Size: 2.05 x 0.91 x 0.6” (Mic), 2.24 x 1.38 x 0.55” (Speaker) Weight: 2.15 oz (61 grams) Microphones: 5 Output: 3.5mm, Bluetooth Bluetooth: HFP (phone calls), A2DP (audio), AVRCP (voice control) OS: Android 6.0, iOS 12 or newer Our Echo Auto (2nd Gen) review will help you decide if it’s worth adding Alexa to your car in the first place and whether or not you should upgrade from the previous version. Even if you have a more modern vehicle that ships with Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, you can still use the Echo Auto if you prefer Alexa over Google Assistant or Siri.
Echo Auto (2nd Gen) review: Price and availability
The all-new Echo Auto will be available for preorder beginning on December, 7 for $54.99 and units will begin shipping out the following week. This price gets you an Echo Auto (2nd Gen), an adhesive car mount, an auxiliary cable and a fast car charger. However, the new Echo Auto will also be available in a separate bundle that includes a vent mount as well as everything listed above for $62.98.
Echo Auto (2nd Gen) review: Design
Unlike with the original Echo Auto, this new version ships with an adhesive car mount that gives you more flexibility when it comes to where you want to install it. The microphone is just over 2 inches long with a width of just under an inch and it’s half an inch tall when laid on its side. One big difference though is that its cable isn’t removable like with the original. If you look at the new Echo Auto next to the original, the size difference is quite noticeable and its microphones are now hidden under fabric. Even though there are fewer microphones (8 vs. 5, they perform better, especially when there is music, air conditioning or even road noise in the background.
Echo Auto (2nd Gen) review: Setup
As the speaker module’s USB cable is on the short side, I opted to use a USB extension cable so that it could lay flat on top of my center console. I haven’t had any problems with this setup yet but I do wish the new Echo Auto’s USB cable was a bit longer – especially since it isn’t removable.
Echo Auto (2nd Gen) review: Auto Mode
The Auto Mode home screen has tiles for music, directions and phone calls but you can also navigate to each section by tapping the icons on the bottom of the screen. Here you’ll find additional options for each. For instance, the Communicate screen also allows you to drop in on the best Alexa speakers at home, announce that you’re on your way and call roadside assistance. I particularly like the Smart Home screen as you can quickly turn lights and other smart home devices on or off.
Echo Auto (2nd Gen) review: Navigation
Getting to and from work or anywhere else you want to go for that matter is quite easy with the Echo Auto. During the device’s setup process, you’re asked to pick your preferred navigation app but you can change this later. A full list of supported apps isn’t available but the Echo Auto does work with all of the big players including Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps. Since I drop off my son every morning at his aunt’s house, I have her address set as my work location. After starting up my car and waiting for Echo Auto to turn on, I just ask Alexa to “get directions to work” and she opens Google Maps. I haven’t had any problems with this while testing both the original and the Echo Auto (2nd Gen). Getting directions to general locations like gas stations and restaurants also works well as Alexa hands things over to Google Maps (or your preferred navigation app) which does the brunt of the work. If you don’t say the name of a specific place, restaurant or store, you’re presented with a list of options to choose from. Overall, navigation works well with the Echo Auto (2nd Gen) but you can always manually input a destination before getting into your car and still use Alexa on your drive.
Echo Auto (2nd Gen) review: Calling and messaging
Hands-free calling and messaging is one of the best (and safest) reasons to have an Echo Auto installed in your car. You just need to ask Alexa to call or message one of your contacts and she does the rest. However, you can also have Alexa answer incoming calls or read your text messages aloud. Call quality is improved with Echo Auto (2nd Gen);even when I was going relatively fast with my windows down, the person on the other end was able to hear me clearly. In fact, my wife said that I sounded better when using the Echo Auto than I normally do when using my phone’s speaker to make calls while driving. The one problem I did have occurred while trying to send text messages. If you forget to turn Wi-Fi off when you get into the car, your phone may try to connect to various hotspots during your drive. When this happened, I was able to start messaging someone and relay my entire message to Alexa but she had trouble sending it. Although this isn’t a problem with the Echo Auto itself, it’s something to remember if you plan on using the device to send text messages while driving. It’s worth noting that the Echo Auto (2nd Gen) is also restricted to using your smartphone’s default phone and messaging apps. This means that third-party apps like WhatsApp or Signal aren’t supported. You can also use your Echo Auto to call and message other Echo devices but you need to set this up first in the Alexa app’s Communicate tab.
Echo Auto (2nd Gen) review: Alexa performance
Just like with an Echo Dot or any other Alexa-enabled smart speaker, you can set timers, alarms, reminders, ask about the weather, have Alexa tell you a joke or play a number of different audio games. The audio games and jokes can come in handy if you’re traveling with children or even if you get bored while stuck in traffic. One of my favorite features on both the original as well as the Echo Auto (2nd Gen) is “Find My”. Once enabled in the Alexa app, you can use this feature to find your car right from within the app but it also works on the Echo Show 15. A map displaying the last location of your car is shown which can be really helpful if you happen to misplace your vehicle in a large parking lot or shopping center. As I have a few of the best smart light bulbs in every room of my house, I also found Echo Auto to be incredibly useful for controlling my smart home. Whether I forgot to turn off a light or wanted the lights on in the kitchen when I got home, I could just ask Alexa to do it for me. This also works with the best smart plugs or any other connected device you can add to the Alexa app.
Echo Auto (2nd Gen) review: Verdict
Whether or not you should add the new Echo Auto to your car depends a lot on the age of your vehicle. If you’re driving an older car without an infotainment system or your car doesn’t have Bluetooth, then the Echo Auto makes a lot of sense. However, if your car supports Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, you may not necessarily need the Echo Auto. Still, if you’re used to using Alexa around your house and want to be able to access your favorite virtual assistant on the road, then it may be worth it. As for owners of the original Echo Auto, upgrading to the new model may be worth your while depending on if you prefer the sleeker, more compact design along with the new adhesive mount. Alexa also performs better and call quality has seen an improvement as well. Roadside assistance is another plus and the new fast car charge allows you to power the Echo Auto (2nd Gen) while charging your smartphone using Quick Charge 3.0.
