Mazda has announced that its 2018 Mazda 6 mid-size sedan will finally be Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible – and retrofittable.
Beginning in September, dealers will be able to retrofit Touring, Grand Touring, Grand Touring Reserve, and Signature trim levels of its mid-size sedan with a kit that adds Apple and Android compatibility to the automaker’s built-in infotainment system. The upgrade will be performed at no cost to owners of 2018 Mazda 6 sedans.
As a bonus, a more powerful 2.1-amp USB charging port is also part of the package. Mazda said that its dealers will be able to perform the upgrade in about two hours.
New Mazda 6 sedans arriving in dealers in November will be fitted with the kit directly from the automaker’s Hofu, Japan, assembly plant.
Notably, the Apple and Android compatibility doesn’t extend to the Mazda 6 Sport trim since the entry-level version of the mid-size sedan uses slightly different infotainment software.
Mazda Connect has been available in Mazda vehicles since 2014, which is also the year that Mazda first pledged support for CarPlay. Mazda has been listed as a CarPlay partner since shortly after CarPlay first debuted, but it has yet to release a CarPlay-compatible vehicle.
Most other infotainment systems from every other major brand offer Apple and Android compatibility either as standard or an optional feature. The systems integrate messaging, navigation, music streaming, and more via their respective app platforms to better allow you to safely access your phone’s capabilities while driving.
