In our information age, being connected at all times is increasingly becoming standard. Drivers are discovering that they must reply quickly even when they are behind the wheel, whether our loved ones need to confirm things on the grocery list or our coworkers need a response to an email. Automakers like Kia are building their vehicles with Apple CarPlay functionality to make this process safer and more convenient. The aforementioned 2017 Kia cars can connect to compatible iPhones to give users quick access to the apps they require without diverting their attention from the road.
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Cadenza
The 2017 Cadenza Premium features access to Apple CarPlay as standard UVO eServices with a 7-inch touch-screen display. The voice-command navigation and UVO eServices with Apple CarPlay are standard on the Cadenza Technology and Limited variants.
Forte
Apple CarPlay is not compatible with the 2017 Forte LX. However, a 7-inch touch-screen with UVO eServices is standard on both the Forte S and Forte EX grades. Apple CarPlay compatibility is also a standard feature on these two variants.
Optima
A 5-inch touch screen with CarPlay is standard on the Optima LX and Optima LX 1.6T. Apple CarPlay and a 7-inch touch screen come standard on the Optima EX. An 8-inch touch screen with Apple CarPlay is a standard feature in the Optima SX and Optima SX Limited.
Sedona
The Sedona LX can be upgraded to have a 7-inch touch-screen with Apple CarPlay access, however the Sedona L does not come standard with Apple CarPlay. That configuration is standard on the Sedona EX, but an 8-inch color touch-screen with Apple CarPlay compatibility is standard on the Sedona SX and Sedona SXL.
Sorento
Apple CarPlay is not included in the Sorento L, but it is available in the Sorento LX and LX V6 with a 7-inch color touch-screen with CarPlay access. The identical configuration is standard on the Sorento EX, Sorento EX V6, Sorento SX V6, and Sorento SXL V6.
Soul
Apple CarPlay is not compatible with the Soul Base. The Soul + is available with Apple CarPlay, which is standard on the Soul!, and UVo eServices with a 7-inch touch-screen. The improved 8-inch touch-screen for the Soul + and Soul! is also available and gives access to CarPlay.
Sportage
UVO eServices with a 7-inch touch screen and Apple CarPlay compatibility are offered for the 2017 Sportage LX. Both the 2017 Sportage SX Turbo and Sportage EX come with this configuration as standard.
What About Apple CarPlay in 2017?
Ford has announced that its 2017 collection of cars, SUVs, light trucks, and electric vehicles in the United States now all feature the SYNC 3 infotainment system, which supports CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Fusion, Mustang, and Explorer are 2017 models that have already been available thanks to the expansion, while the 2017 F-150, Focus, Edge, and Super Duty will hit American dealerships later this year.
Ford announced in January that starting with the 2017 Escape in May, all of its 2017 vehicles in North America equipped with BlackBerry’s QNX-based SYNC 3 platform would receive CarPlay and Android Auto.
Additionally, Ford has expanded SYNC AppLink to include Spotify, Pandora, Ford PASS, AccuWeather, and AAA member services.
Through a SYNC 3.8 software upgrade, Ford added Siri Eyes Free support retrospectively to 5 million vehicles from 2011 to 2016. Despite the fact that this number presumably includes previous SYNC platforms incompatible with CarPlay and Android Auto, the carmaker claims that there are currently more than 15 million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road worldwide.
This year, Ford is also including CarPlay and Android Auto in its 2016 models with SYNC 3.
CarPlay adds a number of third-party apps, including Spotify, to the dashboard of a vehicle, along with Maps, Phone, Messages, Music, and Podcasts. Siri and the built-in controls in your car can be used to control Apple’s in-car software platform for simple access to popular iPhone services. The iPhone 5 and later devices are compatible.
CarPlay was broadly introduced in the second half of 2015, and this year, it has been made available by a number of major automakers, including Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep, BMW, Nissan, as well as Hyundai and Kia. Over 100 new 2016 and 2017 cars now offer CarPlay, with Toyota and Mazda being the two prominent exceptions.
List of Kia Vehicles That Offer Apple CarPlay and Android AutoTM
Almost all new Kia models come equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android AutoTM as standard features. Almost all automobile manufacturers now include these two systems as standard equipment. But starting of the 2014 model year, several Kia cars began to include these features. The lists below show the Kia automobiles that, in Apple and Android’s estimation, support either Apple CarPlay or Android AutoTM.
The two systems:
- Soul Kia (2014Present)
- Optima Kia (2015Present)
- Kia Hybrid Optima (2015Present)
- Hey Sedona (2015Present)
- EV Kia Soul (2015Present)
- Forte Koup Kia (20172018)
- Forte5 Kia (20172018)
- Sorento Kia (2017Present)
- Sportage, Kia (2017Present)
- Cadenza, Kia (2017Present)
- Ford Kia (2017Present)
- NIRA, Kia (2017Present)
- PHEV Kia Optima (2017Present)
- PHEV Kia Niro (2018Present)
- Stinger Kia (2018Present)
- Telluride, Kia (2020)
Only for Apple CarPlay:
Kia K900 (2019)
Only for Android AutoTM:
Rio Kia (2018Present)
Has the 2016 Kia Optima CarPlay?
The 2016 Kia Optima and 2017 Kia Sportage models that come equipped with the UVO3 system will also work with Apple CarPlay, according to a recent announcement from Kia.
Is Apple CarPlay available on the 2016 Kia Optima?
