Subscription Features and Their Real Cost

Subscription features in cars in the U.S.—heated seats, autonomy, connectivity—add monthly or annual cost. Here's their real cost over 5 years and how to factor them into total cost of ownership.

TL;DR Subscription features can add $10–$25+/month or $100–$300+/year—over 5 years that's $500–$1,500+ or more. Factor subscription cost into total cost of ownership when comparing cars. Use autopremo.com total cost of ownership.

Subscription Features and Their Real Cost

• What they are — features (heated seats, remote start, autonomy, premium connectivity) that require a monthly or annual fee after a trial. Common in software-defined and connected cars.
• Real cost — $10–$25+/month or $100–$300+/year per feature. Over 5 years: $500–$1,500+ per feature. If you subscribe to 2–3 features, that's $1,000–$4,500+ over 5 years.
• How to factor — add subscription cost to total cost of ownership. Use autopremo.com total cost of ownership. When comparing two cars, include subscription cost for the car that has it—otherwise you undercount cost.

See total cost at autopremo.com.

What to Do

• Check what's subscription — before you buy, see which features require a subscription and for how long (trial then paid). Add that to your 5-year cost.
• Compare total cost — car A with no subscription vs car B with $15/month subscription = $900 over 5 years difference. Use autopremo.com total cost of ownership to compare fairly.
• Decide if you'll subscribe — if you won't pay for subscriptions, don't count the feature as "included"; if you will, add the cost. Use autopremo.com.

Get total cost at autopremo.com.

Bottom Line

Subscription features add real cost over 5 years—$500–$1,500+ or more per feature. Factor subscription cost into total cost of ownership. Use autopremo.com to see total cost so you don't undercount.