As of right now, Hyundai Australia has introduced an infotainment update for a select few vehicles, bringing Apple CarPlay compatibility to variations in the i30, Tucson, and Santa Fe lines.
Apple CarPlay, which was created to essentially replace a car’s in-car entertainment system with the familiar iPhone platform, has now been released internationally in more than 100 model lines since it was first shown in March 2014.
Hyundai’s CarPlay debuted overseas with the Tucson, but now Australian purchasers and current owners of pre-configured models can also use the platform.
CarPlay is a standard feature on the Active, Active X, and SR variants of the compact i30 Series II range, as well as any already-sold vehicles constructed in the fourth quarter of 2015. Existing models can be upgraded with the new software during a 15-minute visit to a Hyundai dealership.
While current Tucson SUV owners can also contact a Hyundai dealership to have their vehicles upgraded, new Tucson SUV customers in the Active and Active X trims will also have immediate access to CarPlay.
The redesigned 2016 Santa Fe Series II, which was released locally in November, now comes standard with CarPlay, and current Series II owners may gain the same access by visiting a dealership.
All three models’ prices are unchanging. More information, opinions, and costs for each are available here: Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyundai Tucson, and Hyundai I30.
According to Hyundai Australia’s product planning manager, Andrew Tuitahi, “the beauty of Apple CarPlay is that it is powered by your iPhone, it is dynamic and linked, and it is therefore easily updated.”
“When Apple makes these systems better by adjusting performance, introducing new features, or enabling new apps, they will be instantly available in your vehicle.”
UPDATE: Hyundai Australia has verified to CarAdvice that, as of right now, higher-spec cars above the Active and Active X grades are not compatible with CarPlay.
Hyundai Australia PR manager Guido Schenken told CarAdvice that while the company hopes to enhance those systems in the future to support CarPlay, “it is not 100% assured at this moment.”
“Although it’s highly probable to occur and that’s what we want to do, we’re working on it with our suppliers. At this time, we can’t confirm the timing.”
When or if the infotainment systems in those models are eventually made CarPlay compatible, it is unknown if owners of existing Elite and Highlander vehicles will have the same dealer-visit upgrade option.
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Add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to Your Hyundai
Hyundai has always been a pioneer in the automobile industry. In light of this, it comes as no surprise that Hyundai was among the first car companies to provide Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in various models beginning in 2015. There are currently a number of new Hyundai models that are compatible with Android Auto and CarPlay, and more are constantly being added.
Android Auto was introduced to the Hyundai lineup with the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. Currently, some 2016 Hyundai Elantra GT, 2016 Tucson, 2016 Genesis, 2017 Santa Fe, and 2017 Santa Fe Sport models, among others, have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay options. (A complete list of CarPlay and Android Auto models may be found here.)
Options for the Hyundai Santa Fe’s navigation system
We had read that the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe could be updated to include apple carplay and android auto, however it turns out the update only began on the 2017 model year and higher for the Santa Fe, while it started at the 2016 model year for a bunch of their other cars.
Any tips or ideas? Aftermarket navigation screens caught my eye, but a short search turned up nothing.
You might be able to purchase a 2017 head unit and install it in a 2016 vehicle if the 2017 model year is not a total redesign over the 2016 model. Can’t promise that it will work though. A cheap one should be available on eBay or at a junkyard.
even an updated head unit. To learn what it can be upgraded to (if it can), however, you will need to check out the Hyundai forums as I’m sure others share your goal.
Many automakers make tiny (and even strange) covert alterations between model years that are otherwise identical.
In my friend’s 2017 Santa Fe Sport, I recently installed a Sony XAV-AX3000, and it’s a fantastic device. Only the high-end unit on 2017 models can be upgraded, and good luck locating it as most dealerships might not even have the necessary software anymore.
TL;DR: Buy an aftermarket device instead of an OEM one. You can construct a cable for the steering wheel controls instead of an adaptor, and the rearview camera hooks up well.
BUT given that the shortage of semiconductors is hurting almost everything, you might find that there aren’t many head unit offers and there are problems with availability.
Infotainment
A seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with integrated satellite navigation is standard on both entry-level Premium and high-spec Premium SE versions. Additionally, a stereo with Bluetooth connectivity, DAB digital radio, and a powerful sub-woofer are included as standard.
