Some 2018 Lexus Vehicles Eligible for $199 Software Update to Add CarPlay Support

Lexus recently announced that it is bringing CarPlay to some older vehicles, following the launch of ‌CarPlay‌ in new 2019 Lexus vehicles last September.

‌CarPlay‌ can be installed in the 2018 LS, LC, RC, RC F, and NX, and as pointed out by iPhone in Canada, the new ‌CarPlay‌ options are available in both the U.S. and Canada.

lexuscarplay
According to Lexus, 2018 and 2019 vehicles equipped with a Lexus Multimedia System can have an enhancement installed that adds ‌CarPlay‌ compatibility along with support for Alexa. A full list of eligible vehicles is below:

  • 2018 LS
  • 2018 LC
  • 2018 RC and RC F
  • 2018 NX
  • 2019 NX (produced before October 2018)
  • 2019 RC F (produced before October 2018)
  • 2019 ES, without factory navigation (purchased before October 2018)

Lexus says that it is "pleased" to offer the software enhancement for $199, and Lexus owners who are interested should contact their Lexus dealer for more information.

Lexus says that new software will be installed on the Lexus Multimedia System to add the ‌CarPlay‌ feature, and a Lexus dealer is required to install the update.

‌CarPlay‌ is already available in select 2019 Lexus vehicles including the 2019 UX crossover and the 2019 Lexus ES.

Lexus and parent company Toyota were among some of the last major car manufacturers to introduce support for ‌CarPlay‌, instead supporting the SmartDeviceLink platform from Ford and Livio.

The wide availability of ‌CarPlay‌ spurred Toyota to reverse course and support Apple's platform after all, and the first 2019 Toyota and Lexus vehicles with ‌CarPlay‌ were announced in early 2018.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iPhone 17 Air Colors Thumb 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air Rumored to Come in These 9 Colors

Friday July 11, 2025 12:30 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air will be available in a total of nine color options, according to new information coming out of Asia. The iPhone 17 Air's expected color options. According to the leaker going by the account name "yeux1122" on the Korean blog Naver, accessory manufacturers are now producing camera protector rings for the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Air in colors to match their...

Top Rated Comments

penajmz Avatar
80 months ago
Should be free.
Score: 60 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sundog925 Avatar
80 months ago
Can someone please explain to me how in 2019, this is still not a universal standard thing?

Car Play debuted 5 years ago, and EVERYONE owns iPhones, why WOULDN'T car makers want this in their vehicles?

Still surprised insurance doesn't require something like this.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tkukoc Avatar
80 months ago
"Lexus says that new software will be installed on the Lexus Multimedia System to add the CarPlay feature, and a Lexus dealer is required to install the update."

If they are required to install it then why should anyone pay money for this? Not to mention it's CarPlay.. this should absolutely be universal. Such a scam!
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kevmclane Avatar
80 months ago
Typical overpriced luxury tricks. A few years ago I upgraded my then 2016 Ford to support CarPlay with a simple $70 part which you can buy today for only $30...
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
repoman016 Avatar
80 months ago
Can someone please explain to me how in 2019, this is still not a universal standard thing?

Car Play debuted 5 years ago, and EVERYONE owns iPhones, why WOULDN'T car makers want this in their vehicles?

Still surprised insurance doesn't require something like this.
Sometimes I think the same thing when i see some of the new car displays that look worse than an ipad from 10 years ago. How is the technology so far behind? why is the GUI so bad and the buttons so laggy?

my dad has a 2015 and the touch display looks worse than a game boy color and the response time is terrible.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
erinsarah Avatar
80 months ago
I wonder if they're going to charge an extra $200 labor on top of that $199, like Mazda is doing? I'm still pissed about that.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)