How to Get Apple CarPlay on a Kia Soul

The Kia Soul got Apple CarPlay functionality in 2017, but you can retrofit earlier models with this essential tech. Here’s how.
Written by Katherine Duffy
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
The most recent model years of the Kia Soul include Apple CarPlay as an optional or standard feature, depending on the trim level; however, you can retrofit earlier Kia Soul infotainment systems with it by taking a quick trip to your nearest Kia dealership. 
Apple CarPlay isn’t just a convenient way of listening to your favorite tunes on the road—since it was introduced in 2014, Apple CarPlay has been helping drivers everywhere reduce distracted driving. 
Not all cars are outfitted with this technology, and your car certainly won’t have it if it was manufactured before 2014. Thankfully, if you drive an older Soul that didn’t come standard with Apple CarPlay, you can likely take a quick trip to your dealership to see if your car can be retrofitted with this feature, free of charge. The
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Does the Kia Soul have Apple CarPlay? 

Beginning in 2017, Kia Souls started to feature Apple CarPlay.This iPhone-compatible feature allows users to get directions, make calls, listen to music, and even send messages via the car’s infotainment display. This makes it easy to drive safely while staying connected to your loved ones, receiving hands-free navigation, and listening to your favorite playlist via your display. 
If your Kia Soul is older than 2017, your car doesn’t come standard with this handy feature. You’ll still be able to connect your phone to the stereo system with an aux cord or use Bluetooth connectivity, depending on your car’s model year. 
Although Apple CarPlay comes standard on all trim levels of the 2023 Kia Soul, this wasn’t always the case—the base trim of the 2017 Kia Soul did not include Apple CarPlay.

How to add Apple CarPlay to a Kia Soul 

Depending on the compatibility of your Kia Soul’s model year, Kia has offered free Apple CarPlay updates and retrofits for Kias without this function free of charge at most dealerships. If you’d like to update your pre-2017 Kia Soul with Apple CarPlay, the simplest way to do so is to visit your local Kia dealership and ask about your options. 
You may be able to outfit your Soul with Apple CarPlay on your own, but unless you’re especially confident in your tech skills, it’s best to leave this job to the specialists at your dealership

How to enable Apple CarPlay in a Kia Soul 

Whether you’ve just purchased a new Soul or you’ve had an older Soul retrofitted with Apple CarPlay, enabling this feature is simple. First, press the Setup key on your display, then select Apple CarPlay. After that, connect your phone to the USB port so the app detects your phone. An Apple CarPlay icon will appear on your display. Agree to the terms and conditions, and you’re ready to use this function! 

Which Kia models have Apple CarPlay? 

If you’re shopping for a new or used Kia and you want to make sure it has Apple CarPlay before you purchase it, you’re in the right spot. The following Kia models are outfitted with Apple CarPlay (depending on the trim level): 
  • 2017– 2022 Kia Soul 
  • 2015 – 2022 Kia Optima 
  • 2015 – 2022 Kia Optima Hybrid 
  • 2015 – 2022 Kia Sedona 
  • 2015 – 2022 Kia Soul EV 
  • 2017 – 2018 Kia Forte Koup 
  • 2017 – 2018 Kia Forte 5 
  • 2017 – 2018 Kia Sorento 
  • 2017 – 2022 Kia Sportage 
  • 2017 – 2022 Kia Cadenza 
  • 2017 – 2022 Kia Forte 
  • 2017 – 2022 Kia Niro 
  • 2017 – 2022 Kia Optima PHEV
  • 2018 – 2022 Kia Niro PHEV
  • 2018 – 2022 Kia Stinger 
  • 2020 Kia Telluride
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How to lower your Kia Soul insurance costs

Installing Apple CarPlay in your Kia Soul isn’t just a great way to keep Siri on hand behind the wheel—it could even help you lower your
Kia Soul insurance costs
Okay, it’s unlikely you’ll get a direct discount for adding CarPlay functionality to your Kia. But, with the hands-free functionality of Apple CarPlay, you’ll have fewer distractions on the road, which means improved safety and a better chance of maintaining a
clean driving record
and low premiums. And, if you use your new CarPlay capabilities to install a telematics app, you could even receive a direct
safe driver discoun
t on your insurance rate! 
One more way to save on Kia Soul insurance: compare personalized quotes with
Jerry
. Whether you’re looking for a new car or trying to save on insurance with an older model, Jerry can help you find the lowest rates on the coverage you need—sign-up is free, and it takes about 45 seconds to compare rates. 
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