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CarPlay Ultra is Apple's next-generation CarPlay announced at WWDC 2022 and shipping since May 2025, starting with Aston Martin. It replaces every dashboard display — including speedometer and instrument cluster — with iPhone-driven interfaces. It requires hardware support from the car manufacturer and is not a software update for existing CarPlay cars.
CarPlay Ultra is Apple's take-over-everything version of CarPlay: not just the center screen, but the instrument cluster, the climate controls, the gauges. It launched in May 2025 in exactly one brand and has been expanding at luxury-car speed ever since. Here is what it is, which cars actually have it in mid-2026, and whether it matters for the car you drive today.
I've run regular CarPlay for years across an iPhone 14 Pro and now an iPhone 16, in a Mazda CX-5 and a Ford with an aftermarket Pioneer head unit. I don't own an Aston Martin, so I'll be straight about the line between what Ultra actually does on the cars that have it and what the rest of us can do on the CarPlay we already drive. Where a claim comes from Apple's own material, I say so.
What CarPlay Ultra actually is
Regular CarPlay is an app running on one screen. CarPlay Ultra renders every display in the car — speedometer, tachometer, trip data, radio, climate — in an Apple-designed interface that blends the automaker's brand look with iPhone data. Some content renders on the iPhone and streams to the car; the time-critical gauges render on the car's own hardware so a dropped phone connection never blanks your speedometer.
Apple calls it “the next generation of CarPlay.” You can read the official overview on Apple's CarPlay page. The short version: it's a deeper partnership with the automaker, not a bigger app — which is exactly why it can't be added to a car that wasn't built for it.
CarPlay Ultra features: what it changes
Ultra's headline is that it reaches past the center screen. Here is what it actually adds over the CarPlay you know:
- Full instrument cluster. Your speedometer, tachometer, and trip data render in an Apple-designed gauge layout you can restyle — different faces, colors, and layouts, chosen from the iPhone.
- In-dash vehicle controls.Climate, heated seats, and radio live inside the CarPlay UI, so you set the temperature without dropping out to the car's own system.
- Automaker branding, kept.The car maker's look, start-up animation, and drive-mode screens survive — Ultra blends them with Apple's layer rather than hiding them.
- Widgets and apps you already have. Ultra still inherits your iPhone apps, wallpaper, and widget stack — the same personalization that works on regular CarPlay today.
CarPlay Ultra vs regular CarPlay
Same iPhone, very different reach. Here is the at-a-glance comparison:
| Feature | Regular CarPlay | CarPlay Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Screens it controls | Center display only | Every screen, cluster included |
| Instrument cluster | Untouched (car's own) | Apple-designed, restylable |
| Climate & radio | Exit to car's native system | Inside the CarPlay UI |
| Availability (2026) | Nearly all new cars | Aston Martin now; Hyundai group next |
| How you get it | Plug in or pair wirelessly | Built into the car — no retrofit |
| Cost | Free | Free (you pay for the car) |
One thing both share: they inherit your iPhone's widgets, wallpaper, and apps. Everything in our customization hub applies to Ultra and regular CarPlay alike.
Same screen, more control
Ultra or not, your CarPlay can do more today.
Car Play Connect adds home-screen widgets and a custom startup sound to the CarPlay you already drive — 11 widget templates and built-in chimes, free to try.
Car Play Connect: Auto Sync
4.6·2,300+ ratings·Free to try
Which cars have CarPlay Ultra in 2026
Shipping today: Aston Martin — DBX S, DB12, and Vanquish, with new US, UK, and Canada orders getting it from the factory and existing cars on the current-generation infotainment picking it up via a dealership software update.
Confirmed by Apple in May 2026: Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis. Reporting points to the first mainstream Hyundai-group model as the debut non-luxury Ultra car, expected in the second half of 2026 — which would move Ultra from six-figure exotics to a mass-market car in one step. For the full brand-by-brand breakdown, see our list of every car with CarPlay Ultra. If your car is on it, our step-by-step on getting Apple CarPlay Ultra covers checking support, ordering, and turning it on.
CarPlay Ultra rollout timeline
Ultra took a long, slow road from stage to street. The dates that matter:
| When | Milestone |
|---|---|
| June 2022 | Apple unveils the next-generation CarPlay at WWDC, with a long list of committed brands. |
| 2023–2024 | The original “late 2023” target slips; several brands go quiet or step back. |
| May 2025 | CarPlay Ultra ships for real — Aston Martin becomes the first and only brand. |
| May 2026 | Apple reaffirms Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis as the next brands to add it. |
| H2 2026 (expected) | First mainstream Hyundai-group model reported to be in the pipeline. |
The pattern is clear: Ultra is real, but it moves at luxury-then-mainstream speed. If you're not buying a new car from one of those brands, it's a preview you watch, not a feature you switch on.
What you need to run it
- A car that ships with (or was updated to) CarPlay Ultra — it cannot be retrofitted with an adapter or head unit.
- An iPhone 12 or newer running a current iOS version.
- Nothing else: no subscription, no per-month fee. Ultra is free where the car supports it.
No new car required
Can't get Ultra? Upgrade the CarPlay you already own.
Car Play Connect brings synced Musixmatch lyrics for Apple Music and Spotify to today's CarPlay screen — no six-figure Aston Martin, no dealer update needed.
Car Play Connect: Auto Sync
Free to try
The brands that walked away
The original 2022 announcement listed over a dozen committed brands. Since then, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, Polestar, and Renault have all reportedly stepped back, preferring to own their dashboard software (and its subscription revenue) themselves. The pattern mirrors the Tesla CarPlay saga: automakers want the iPhone's convenience without ceding the interface.
Do you actually need Ultra?
If you're not shopping for an Aston Martin or a 2027-model-year Hyundai, Ultra is a preview, not a purchase decision. The practical upgrades available on the CarPlay you already have — a proper widget stack, a custom startup sound, synced lyrics — change your daily drive today, on the same screen you already own.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which cars have CarPlay Ultra right now?
As of mid-2026, Aston Martin is the only brand shipping it — DBX S, DB12, and Vanquish, plus dealer updates for recent models. Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are confirmed next, with the first model expected in the second half of 2026.
When did CarPlay Ultra come out?
CarPlay Ultra launched in May 2025. Apple first unveiled the next-generation CarPlay at WWDC in June 2022 and originally targeted late 2023, but the release slipped almost two years. Aston Martin was the first brand to ship it, and it stayed exclusive to that brand through mid-2026.
What's the difference between CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra?
Regular CarPlay controls only the center screen; CarPlay Ultra controls every display, including the instrument cluster, plus climate and radio controls. Ultra also renders your speedometer and gauges in an Apple-designed layout. Regular CarPlay ships in nearly all new cars, while Ultra is limited to a few supported models.
Is CarPlay Ultra a paid upgrade?
No. Ultra itself is free. The cost is the car — it only works on vehicles built (or officially updated) to support it, and it requires an iPhone 12 or newer.
Do you need a special iPhone for CarPlay Ultra?
You need an iPhone 12 or newer running a current version of iOS. There's no separate app to buy or download and no subscription. The real gatekeeper is the car — Ultra only runs on vehicles the manufacturer built or officially updated to support it.
Will CarPlay Ultra come to my current car?
Almost certainly not, unless your car is a recent Aston Martin. Ultra needs deep integration with the car's displays and controls, so it arrives with new vehicles or manufacturer updates — no aftermarket path exists, and none is expected.
