Honda on Monday announced that when it launches in North America this fall, the 2017 Civic Hatchback will support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto -- though only on higher-end trims.
EX, EX-L, and Sport Touring versions of the car will support the technologies via Display Audio, the automaker said. In fact only the Sport Touring trim will come with CarPlay and Android Auto as standard, forcing other shoppers to pay for an upgrade.
Honda didn't immediately offer pricing for the Hatchback, or what EX and EX-L drivers will have to spend on the Display Audio option.
Nevertheless the Hatchback should help extend CarPlay's reach to the public, given the popularity -- and relative affordability -- of the Civic lineup. For a time the technology was reserved largely for high-end vehicles, but that's changed in the past year with the addition of more cars from brands like Kia, Hyundai, Ford, and Chevrolet.
There are still some conspicuous gaps in Honda's support, most notably the Fit subcompact, which doesn't come with CarPlay even on trims equipped with Display Audio.