These days, it's nearly impossible to get into a car and disconnect from the internet. New vehicles typically have some sort of smartphone interface (Apple CarPlay or Android Auto) or enable a certain degree of smartphone integration with a car's infotainment system.
Even if all that's lacking, you can still remain connected via your phone.
That's just the reality of driving a car in 2019. However, back in the early 2000s, it was still possible to find new and used cars that were pretty much no-tech. It was particularly easy on the used front, as the mid-to-late 1990s were the period just before infotainment tech started to take off, first with GPS navigation and later with more elaborate systems.
I owned several vehicles from the 1990s â a 1992 Mazda 323 and a 1993 Mazda Miata, as well as a 1998 Saab 900S â and a few cars from the 2000s, including a 2000 Volvo V40. I even had a Volvo 240 from 1987. Prior to all that, I drove a 1989 Honda Accord and a 1983 Buick Regal. Even my 2007 Honda Odyssey was fairly barebones â it was a base model with just a radio and CD player.
If it sounds like torture to lack all 21st tech in a vehicle ... well, it actually wasn't. But obviously, if you were to buy a pre-tech car today, it would take some getting used to. Here's why: