At the Geneva International Motor Show, Kia announced that its entire range of cars in Europe will offer Apple CarPlay by the end of 2017. The Niro hybrid crossover — which will make its debut in Q3 — will be the first car to feature Apple CarPlay, with the Optima Plug-In Hybrid and Optima Sportswagon following later this year.
From Kia Europe COO Michael Cole:
In-car connectivity is increasingly important to our buyers, who are young-at-heart and often seek the latest technologies on offer. It makes a great deal of sense to offer full Android and Apple compatibility so our customers can use a wide range of smartphone functions in a safe and seamless way. Kia is integrating these technologies to let drivers maintain their concentration on the road ahead.
The cars also come with the TomTom-powered Kia Connected Services feature, which offers live traffic updates, speed camera locations and alerts, local point-of-interest search and weather forecasts. The Connected Services feature will be available to buyers free of charge for seven years from the date of purchase.
