Apple Plans to Bring CarPlay Ultra to More Affordable Cars This Year

CarPlay Ultra has been a “rich guy demo” since day one: Aston Martin money, Aston Martin problems. The brilliant news now is simple: it’s not staying there. A new report says Apple plans to expand CarPlay Ultra to additional automakers this year, beyond the first tiny set of ultra-luxury brands. That’s when the screen takeover stops being a concept and starts becoming your next daily-driver reality.

What this changes for your next car

CarPlay Ultra isn’t the familiar phone-mirroring strip on the center screen. It’s the version that can run across every display in front of you, including the instrument cluster, while pulling in vehicle data like speed, driver-assistance info, and tire pressure. Apple frames it as a unified, “all-screens” experience that still lets each automaker keep its own look and feel. (See Apple’s official overview of CarPlay Ultra.)

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The part that should make you sit up: Apple also names Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis as committed brands working to bring CarPlay Ultra to drivers. Those aren’t boutique toys. They sell real volume in the U.S., and they live in the exact price bands where Men’s Journal readers actually shop.

So what do you do with this?

Treat CarPlay Ultra like a trim-level feature, not a phone feature. It will be tied to specific model years, infotainment hardware, and software support. Apple says the iPhone side needs an iPhone 12 or later on iOS 18.5 or later. The bigger gate is whether the car’s system was designed for it in the first place. (Apple)

Then do a quick reality test in the driver’s seat. CarPlay Ultra can put climate and audio controls inside Apple’s interface. Some people will love the cleaner feel. Some will hate menu-hunting for defrost at 6 a.m. If you drive by muscle memory, spend five minutes toggling climate, seat heat, wipers, and maps. If it’s annoying on day one, it won’t get better on day 90.

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Finally, ask the dealer one blunt question: “Is this the full-screen CarPlay Ultra setup?” Lots of people (and plenty of sales staff) call any Apple integration “CarPlay.” You’re trying to avoid that bait-and-switch. For the fresh “who’s next” angle, the core report is MacRumors’ piece on CarPlay Ultra expanding this year.

My Verdict

CarPlay Ultra is worth paying attention to now because the new story isn’t Apple’s 2025 launch—it’s the expansion out of the luxury stratosphere. If it starts landing in mainstream brands this year, your next car’s interior won’t just be “good screens.” It’ll be an ecosystem choice. Test-drive it like you test-drive a transmission: hands-on, no assumptions, and no mercy for anything that slows you down.

source https://www.mensjournal.com/gear/apple-plans-to-bring-carplay-ultra-to-more-affordable-cars-this-year