Roger Fingas
Honda has announced that the 2018 Accord, launching this fall, will once again offer Apple's CarPlay, which allows iPhone owners to bridge Siri and select apps with a car's dash interface.
CarPlay — and Android Auto — will come standard on the 2.0T trim, and optional with the 1.5T and Hybrid, Honda said. Vehicles equipped with the technology will have 8-inch Display Audio touchscreens.
Honda's own dash interface will offer "smartphone-like" features, such as customizable app tiles and homescreen shortcuts. The touchscreen will also have physical volume and tuning knobs.
Other tech options will include wireless charging, automatic Bluetooth pairing for NFC devices, and LTE/Wi-Fi connections.
Honda already supports CarPlay on 2016 and 2017 models of the Accord.
On Monday the company also began rolling out the 2018 Fit. The Fit was previously a conspicuous gap in Honda's CarPlay support, being one of the automaker's most popular lines. Indeed the technology is still missing from the car's base trim.
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20 Comments
It makes no sense to make something like this "optional".
Dumb.
Something seems "off" here. Historically, Honda have not offered "options" in the traditional sense except for certain cases where navigation, Honda Sensing, or summer tires (Si) are available as a factory option. Even in this case, vehicles so equipped are given unique model names such as "EX-L WITH NAVIGATION".
For Honda to offer the same model and trim level with and without CP/AA would would be unusual. Perhaps they will be offering a "tech package" in the style of Acura.
It's gonna come with EX and above trims most likely. Honda doesn't offer options like other car manufacturers do. They just have multiple take it or leave it trims (LX, Sport, EX, EX-L, Touring, etc.)
I've been looking at retrofits to get CarPlay on a 2016 Accord Sport. Got the Sport but would have paid for a Sport model of the EX since I wasn't going to pay for Touring.
Honda is very annoying at times.