New Apple CarPlay Ultra tested: hands-on with every new feature

If you own an iPhone and don’t drive a car inherited from your grandparents, chances are you’ll know all about Apple CarPlay - the now ubiquitous software that lets you mirror your smartphone onto your car’s infotainment screen for a familiar-looking and easy-to-use way of accessing navigation apps, podcasts, music, messages and more. Well, that’s now officially old-tech because the next-gen CarPlay – CarPlay Ultra – has launched, and we’ve had a play.

Apple first announced the existence of a next-generation CarPlay system way back in 2022, and then it all went a bit quiet until two videos were released at its 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), offering more details on what it would look like and how it would work. And now in Spring 2025 we’ve finally got our hands on it… in an Aston Martin DBX 707.

Below we explain all the new features, why Aston got to go first and when you can get your hands on it, but before that we need to understand how this new system operates differently. The old system was simply a mirror of your phone and selected apps. You plugged in or connected wirelessly, all the computing was done on the phone and the car displayed that info like a monitor. Here there’s a lot more going on.

There’s still some stuff that’s mirrored and computed on the phone, but that’s now mixed in with what they call ‘local UI’ - info that’s being taken directly from the car - like fuel level, speed or climate controls and shown through Apple’s interface, with that signature pared-back, easy-on-the-eye aesthetic. Then on top of that there’s something called ‘punch-through UI’ - where Apple allows stuff from the car’s native system to show up in CarPlay, like the feed from the reversing camera.

The aim is for a more seamless experience, so you’re not constantly flicking between the Apple CarPlay user-interface and the car’s built-in system, everything is brought together in one cohesive skin that spreads across all the screens in the car – however large or plentiful they are. Our first experience was in an Aston Martin DBX 707 – a car with a relatively modest central 10.25in touchscreen and digital instrument cluster – and here’s everything we learned.

It boots up instantly

The first time introducing your phone to a car with CarPlay Ultra, you’ll need to load it up wirelessly or by connecting via a cable, but every subsequent time you get in that car it will boot up instantly – essentially making CarPlay Ultra the default UI for you in that car. Once our phone was synced, we were greeted by an Aston and CarPlay logo on the instrument cluster and a swoopy ‘hello’ message on the central screen – familiar to anyone who’s registered a new iPad or iPhone recently.

It takes over your instrument cluster

This, really, is the main point of differentiation with this new system, it takes over your instrument cluster as well as the central screen with a variety of dials and layouts jointly developed with Apple and Aston Martin. Essentially Apple provides Aston with a toolbox of graphics and applications and then Aston Martin fully customises them to fit and suit their car.

Swipe left and right on the wheel-mounted thumb pad and you can switch between different layouts for the dials (much like flipping between Apple Watch faces), ranging from a traditional-looking racing green twin roundel set-up that mimics analogue dials (more towards the Aston end of the spectrum), right through to colour horizontal lines (more of an Apple-style look) or a full screen takeover for the map, with speed and engine revs minimised at the bottom of the screen.

Swipe up and down on the thumb pad and you can change what the central square displays – maps, audio info, type pressure, trip information etc but all in a clear and legible style that’s become the cornerstone of Apple’s products.

You can customise it

Dive into the settings app and you can mess with the colours of your instrument cluster layouts to your heart’s content, though sadly not the layout itself, those are fixed although more could be added with later over the air updates.

The functions are fully integrated

Again, this is key. Whereas before you would have to leave the CarPlay interface to change the climate control settings, or heat your seat, or to change the radio station… now those controls are all integrated into the CarPlay system and designed to look simple and unmistakably Apple.

So you’ve got options – control your car through the CarPlay interface, the car’s physical buttons (assuming it has any) or through Apple’s voice assistant Siri – now linked to the voice command button on the steering wheel.

Punch-through UI is possible

It’s now possible for some specialist pages in the car’s native UI to simply be displayed as they normally appear, but in the CarPlay environment. For example, the DBX we were driving had the top-end Bowers and Wilkins sound system, this comes with a special page for audiophiles to fine tune their settings – you find this page through audio settings, but it looks and feels exactly the same as the one you’d find inside the in-house Aston software.

It knows where you’re from

Fun one this. Despite the test taking place in California, when we connected our UK-registered iPhone to the system, it knew we were British and changed the temperature units in the climate control from Fahrenheit to Celsius, and the spelling of ‘favourites’ in the radio app. Much obliged.

Aston Martin is first, but other manufacturers will go even further

From today (15 May) all new Aston Martins sold in the US will come with CarPlay Ultra pre-installed (you can choose to use the old-style system too if you prefer). Owners who’ve bought Astons in the last couple of years with the new-generation infotainment system will be able to take their cars to a dealer to have it installed. The system will be rolled out on Aston Martins worldwide over the next 12 months, and loads of other manufacturers are confirmed to be offering it very soon: Ford, Volvo, Renault, Porsche, and Hyundai to name but a few.

As mentioned earlier, each manufacturer will work with Apple to design an application of the CarPlay Ultra ‘toolbox’ that works best for each particular model. For example, whether it’s petrol or electric, has a passenger side screen or not and how large and what shape the central screen is. So the system on an Aston should look very different to the tech applied on a Honda.

Not everyone is totally on-board

When Apple first announced this software could take over every screen and interface in the car, it wasn’t exactly received with open arms from all car manufacturers.

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius went on record in 2024 saying the idea of giving over the whole instrument cluster and passenger screen to another company was a big fat no from him… although weirdly they remain on Apple’s confirmed list for taking the tech. Either way, Apple has been beavering away (hence the protracted development period) trying to make sure there’s enough customisation to keep each individual manufacturer happy.

Here’s what you need

To use CarPlay Ultra you need a car with a digital instrument cluster and the software installed. For it to work you needs an iPhone 12 or later, and at least iOS 18.4. Once it’s up and running CarPlay Ultra relies solely on a wireless connection. Time to upgrade that steam-powered iPhone X.

What’s the verdict?

If you already love CarPlay you’re going to love this even more. It stops you having to switch in and out of the CarPlay interface which saves you time and makes the whole experience so much slicker. Everything is integrated and shot-through with Apple’s hallmark clarity and familiarity - something that car makers are so hit and miss with when it comes to their in-house software.

I’m looking forward to seeing how other manufacturers, especially those with screen measured in acres, interpret the toolkit apple gives them. At last, the Apple Car has arrived! Sort of…