Honda adds CarPlay support to 2016 Civic models

Posted:
in iPhone edited October 2015
The 2016 Civic, arriving this fall, will be Honda's second vehicle with support for Apple CarPlay, according to an official announcement.




Among other features, the Civic will have a 7-inch touchscreen supporting both CarPlay and Android Auto, the carmaker said. The company didn't elaborate on whether it would enable wireless CarPlay connections, but did note that drivers will need at least an iPhone 5 and iOS 8.4.

Honda was an early official partner for CarPlay, but has been slow to launch any vehicles with the technology. Its first vehicle was in fact the 2016 Accord, revealed in July.



The biggest CarPlay backer so far has been GM, with models across several brands such as Cadillac and Chevrolet. The first-ever vehicle with CarPlay support was the Ferrari FF, released in 2014.

Dozens of brands have pledged support for the standard though, such as Dodge, Ford, Fiat, Hyundai, BMW, and Volkswagen.

CarPlay connects an iPhone to a native or aftermarket dash display and provides a simplified app interface. Outside of Apple's Phone, Music, Messages, Maps, and Podcasts apps, however, only a handful of titles are compatible, such as Audible, Rdio, Spotify, and Overcast.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 16
    I hope it's more responsive than I've previously tested on aftermarket units.
  • Reply 2 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SolipsismY View Post



    I hope it's more responsive than I've previously tested on aftermarket units.

    At one time, Honda pledged support for CarPlay in certain 2014 models with their Display Audio system with a firmware upgrade. This upgrade never made it past a limited beta test. Honda backtracked on supporting CarPlay on the Display Audio system. The 2016 Accord was the first model to have Display Audio Plus, which supports CarPlay and Android Auto. The 2016 Civic is the second Honda to get it. The upcoming redesigned Odyssey and Ridgeline will be next. So far, the system isn't gaining much praise with its knob-less volume control and slow operation.

  • Reply 3 of 16

    I'm waiting for my MY2016 VW Golf to arrive :D it has car play also, cant wait to try it out.

     

    My friend got a new Honda HRV, not the biggest fan of their current touchscreen systems.

  • Reply 4 of 16
    zroger73 wrote: »
    <span style="line-height:1.4em;">At one time, Honda pledged support for CarPlay in certain 2014 models with their Display Audio system with a firmware upgrade. This upgrade never made it past a limited beta test. Honda backtracked on supporting CarPlay on the Display Audio system. The 2016 Accord was the first model to have Display Audio</span>
    <em style="line-height:1.4em;">Plus</em>
    <span style="line-height:1.4em;">, which supports CarPlay and Android Auto. The 2016 Civic is the second Honda to get it. The upcoming redesigned Odyssey and Ridgeline will be next. So far, the system isn't gaining much praise with its knob-less volume control and slow operation.</span>

    It's probably running Android, duct tape, and some Java code stolen from first generation Blu-Ray players. ;)
  • Reply 5 of 16
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member
    At least Honda is trying to accommodate car play and android auto but Toyota is not even saying anything about such support. Yes, somehow display system in current cars is not user friendly and very responsive and I am talking about most of the cars about their.
    What we need is mirror transferring main functions from phone like Map, music, call/messages, calendar/reminder, alerts to car display system. Other than that, not much of importance.
  • Reply 6 of 16
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    It's probably running Android, duct tape, and some Java code stolen from first generation Blu-Ray players. image

    Pioneer handles Honda audio, Alpine usually does the navigation units.

     

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by wood1208 View Post



    At least Honda is trying to accommodate car play and android auto but Toyota is not even saying anything about such support. Yes, somehow display system in current cars is not user friendly and very responsive and I am talking about most of the cars about their.

    What we need is mirror transferring main functions from phone like Map, music, call/messages, calendar/reminder, alerts to car display system. Other than that, not much of importance.

    You're saying the car should have no built in system of any kind? What about people without smartphones?

  • Reply 7 of 16
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by wood1208 View Post



    At least Honda is trying to accommodate car play and android auto but Toyota is not even saying anything about such support. Yes, somehow display system in current cars is not user friendly and very responsive and I am talking about most of the cars about their.

    What we need is mirror transferring main functions from phone like Map, music, call/messages, calendar/reminder, alerts to car display system. Other than that, not much of importance.

    I recently rented a Toyota Corolla LE. I think the LE stands for low end.;) In any event it handled my iPhone and iPad perfectly. Bluetooth audio connected everytime. I was able to manage the play selection on the 7" screen just fine. Comprehensive information on each song on screen. GPS driving instructions from Siri came though the audio system. The only thing I missed from my own car was the map with visual directions on the screen.

  • Reply 8 of 16
    Really great to hear this! I'm thinking of buying an Acura MDX, but will not buy an MDX or any other vehicle unless it features CarPlay, which hopefully will come to all of Honda/Acura's lineup next model year.
  • Reply 9 of 16
    idreyidrey Posts: 647member
    zozman wrote: »
    I'm waiting for my MY2016 VW Golf to arrive :D it has car play also, cant wait to try it out.

    My friend got a new Honda HRV, not the biggest fan of their current touchscreen systems.

    Have to agree, I have the Hrv, great car, but that Honda link drive me crazy.
    If next year model have CarPlay I will be trading it in.
  • Reply 10 of 16
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by zroger73 View Post

     

    At one time, Honda pledged support for CarPlay in certain 2014 models with their Display Audio system with a firmware upgrade. This upgrade never made it past a limited beta test. Honda backtracked on supporting CarPlay on the Display Audio system. The 2016 Accord was the first model to have Display Audio Plus, which supports CarPlay and Android Auto. The 2016 Civic is the second Honda to get it. The upcoming redesigned Odyssey and Ridgeline will be next. So far, the system isn't gaining much praise with its knob-less volume control and slow operation.


    Well they back tracked and said the 2015 Civic would get it, i bought the 2015 Civic Coupe last year in being told that it would be there with a firmware update. Don't get me wrong i love my Civic Coupe, yes HondaLink isn't the best, but using Navi through it with my iPhone isn't all that bad. Yes the touch screen is really crappy, you can see the lines through the screen for the digitizer, better sensing when you cannot see them. But it works, i was hoping that Honda would use the same design as previous years for the head unit overall and for the glass so i could just buy a 2016 head unit and install it in my 2015 (as long as all connections and the cars main computer was not affecting CarPlay on the unit or not). Ill say that i am disappointed in Honda, but that won't turn me away in the future. I'm in college, my next car will be a Tesla Model S once i get my engineering degree in 2 years, but if i need a car for my wife (if she doesn't want a Tesla of course!) or kids in the future, ill surely go back to Honda, both that i had and have (2012 Accord and 2015 Civic) are very safe and reliable. The Accord saved my life so i would not have a problem with going back just because of that 

  • Reply 11 of 16
    wood1208wood1208 Posts: 2,905member

    Most of the car's dashboard meant to display car related info, alert, functions like fuel, speed, etc. The center display of car typically offers music, GPS(and temperature info/control).

    Now transferring phone functionalities, app of music, map/gps, phone calls/text message, alerts, calendar reminders. notes, etc from phone to car center display is really cool and hope all car manufactures adopt it. This relives car makers from investing money in center display functions enhancement that they will never keep up with against companies like Apple or Google.  Like constant update to maps, customer's purchase of songs, real time weather update, driver health monitoring through his watch/phone. etc,etc

    Because we don't replace our cars as often as phone or other things in life, I would buy my next car only if it has such phone connectivity supported.

  • Reply 12 of 16
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by idrey View Post

    Have to agree, I have the Hrv, great car, but that Honda link drive me crazy.

    If next year model have CarPlay I will be trading it in.

     

    I really like the car too, its funny to nitpick things like the stereo, but a geek like myself enjoys playing with new tech toys haha.

    does your HRV has the HDMI port?.

  • Reply 13 of 16
    idreyidrey Posts: 647member
    zozman wrote: »
    I really like the car too, its funny to nitpick things like the stereo, but a geek like myself enjoys playing with new tech toys haha.
    does your HRV has the HDMI port?.

    Yes it does. I hate that I is so restricted while the car is in
    Motion. The passenger can not do much in it. Play a video or anything. But everything else is great.
  • Reply 14 of 16
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by wood1208 View Post

     

    Most of the car's dashboard meant to display car related info, alert, functions like fuel, speed, etc. The center display of car typically offers music, GPS(and temperature info/control).

    Now transferring phone functionalities, app of music, map/gps, phone calls/text message, alerts, calendar reminders. notes, etc from phone to car center display is really cool and hope all car manufactures adopt it. This relives car makers from investing money in center display functions enhancement that they will never keep up with against companies like Apple or Google.  Like constant update to maps, customer's purchase of songs, real time weather update, driver health monitoring through his watch/phone. etc,etc

    Because we don't replace our cars as often as phone or other things in life, I would buy my next car only if it has such phone connectivity supported.




    I'll try to avoid a new car with a phone requirement.

    Here it is illegal to even look at your phone display while driving.  When by myself I have to pull over to use iPhone GPS.

    I'd hate to have to trade in (or trash)  my car because it doesn't support my latest phone, which I change much more often.

  • Reply 15 of 16
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by atokosch View Post

     

    Well they back tracked and said the 2015 Civic would get it, i bought the 2015 Civic Coupe last year in being told that it would be there with a firmware update. 


    Yes, that absolutely back tracked. I bought my 2015 Civic EX-L Sedan with NAV (top of the line BTW) with the expectation that a firmware upgrade would enable CarPlay. Dealers were saying, "it's coming" and will be "ready". Honda kept hemming and hawing and also saying "it's coming" and "we're working on it." Yeah, right. 

     

    Now to be fair, Honda never explicitly promised CarPlay, but they strongly implied it. Heck, the picture on Apple's website highlighting CarPlay is taken from the Civic (current model)!. To announce that they will only support it on 2016 and beyond is really disappointing though. At the very least, it seems a bit disingenuous IMHO. I get that it may not have been perfect, but to suddenly suggest that the hardware in current models (2014-2015) can't support it seems suspect. If Honda never planned to support it in the 2014-2015 models, they never should have even mentioned it. All evidence, including the head unit being DESIGNED for CarPlay, leads me to believe they meant to release but gave up on current models. Regardless, it sucks as does Honda's UI. HondaLink is a joke. I'd much rather plugin my iPhone. I think Honda really dropped the ball on this one and garnered some unnecessary ill will.

     

    Having said all of that, will I still buy a Honda? Yeah, I probably will. I've had 4 others before this one. I'm just not happy with how this was handled.

  • Reply 16 of 16
    zozmanzozman Posts: 393member

    My MY16 Golf arrived yesterday, car play is awesome!

     

    its funny how I would have to pay extra to have VWs voice activation system, but I get siri standard...which is the best!

    I replied to texts as I was driving using siri, answered calls, it was pretty slick.

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