Apple Says More Than 400 Vehicle Models Now Support CarPlay With Latest Being 2019 Subaru WRX

Friday May 25, 2018 7:52 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple today confirmed that over 400 vehicle models now support its CarPlay software platform in the United States.


While not reflected on Apple's list of available models yet, the latest vehicle with CarPlay is Subaru's new 2019 WRX, introduced on Thursday and available at dealerships across the United States this summer. Previous model years of the WRX did not have CarPlay, making this a new addition.

CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on all 2019 WRX models, accessible through Subaru's new Starlink infotainment system. The base trim, priced from $27,195, is equipped with a 6.5-inch touchscreen, while Premium and Limited trims have seven-inch touchscreens from $29,495 and $31,795 respectively.


Subaru's infotainment system also features Aha Radio, Pandora, hands-free phone calls and audio streaming via Bluetooth, AM/FM, a single-disc CD player, SiriusXM satellite radio compatibility, and a rear-view camera. Blind spot detection with lane change assist technology is available in higher trims.

Subaru's other vehicle models with CarPlay in the United States:
  • 2017-2018 Impreza
  • 2018 Outback
  • 2018 Crosstrek
  • 2019 Ascent
  • 2019 Forester
CarPlay mirrors several iPhone functions onto a vehicle's dashboard display, enabling drivers to get directions, make calls, send and receive messages, listen to music, and more while staying focused on the road. The platform can be controlled via touchscreen, Siri voice commands, or steering wheel buttons.

Surveys suggest CarPlay is a highly desired feature with strong customer satisfaction. Most automakers currently support wired CarPlay, meaning the iPhone must be connected with a Lightning cable, but wireless CarPlay is available in select BMW models or via aftermarket receivers from Alpine and Pioneer.

With the recent additions of Toyota, Lexus, and Mazda, nearly every major automaker in the United States offers or will soon offer CarPlay.

Related Roundup: CarPlay
Tag: Subaru
[ 90 comments ]

Top Rated Comments

(View all)

Avatar
uncle.zed
22 months ago
I don't even bother with CarPlay. When they allow Google maps, than I will use.

For me Apple maps are s**t both maps, directions, voice, traffic data. dont know how it is in USA bur here in Poland don't even bother.
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
truthertech
22 months ago

Yes, great, using CarPlay and in 4 years it will be obsolete. The cars last longer than the apple products. What are all going to do in 10 years when their CarPlay is completely obsolete?



Uhh.. you have it backwards. One of the many benefits of using CarPlay over the manufacturer's system is that CarPlay won't ever be obsolete as Apple updates the software as needed. In contrast, the car makers' systems are never updated.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
jonnyo
22 months ago
Hopefully BMW's shady stunt of charging a monthly subscription for CarPlay won't catch on.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
Rique
22 months ago

CarPlay is pretty useless without google maps and Spotify.


Spotify is available on CarPlay.

Apple Maps is pretty good, IMO - considerably improved from its (ahem) "humble" origins. I do agree that CarPlay should support more mapping options than the house brand. I'm fine with Apple Maps, however I'd like to see Waze and Google Maps and the next great idea in mapping and navigation to come down the pike be available on CarPlay.

For the most part, I'm happy with CarPlay, but as is typical with many of us, I want more, give me more! :apple:
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
ChrisCW11
22 months ago
Mazda, heard that before, they have been claiming for 2 years to be "just" about to add support for Car Play and Android auto, even the new 2019 CX-3 doesn't claim any support for it.

Don't buy a car from any company that can't implement CarPlay or Android Auto on the tablets they glue to their dashes.
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
Agit21
22 months ago
CarPlay is pretty useless without google maps and Spotify.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
themick4u
22 months ago
"Wireless" Carplay is the key winning feature. This should be the standard feature if being offered at all by car manufacturers.
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
theLedger
22 months ago

Yes, great, using CarPlay and in 4 years it will be obsolete. The cars last longer than the apple products. What are all going to do in 10 years when their CarPlay is completely obsolete?


It's the other way around. All the automakers have to do is provide a conduit for CarPlay to be supported. The rest of the functionality is stored within iOS so as you update to newer versions of iOS, you get new CarPlay features like what happened last year with turn-by-turn features and speed limit indications.

Automakers have a tendency to hardwire systems around their electronic displays which usually requires a head unit change and major rewiring to fix. Which is why you have to like what you get from the factory because it won't get any better.
[doublepost=1527266387][/doublepost]Mazda and Toyota are finally capitulating and beginning to add support for it. Jaguar and Land Rover needs to do the same as their systems are notoriously finicky and subject to random reboots. Aston Martin has a few models but so surprised their new DB11 didn't come with it out of the gate.

On your phone you have your music playlists, podcasts, address info and other data that makes CarPlay so useful.

Ferrari did something smart by providing a large enough display on their newer vehicles that displays CarPlay on 2/3 of the screen but reserves the other 1/3 for other functions. I'd like to see more of that.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
dabocx
22 months ago
I am too attached to Waze and google maps to use carplay in my vehicle. Hopefully at some point Apple opens it up to those options
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
tbayrgs
22 months ago

Spotify is available on CarPlay.

Apple Maps is pretty good, IMO - considerably improved from its (ahem) "humble" origins. I do agree that CarPlay should support more mapping options than the house brand. I'm fine with Apple Maps, however I'd like to see Waze and Google Maps and the next great idea in mapping and navigation to come down the pike be available on CarPlay.

For the most part, I'm happy with CarPlay, but as is typical with many of us, I want more, give me more! :apple:


Longtime Waze user here as well. I have to admit I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Apple Maps since I started using it with CarPlay on my new Honda this past month. Routing options and time estimates have been on par with what I have seen in Waze. I do miss having multi-stop routing options as well as more robust incident reporting along your route (<cough>police speed traps<cough> ;)) but I’m missing Waze a lot less than expected.

I've never really understood the use of it. I bought a new car recently and it was offered as an option, but the car can also as standardplay audio via bluetooth from your phone, display maps, print or read text messages... I was scratching my head as to what it adds. I even get skype and face time calls (audio only). Maybe if you don't already have Apple music but then, you have to pay the subscription in the car to use it. As it is, I can play from You Tube or Spotify as well as Apple music. I think a lot of car companies are already offering something that makes this unnecessary.


Compared to the onboard OEM systems on our last 5 vehicles, the user experience is not even close. CarPlay and Android Auto both offer such superior integration and fluid user experience I’d never get another vehicle without them. In fact, while I loved my 8 month old Mazda CX-9 (my second in a row), when it was totaled last month, the biggest reason I didn’t get another was the lack of CarPlay/AA, even though I loved the driving experience. Mazda has been promising its integration for years now and it’s always been just pushing back the target further and further.

Apple CarPlay is not an important feature for a car. It is clunky and adds very little usefulness. I have it in my car and it is pretty much left alone. I wanted it to be something useful but it turned out not to be.


As mentioned above, respectfully disagree. OEM solutions don’t even come close and forget about ever seeing an update to their software/firmware.
[doublepost=1527267151][/doublepost]

Spotify works beautifully on CarPlay.


As does Google Play Music, surprisingly.

Now if Apple would just let 3rd party mapping solutions onboard...
Rating: 3 Votes

[ Read All Comments ]