Apple CarPlay compatibility will be added to two more Kia models, the 2017 Sportage SUV and the 2016 Optima sedan, when they reach dealers in the second quarter. Customers who purchase a Kia with a suitable navigation system or UVO3 telematics will have access to CarPlay.
How can I install Apple CarPlay on my Kia?
How can Apple CarPlay be added to your Kia?
- Create and activate your MyUVO account.
- Register with MyUVO and download the update.
How can I turn on Kia CarPlay?
How to Set Up Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in Your Kia
- Make sure your phone’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are both set to ON.
- Your Kia audio head unit’s setup key should be depressed.
- DEVICE CONNECTION SETTINGS should be chosen.
- After selecting PHONE PROJECTION, click ADD NEW.
- Choose the car to connect to in the bluetooth settings on your device.
How can I tell if my vehicle has CarPlay?
Most vehicles made in 2014 or after feature Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. You can check the user manual or conduct a Google search using the year, make, and model of your car to find out if it has Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. If your car doesn’t have a wireless dock, you can alternatively use the primary USB connector to connect your phone and view the menu. If your vehicle is equipped with it, an app will appear on the screen and request your permission from your phone. Although these apps are incredibly user-friendly, if you need help, Google (and YouTube!) are always available.
When you connect in your phone, some automobile systems (like Hyundai’s) instantly open Apple CarPlay or Android Auto; however, other systems require you to activate them through the infotainment system (BMW, for example). The technologies are there in your car if CarPlay or Android Auto are listed on the Monroney window sticker, although you might need to look for them.
The Pioneer AVH-3300NEX ($529.97 on Amazon) is a nice system to look into if you’re upgrading your current car but only have one installation slot.
Can my automobile have Apple CarPlay installed?
Every significant automaker in the world, including Audi, Bentley, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus, Maserati, and Porsche, supports Apple CarPlay. Or they have already decided to include the application in upcoming auto models. In actuality, the app already supports more than 600 car models.
A smart and secure method of using your iPhone while driving is CarPlay. It allows you to phone, send messages, and look for turn-by-turn directions. Any car can have Apple CarPlay added to it.
Seven Smart Auto guides you through the installation procedure as a dependable Apple CarPlay installation service provider in Sydney. We also go over the many ways to install Apple CarPlay in an older vehicle.
How can I update the infotainment system in my Kia?
1. The engine should be running while updating the navigation; be careful, as this utilizes the battery of the car. Just make sure the battery is fully charged before beginning an update.
2. If the vehicle engine is started during an update, power to the system may be briefly cut off, which might affect data transfer and file integrity. If the portable device containing the update is removed during the update, the navigation system may not function properly.
3. Please be aware of your local traffic laws before updating your navigation because doing so could violate the applicable traffic rule.
Referring to the navigation update guide, continue with the car update.
Please proceed with the update process in your car using the USB-connected portable device.
On the General Settings screen, select “SW Info/Upgrade,” and then “Update” to begin the update.
Please proceed with the update process in your car with the portable device (SD Card).
To begin the update, click “Update” on the General screen, then “SW Info/Update.”
Please proceed with the update procedure in your car with the USB portable device.
In the General Settings page, select “SW Info/Upgrade,” and then “Update” to start the update.
On the General Settings screen, select “SW Info” and then “Update” to continue with the update.
Do Kia vehicles accept Apple Car Key?
A digital car key function that Apple released in 2020 enables customers to start and unlock a compatible vehicle by bringing an iPhone or Apple Watch close to the driver-side door. Since its debut, the feature has only been available on a few BMW models.
According to Apple, the capability has now been extended to a few 2022 Hyundai Genesis and Kia vehicles, both of which are subsidiaries of the Korean automaker. This week, Apple updated a list of automobiles on its website to reflect the addition of compatibility for the iPhone’s car key function for the 2022 Genesis GV60, 2022 Genesis G90, and 2022 Kia Niro.
It is unknown whether the car key feature for the aforementioned Genesis and Kia models has yet to be widely implemented or is still in the process of doing so. Despite declining to expressly address compatibility for Apple’s car key feature, a Kia spokeswoman did confirm that the 2023 Niro will receive the company’s Digital Key 2 technology, which was first introduced in January. Requests for comment from Genesis and Apple were not immediately returned. Apple started putting together Genesis support last year.
Digital vehicle keys are kept in the Wallet app on an iPhone or Apple Watch running iOS 13.6 or watchOS 6.2.8 or newer, just like credit cards and boarding passes. A new version of the feature based on Ultra Wideband technology enables users to use the feature without having to take their iPhone out of their pocket. The previous version of the service only supported NFC technology, which needed the iPhone or Apple Watch to be held close to the vehicle.
Devices with the U1 chip, such as the iPhone 11 and Apple Watch Series 6 and newer, are required for the upgraded Ultra Wideband version of Apple’s car key feature. In order to maintain backward compatibility and the ability to unlock a car for up to five hours after an iPhone runs out of battery power, NFC functionality is maintained.
Apple’s efforts to provide digital copies of frequently used objects include this feature. Arizona is the first U.S. state where Apple’s Wallet app’s driver’s license and state ID capability has been made available; additional states will shortly follow.
Update March 25: This article has been updated to reflect that Kia declined to comment specifically on Apple car key support but did state that the 2023 Kia Niro will receive the company’s previously announced Digital Key 2 technology.