The Subaru WRX is a sporty and fun car, but some of the enhancements with Apple CarPlay have really impressed me — mostly because I can see the apps more clearly.
Apple CarPlay has experienced some bumps and bruises in the last year. GM decided to ditch the service on their full line-up. They chose to go with Google voice-enabled services that do not require a phone connected.
In recent months, I’ve noticed there’s a move away from connected phones as automakers start embracing their own infotainment systems. For example, Toyota has really gone all in on a well-designed interface. It is voice enabled on many makes and models, making me wonder — are the CarPlay and Android Auto services even needed anymore?
After testing the Subaru WRX TR, I can say that CarPlay is still incredibly useful, and looking better than ever.
The Subaru WRX high-res display
The WRX uses a high-res display that makes all of the CarPlay icons look crisp and clean. More crisp and clean than I’ve noticed in other vehicles. In fact, CarPlay sometimes looks slightly blurry with larger icons on lower-res displays in other cars. Therefore, you notice how clean it looks right away in the WRX. The row of icons are easy to see even on a sunny day when there is a ton of glare, so kudos to Subaru for thinking “safety first” by using a clear display. The downside of a lower quality display in the center console is that you can’t see all of the icons, apps, and features quite as easily. Sometimes the app icons look a bit dim or poorly represented.
I even asked a rep at Subaru if Subaru has done something new on the display in the WRX. It wasn’t necessarily updated for this model (the 2024) but he did say they have “made several software improvements to our Starlink touchscreen since its introduction.” Also, he mentioned that Appel itself sometimes enhances or improves CarPlay with new software releases.
Is that what I’m seeing? Probably not. But I test cars every week and this display is noticeably brighter, more crisp, and easier to see at night, during bright sunny days, and on overcast days when there are a lot of shadows. It’s also possible that I’m used to seeing CarPlay on a much more standard size screen that is more rectangular.
Apple CarPlay screen size and daily use on the Subaru WRX
The screen on the WRX is 11.6-inches and it’s just a joy to use. I found all my apps quickly for texting, listening to music, and even holding Zoom calls — especially easy because the high-res display shows them all in one view without having to swipe over to see more of them. And, everything looked clearer on the display, including Apple Music album covers.
I’m not sure if other automakers know this, but Subaru is really leading the way with their high-res display, and making Apple CarPlay in the Subaru WRX much more useful.