shared this recent announcement with my colleagues, The Drive’s Joel Feder stipulated that Stellantis’ app for connected-car features—particularly in the Wagoneer S, as it turns out—wasn’t the most consistent or reliable in his experience. You know what they say about getting what you pay for, though, and considering the price for 2027 model-year vehicles is “free,” if I were eyeing a Stellantis model, I’d be enthusiastic to take a punt on these luxuries. And hey—perhaps having an even larger group of customers using this stuff will spur the company to address lingering issues.
Have any experience with Stellantis’ connected-car app features? Drop a comment or reach out to tips@thedrive.com
Backed by a decade of covering cars and consumer tech, Adam Ismail is a Senior Editor at The Drive, focused on curating and producing the site’s slate of daily stories.
