CarPlay Ultra just made every other in-car system feel clunky – and after testing it in an Aston Martin DBX, I don’t want to drive without it
It’s not often I get out of a car and immediately feel like my own vehicle is suddenly ancient tech, but that’s how I felt after a day with Apple CarPlay Ultra in the 2025 Aston Martin DBX.
This isn’t just a prettier version of the CarPlay you’ve used before, it’s a complete takeover – one interface stretched seamlessly across all the car’s screens, from the instrument cluster to the centre display. And once you’ve experienced that level of clarity and cohesion, there’s no going back. Android Auto in my own car now feels like a jumbled mess.
Aston Martin dashboard, Apple design
I picked up the DBX from Aston Martin’s HQ in Gaydon and drove to Caffine and Machine – an ideal spot to try Apple’s most ambitious in-car software yet. And let me say this up front: the system is stunning. CarPlay Ultra doesn’t just look good, it’s practical as well.
You get all the polish and responsiveness you’d expect from Apple, but (in our example) paired with Aston Martin’s craftsmanship.
Everything’s smooth, fast and razor-sharp. Fonts are crisp. Maps are legible and up-to-date. Widgets are glanceable and useful – music, calendar, tyre pressure, range, and more. You get that Apple polish, but it’s also smartly tailored to fit Aston Martin’s aesthetic.
It’s also surprisingly customisable. Depending on your preferences, you can tweak your layout, change background colours and themes, and pick from different display styles. But here’s the clever bit: it doesn’t strip the car of its personality.
Aston Martin has worked closely with Apple to ensure CarPlay Ultra still feels distinctly Aston Martin. There’s a custom digital dial that is full of brand character – from the iconic ‘wings’ logo to a bird’s eye view of your actual vehicle (a DBX, in this case), all wrapped in a rich Aston Martin Green colourway.
The layout is dynamic but unfussy, designed to echo the performance-focused spirit of Aston Martin without overwhelming you with data. It’s clear, elegant and easy to read at a glance. The centre section is customisable too – you can choose to display tyre pressure, navigation, media, trip info or safety systems. Of all the digital dials I’ve used, this might be my favourite.
Every manufacturer will have the opportunity to design their own driver’s displays, and have the ability to include Apple’s pre-made displays as well (similar to Apple Watchfaces).
Everything under one UI
One of the best things about CarPlay Ultra is how it fully replaces the traditional car OS. Normally, you use CarPlay for media and navigation, then switch back to the car’s system for things like drive modes or seat controls. But not here.
CarPlay Ultra has vehicle settings built in. You can adjust things like suspension, driver assist levels and climate without ever leaving the Apple interface. Want to check your fuel? It’s there. Change the temperature? Still there. Switch drive mode? Easy.
It means the entire driving experience lives in one consistent, intuitive UI. You’re not hopping between two different systems that speak different design languages. It just works.
And it even includes the radio. A feature often left out of phone-powered systems is now built in – you can browse, play and favourite stations without dipping back into Aston Martin’s menus.
That said, not everything has been absorbed. Some features – like ambient lighting control – still live in Aston Martin’s own interface. But rather than making you dig through menus manually, CarPlay Ultra has what Apple calls “punch through”. You tap the setting in the Apple UI, it takes you directly to the right place in Aston Martin’s menu, you make your change, and then you’re instantly kicked back into CarPlay.
The transition is so quick and clean that you barely notice it – the only giveaway is a slight change in font and design. It’s a clever middle ground. And it means that even if the system can’t do everything natively, it still feels cohesive.