You receive a pair of convenient physical shortcut buttons to help you switch between important features without taking your eyes off the road, and the screen’s colorful icons are rather easy to read. Although the system isn’t quite as user-friendly as the Kodiaq’s, adjusting the radio settings and pairing your phone via the built-in Bluetooth are both very simple.
Speaking of smartphones, none of the Santa Fe models support Android Auto or Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring. As a result, unlike other more recent options, the Hyundai doesn’t offer the option to use your phone’s navigation or music streaming apps through the built-in screen.
Thankfully, the typical sat nav is fairly simple to operate, and its straightforward instructions are clear and simple to follow. The maps do, however, appear a touch stale when compared to the system found in a top-of-the-line Skoda Kodiaq.
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Updated CarPlay software is available for Hyundai vehicles from 2015 to 2017.
Hyundai owners have endured a stressful wait after receiving a promise of CarPlay support in 2015. Hyundai is now telling dealers about their software upgrade and distributing their CarPlay update to qualified owners, which has been overdue by at least six months and will result in the creation of eight additional CarPlay equipped vehicles, ranging in model year from 2015 to 2017.
The 2016 Elantra GT, 2015 and 2016 Sonata models that are not hybrids, the 2017 Santa Fe Sport, 2017 Santa Fe, the 2015 and 2016 Genesis Sedan, and the 2016 Tucson will all have new CarPlay support, as shown in the table below. All of these brand-new Hyundai models join the 2016 Sonata, 2017 Elantra, and 2017 IONIQ as CarPlay-compatible models.
Owners of eligible Hyundai vehicles can download the CarPlay update from the Hyundai website, however they are advised to handle the installation themselves. It is necessary to use a Mac or PC with an SD card port or an external SD card reader to download the software and transfer it to the in-dash system of the car. If a map update is necessary, the time it takes to download software can take anywhere from 25 minutes for Display Audio to more than three hours for Navigation.
Hyundai owners, stop waiting and start downloading so you can start using Apple CarPlay with your current setup! Check our CarPlay Manufactures List to see if your vehicle is Apple CarPlay compatible.
The 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe is Apple CarPlay compatible.
All Hyundai vehicles with 7-inch, 8-inch, or 8-inch touchscreen navigation systems as well as the 2015 and 2016 Genesis with an 8-inch touchscreen navigation now support Apple CarPlay.
Also to be noted, iPhone 5 and later models running iOS 7.1 or higher are compatible with CarPlay.
You were so kind to say that! Your response to the query will help hundreds of people decide whether to buy! After moderation, it will show up on the website.
Apple CarPlay is available on the 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport?
The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe should already have CarPlay support, however it only applies to wired CarPlay, thus it won’t show up under the Wireless CarPlay screen in Settings->General->Car Play.
You should only need to connect the iPhone to a USB port that is accessible on the Sta Fe to activate Carplay.
You must inquire at your local Hyundai dealership about a software upgrade for your vehicle’s infotainment system. Or perhaps visit the Hyundai website to see if there’s a user-installable software download option?
The 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe should already have CarPlay support, but it is just for wired CarPlay, thus it won’t show up in the Wireless CarPlay section of the Settings->General->Car Play menu.
While the screen’s graphic demonstrates how to set up Wireless CarPlay, it also illustrates wired connections.
I don’t have wireless CarPlay, yet my Honda Civic has always appeared there as “Honda” from Day One. The CarPlay icons that are shown can also be rearranged and “hidden” on this screen.
That much is true. However, it won’t show up there until you connect the iPhone to the vehicle’s media center. It would have been better to be more detailed.
The 2016 Hyundai Sonata is Apple CarPlay compatible.
In addition to Android Auto, Hyundai has begun producing 2016 Sonata cars with Apple CarPlay. Similar to Android Auto, CarPlay is available on Sonata models with an 8.0-inch screen that are also equipped with audio and navigation.
Does the 2016 Hyundai Accent support Apple CarPlay?
Read more Hyundai Accent news & reviews Existing owners of all Accent models produced starting in December 2015 can also use CarPlay.