Were you wondering how to add Apple CarPlay to your old vehicle without getting a new car? If yes, this article is for you. Apple CarPlay has been researched to have a lot of benefits, such as a safe driving experience and comfort. You also get to be in contact with your phone without taking your hands off the wheels of your car, like enjoying music from your Apple Music or Spotify playlist, sending texts, making phone calls, and looking up your contacts.
Apple CarPlay can be added to your car by getting a compatible aftermarket radio, uninstalling your car’s factory radio, and installing the newly purchased radio. However, some vehicles do not need you to remove the factory radio but instead update their stereo software before installing CarPlay.
Adding Apple CarPlay to your car is one of the best decisions you can make for yourself and your vehicle. The infotainment system offers even better features than the regular Bluetooth. Let’s look at how you can include Apple CarPlay in your car.
What is Apple CarPlay?
Another exciting innovation by Apple is the Apple CarPlay. Simply, it is an iOS for your car. You might begin to wonder what you can do with this innovation or what makes it exciting. The answer is not far-fetched – keep reading!
Apple CarPlay is used to connect the infotainment system that is present in your vehicle to that of your mobile phone. What this does is that it allows you to enjoy music from your Apple Music playlist or Spotify while you are driving.
You also get to send text messages, make phone calls, and look up your contacts. In addition to all these, you get to utilize Apple’s mapping system to navigate your movements. The most amazing thing about Apple CarPlay is that you get to enjoy all of these features without having to take your hands off the steering wheel to touch your mobile device.
You regulate these functions using voice recognition, car steering wheel control, or touchscreen. This aims to enable people to access these basic features while driving without getting distracted. It helps people keep their eyes on the road while going since they can access these functions via voice recognition, touchscreen, or car steering wheel.
Cars that Support Apple CarPlay
Apple CarPlay was introduced in 2014, and since then Apple has made many upgrades and improvements. Their latest promotion, the iOS 13, comes with a dashboard screen that separates it from the previous models. This was done to ensure the system was more enjoyable for its users.
To enjoy the apple CarPlay, it is important to have a car and mobile device compatible with the system. Luckily, there are many vehicles that are compatible with Apple CarPlay. Some of which include:
Acura
- 2019-Up ILX
- 2018-Up MDX
- 2017-Up NSX
- 2019-Up RDX
- 2018-Up TLX
Aston Martin
- 2017 DB9 Volante
- 2017-2018 Rapide
- 2017 V12 Vantage
- 2017-2018 Vanquish
Audi
- 2017-Present A3
- 2017-Present A4
- 2017-Present A5
- 2017-Present A6
Bentley
- 2017-Present Bentayga
- 2019-Present Continental
- 2020-Present Flying Spur
BMW
- 2017-Present 1 Series, 2 Series, 4 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, and 3 Series
- 2018-Present 8 Series
- 2017-Present X3, X4, X6, and X5
- 2019-Present Z4
- 2019-Present i3
BUICK
- 2017-Present Encore
- 2018-Present Enclave
- 2016-Present Excelle
- 2016-Present LaCrosse
- 2016-Present Regal
CHERY
- 2017-Present Arrizo 5
- 2017-Present Arrizo 7
- 2017-Present Tiggo 3X
- 2018-Present Tiggo 4
- 2018-Present Tiggo 8
CHEVROLET
- 2016-2017 Cavalier
- 2016-2019 Volt
- 2016-Present Camaro
- 2016-Present Colorado
- 2016-Present Corvette
FERRARI
- 2016 FF
- 2016 F12tdf
- 2016-2017 California T
- 2020-Present F8 Tributo
- 2021-Present Roma
FORD
- 2017-2019 C-MAX
- 2017-2019 Fiesta
- 2017-2019 Flex
- 2017-Present Escape
- 2017-Present Transit
HONDA
- 2016-Present Civic
- 2016-Present Accord
- 2017-Present Pilot
- 2018-2020 Fit
- 2019-Present Insight.
Why Some Cars Don’t Have Apple CarPlay
Like we said earlier, not every car model supports Apple CarPlay. The reason why some of these cars do not have CarPlay is because they are old models.
The good news is that even if your vehicle does not support CarPlay, you can add it.
How to Add Apple CarPlay to Unsupported Cars?
Do you know adding Apple CarPlay to your old vehicle or unsupported cars is possible? You have the opportunity of adding CarPlay to your old vehicle without having to get a new vehicle. Sounds exciting, right? We will be running through how to add Apple Carplay to your car and products that can be used with their corresponding Amazon links.
Getting an aftermarket radio is the easiest way to add Apple CarPlay to your vehicle. Knowing the aftermarket radio that will perfectly match your car is important.
Your car can either be a single DIN or double DIN – this signifies the standard stereo size installed in your car. If your car is more than ten years old, it is a single-DIN, and if it is less than ten years old, it is a double-DIN.
The following are examples of aftermarket radios:
- Pioneer DEH-X8800BHS (on Amazon): This single-DIN radio provides top-notch audio quality, beautiful aesthetics, customizable color texting on your screen, built-in dual Bluetooth, and 10-level brightness control. This radio provides you with all you want, including linking two phones at once. One of the cons of this product is that it is limited to some iOs devices.
- Kenwood KDC-BT778HD (on Amazon): This is also a good Single DIN radio product that allows you to connect up to 5 phones, use for hands-free calling, and music search with excellent sound quality. This friendly, simple user interface also has beautiful aesthetics, compatible with most factory steering wheel audio controls.
- Pioneer MVH1400NEX (on Amazon): The Pioneer company gives us nothing but the best products. This excellent double-DIN radio product provides a multi-language display, video and audio playback, and a good driving experience. One of its disadvantages is difficulty in the initial setup.
- SonyXAV-AX500 (on Amazon): This double-DIN radio provides dual USB ports. Apple CarPlay is ready for set up and has an easy navigation system. This type of double DIN does not provide brightness customizations and no HDMI ports.
After selecting the perfect aftermarket radio, the next thing to do is uninstall your car’s factory radio and replace it with the aftermarket one. You can choose to do this yourself or get professional help if necessary.
Once the replacement is done, you can install the Apple CarPlay in your vehicle and have a fantastic driving experience.
You should note that some cars do not require this replacement – all you need to do is update their stereo software and then install your CarPlay.
Wireless Apple CarPlay
Wireless Apple CarPlay enables you to access your iPhone on the screen without using a USB-Lighting cable. You get to send texts, make phone calls, go through maps, play your favorite playlist, and visit calendars without having to take your hands off the wheels. Most new models will support this wireless option.
A way to utilize this wireless Apple CarPlay option is to purchase a dash-windshield mounted touchscreen that has Bluetooth capabilities. These touchscreens have smart displays and allow you to connect to Apple Car Play. Plus, they are secured to you dashboard using a suction cup and can be removed and stored when not in use. An example of this is the INTELLIDASH PRO Wireless Apple CarPlay (on Amazon).
Apple CarPlay vs. Bluetooth – Is It Worth It?
It is normal for you to doubt whether or not to buy a particular product, especially if it is one you have not tried before. Suppose you are wondering if Apple CarPlay is that much better than Bluetooth.
The answer is yes, and this is because you get to use basic functions on your iPhone without getting distracted while driving.