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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.
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.
CarPlay Ultra vs regular CarPlay
- Screens: regular CarPlay = center display only. Ultra = every screen, cluster included.
- Vehicle controls:Ultra surfaces climate, radio, and drive settings inside the Apple UI; regular CarPlay makes you exit to the car's native system.
- Availability: regular CarPlay ships in 98% of new US cars. Ultra ships in one brand today and a handful of announced ones.
- Customization:both inherit your iPhone's widgets, wallpaper, and apps — everything in our customization hub applies to both.
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 Hyundai Ioniq 3 as the first mainstream Ultra car, expected in the second half of 2026 — which would move Ultra from six-figure exotics to a compact EV in one step.
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.
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.
FAQ
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.
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.
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.
