Roger Fingas
At this week's Los Angeles Auto Show, Fiat Chrysler's Jeep division revealed its first vehicle with support for Apple CarPlay built in, the 2017 Compass.
The SUV will support both CarPlay and Android Auto through a fourth-generation Uconnect dash interface. Notably buyers will have the option of 5-, 7-, or 8.4-inch touchscreens, making it easier to use the phone interfaces at a price.
In its announcement, Jeep didn't immediately say when the vehicle will become available, or how much different trims and upgrades might cost.
Jeep was actually one of the first companies to announce plans for CarPlay in 2014, but slow to deliver for reasons unknown. Indeed while some other Fiat Chrysler brands — namely Dodge and Chrysler — do have CarPlay models, there aren't many, and even Fiat itself doesn't offer the technology on 2016 500 models.
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7 Comments
List is growing. Those car manufacturers like Toyota without carplay/androidauto phone conncetivity support in their new vehicles will be left behind. Why anyone would buy new vehicle without such support because your next vehicle will be down 10 or more years(unless you lease or frequently replace/upgrade vehicles like phone).
I wouldn't buy a vehicle today if it didn't have Apple CarPlay support. Toyota has decided not to support either, but I think will be forced to eventually.
Shame this vehicle is a festering pile of poop. Really, SUVs in general are ridiculous vehicles brilliantly marketed to people who (generally speaking) have more money than brains, but I rented a Compass once a few years ago (it was, quite literally, the only thing they had left) and it was awful. The thing was really cheaply made (the entire interior was made with cheap-feeling plastic parts) and it was so dramatically underpowered that it was painfully slow trekking up the gradual incline into the mountains of North Carolina.
At least now, thanks to Apple, it has one positive selling point :)