Honda and Hyundai Rolling Out Wireless CarPlay to Select 2021 Vehicles, Including Accord and Santa Fe

Honda this week introduced the 2021 Accord with upgraded styling and tech features, including wireless CarPlay and Android Auto integration on the higher-end EX-L and Touring trims, accessible through an 8-inch touchscreen display.

carplay dashboard ios 14
Wireless CarPlay works over Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, eliminating the need for the iPhone to be connected to the infotainment system with a Lightning cable. Together with wireless charging, these features free up the USB ports in the vehicle, which have been moved to the front of the center console for easier access.

Hyundai has also added wireless CarPlay and Android Auto to the 2021 Santa Fe, on models that are not equipped with navigation. Wired CarPlay and Android Auto remain standard on navigation-equipped models. The vehicle is now equipped with a larger 8-inch touchscreen, an upgrade from the 7-inch display in previous models.

In addition to Honda and Hyundai, wireless CarPlay is available in select vehicles sold by Ford, GM, Chrysler, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Alpine and Pioneer also offer aftermarket wireless CarPlay systems for self installation.

CarPlay‌ is Apple's in-car platform that enables drivers to access a range of iPhone apps from the dashboard, such as Messages, Apple Maps, Apple Music, Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, Pandora, WhatsApp, and Downcast. Since iOS 12, third-party navigation apps like Google Maps and Waze have also been supported.

The 2021 Accord went on sale at Honda dealerships in the United States earlier this week, with pricing starting at $31,090 for a trim equipped with wireless CarPlay. The 2021 Santa Fe will arrive at Hyundai dealerships in the United States by the end of the year, but pricing was not disclosed in the press release.

Related Roundup: CarPlay

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...

Top Rated Comments

redgreenski Avatar
59 months ago
Wireless CarPlay was always the most obvious future. I don’t know why most car makers didn’t embrace it from the beginning. Soon we are going to have a bunch of older cars CarPlays incompatible with iPhones that no longer have a physical plug in.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mnsportsgeek Avatar
59 months ago
If Apple doesn’t make a dongle for CarPlay when the phone goes portless, we riot.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Bornee35 Avatar
59 months ago

What is the audio quality like over Wireless CarPlay? Last time I checked, Bluetooth audio still sucks in comparison to USB, and could be one of the reasons Apple and car manufacturers didn't focus on Wireless from the get-go.
I’m fairly certain wireless CarPlay uses a wifi access point.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Deinocheirus Avatar
59 months ago

Wireless CarPlay was always the most obvious future. I don’t know why most car makers didn’t embrace it from the beginning. Soon we are going to have a bunch of older cars CarPlays incompatible with iPhones that no longer have a physical plug in.
My guess is that it costs more to implement, and the user experience is actually quite dismal. Wireless CarPlay does not always work as well as Wired does, and wireless charging in cars is only just now starting to become a thing...no one enjoys wireless CarPlay and arriving somewhere with their phone dead.

The phone really does need to still be charging while using CarPlay, so unless you have the complete experience of wireless charging + wireless CarPlay...you're better off with with Wired. And that has been the case for the years.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
yossi Avatar
59 months ago
They need an adapter that will let older cars provide wireless car play
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AnorexicPig Avatar
59 months ago

My guess is that it costs more to implement, and the user experience is actually quite dismal. Wireless CarPlay does not always work as well as Wired does, and wireless charging in cars is only just now starting to become a thing...no one enjoys wireless CarPlay and arriving somewhere with their phone dead.

The phone really does need to still be charging while using CarPlay, so unless you have the complete experience of wireless charging + wireless CarPlay...you're better off with with Wired. And that has been the case for the years.
This is false. I have been using wireless CarPlay in my 2018 M3 for last 2 years and it works flawlessly.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)