Which two thousand seventeen Cars Have Apple CarPlay?
CARS.COM – Leave behind about fuel economy, acceleration times or reliability. What many new-car shoppers want to know is if they’ll be able to integrate their smartphone with a car’s multimedia system.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which permit operation of smartphone apps for navigation, text messaging and music through their car’s dashboard touch-screen, steering-wheel buttons or voice directions, have rapidly become must-have features for many in the market for a fresh vehicle.
The auto industry is racing to keep up with the growing request. Less than a year ago, fewer than fifty vehicles were suggesting one or both, or were scheduled to. For the two thousand seventeen model year, the list has grown to more than 100, and more are coming for 2018.
General Motors now offers both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on more than thirty models. Ford wasn’t even on the list a year ago, but for the two thousand seventeen model year, it became the very first full-line vehicle manufacturer to suggest CarPlay and Android Auto on every vehicle line it sells (Ford and Lincoln brands).
Android devices predominate the smartphone market, but more two thousand seventeen vehicles will be available with CarPlay than with Android Auto. BMW and Porsche suggest CarPlay on most or all of their models, but so far neither has announced plans to add Android Auto. Mercedes-Benz offers both systems on most models, but you can only get CarPlay on the GLS-Class and SL-Class. The Nissan Maxima and Murano also have CarPlay only for 2017.
Stay tuned, tho’, because automakers will proceed to add vehicles that suggest one or both systems during the two thousand eighteen model year and beyond.
Don’t hold your breath waiting for Toyota to join the crowd. Toyota is following its own path and doesn’t intend to suggest CarPlay or Android Auto. Instead, it is developing its own system and presently offers Scout GPS Link, which permits integrating a smartphone navigation app with the vehicle multimedia system, on several Toyota and Lexus models.
The capability to seamlessly integrate smartphone apps with a car’s multimedia system answers a howling need from millions who rely intensely on their handheld device for many, if not all, of their communication, navigation and infotainment needs.
Here’s a reality check: Everyone may not be fully sated by current versions of CarPlay, so don’t count on every app working identically well in the car as it does on the phone alone. CarPlay works basically the same on all vehicles, but each manufacturer has different multimedia systems with different controls and displays, so what you see and get might vary.
That is why it remains imperative to find out before you buy a car how well your phone and apps will work with that car. Attempt it out before you buy.
Shoppers also should be aware that CarPlay may not be available on every version of a vehicle that offers it. For example, you can’t get it on the two thousand seventeen Chevrolet Malibu L trim, which is the base model, and Kia makes it available only on models with the UVO multimedia system, a feature reserved for more-expensive models. However Ford offers it on all of its vehicles, it also requires the Sync three infotainment system, which is optional on many models and not available on some.
One final caution: This list of two thousand seventeen model year vehicles that suggest CarPlay is based on information obtained from the vehicle manufacturers in April. The rollout over the past two years hasn`t always been on time, so it is possible that availability could still be delayed on some models. In addition, if CarPlay was added after the begin of two thousand seventeen production, dealers could still have vehicles in stock that were built before CarPlay became available.