10 Top Trucks with Apple CarPlay

If you’ve got one of the world’s most popular fruit-branded smartphones, and you’re also shopping for a pickup, you should concentrate on trucks with Apple CarPlay. This technology lets you control many of your iPhone’s functions directly through your vehicle’s infotainment system. You even can access Apple Maps for navigation. That way, you don’t have to pay extra to add an integrated nav system to your truck.

You don’t have to pay extra for Apple CarPlay, either - at least not in all of the pickups listed here. Some count that technology and more as standard equipment, which gives you an idea of just how upscale today’s workhorses have become. And all of these choices can deliver a fair of amount of truck-style capability, too.

Full-size trucks with Apple CarPlay include the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado. All-new this year, the Silverado is bigger yet lighter than in 2018, and it offers increases in both capability and comfort. Crew-cab models, for example, see a 14 percent jump in payload, while the higher trims have leather-trimmed and climate-controlled seats.

But all models - from the base-level work truck to the new Trail Boss trim - have Apple CarPlay as a standard feature. It’s part of a Chevy infotainment system that also bundles a 7-inch touchscreen, Android Auto, Bluetooth, voice recognition, a USB port, and six audio speakers. For higher levels of infotainment, the Silverado provides options such as mobile WiFi, a navigation system, an 8-inch touchscreen, and a Bose audio system with a dedicated subwoofer.

If you’re shopping for midsize trucks with Apple CarPlay, you can check out the Silverado’s slightly smaller sibling: the 2019 Chevrolet Colorado. As with the bigger pickup, the Colorado’s standard infotainment system brings Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and a 7-inch touchscreen. Both trucks can be ordered with plenty of advanced safety technologies, as well. These range from forward-collision warning up front to camera-based trailering help at the rear.

The Colorado also is strong enough to tow 7,000 pounds with its gas-fed V6. To handle heavier loads, you can get an additional 700 pounds of pulling power with the optional turbodiesel engine. If you prefer something for tougher trails, the ZR2 Bison is a sure-footed new off-road entry for the Colorado lineup.

The 2019 GMC Sierra is another of the top full-size trucks with Apple CarPlay as standard content. Like the Chevy Silverado, the Sierra is all-new this year, and it now features more Professional Grade benefits than ever.

These start with the segment’s first carbon-fiber cargo bed. According to GMC, it boasts “best-in-class dent, scratch, and corrosion resistance.” You then can add a MultiPro Tailgate that lets you make the most out of the Sierra’s cargo box. To be more specific, you can reconfigure that tailgate to use it for access steps, multi-level cargo stops, and even as a stand-up work surface for when you’re on the job site. When you’re going somewhere fancier, the Denali model can set the tone with open-pore real-wood cabin trim.

You’ll notice one important difference between the 2019 Ford F-150 and GM’s trucks with Apple CarPlay: Although the technology is standard for Chevy and GMC, it’s optional at the Blue Oval.

Of course, the F-150 still has its share of exclusive content. One highlight is the truck’s high-output twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 engine. You can rely on that mighty mill for 450 hp, 510 lb-ft of torque, and a trailer rating of 13,200 pounds. Those numbers beat the GM V8s across the board. The F-150 also offers stowable bed ramps and, as part of its hitching technology, an auxiliary steering knob. Neither are available from the GM pickups. Finally, only the Ford features a premium 10-speaker audio system from Harman’s new sub-brand, B&O Play.

One of the newest trucks with Apple CarPlay revives an old name. It’s the all-new 2019 Ford Ranger midsize pickup. Just keep in mind that this model is light years ahead of the last Ranger sold in the United States. In fact, the 2019 Ranger shows off modern technologies that also include a mobile WiFi hotspot and a standard pre-collision system with forward-collision warning and automatic forward emergency braking.

The new Ranger sees similar gains when it comes to performance. Consider: The most powerful previous-generation Ranger could tow up to 5,800 pounds with a 207-hp V6. In comparison, the 2019 Ranger is backed by a turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost engine and a 10-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain is good for 270 hp and a trailer rating of 7,500 pounds.

The 2019 Honda Ridgeline is an outlier among the trucks with Apple CarPlay. That’s because it’s the only one built using standard front-wheel drive and crossover-style unibody construction. All of the Ridgeline’s rivals are supported by standard rear-wheel drive and body-on-frame construction.

As a result, the Ridgeline doesn’t have quite the same towing power as the competition. Yet you will enjoy a smoother, more car-like driving experience, and the Ridgeline can still pull up to 5,000 pounds. For most people interested in a midsize pickup, that’s going to be plenty. The Ridgeline also is available with its own special cargo-box equipment, like a lockable trunk built into the bed floor and audio technology that converts the bed walls into speakers for tailgating.

Next on our list of trucks with Apple CarPlay is the 2019 GMC Canyon, which is the midsize entry from the Professional Grade brand. The Canyon actually has Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) as newly standard equipment for 2019. GMC also serves up an optional WiFi hotspot for the truck, for maximum connectivity.

Other notable options for the Canyon include forward-collision alert and lane-departure warning. Yet the truck’s benefits go beyond its technologies. There are standard rear bumper steps and GMC’s optional “EZ Lift-and-Lower” tailgate for when you need to get down to work. Furthermore, with its robust diesel engine, the Canyon has a trailer rating of 7,700 pounds.

As for body-on-frame trucks with Apple CarPlay, the import brands do offer one or two, depending on how you’re counting. The 2019 Nissan Titan is a typical full-size pickup that comes standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as part of its infotainment system.

Then you’ve got the Titan XD, for when you need serious capability but don’t want the hassle of driving an oversized heavy-duty truck. The Titan XD (with its standard CarPlay) offers a 5.0-liter Cummins diesel V8 that can tow 12,710 pounds with a conventional trailer. At the same time, Nissan can provide creature comforts like climate-controlled seats and the kind of premium audio missing from Chevy and GMC. The Titan and Titan XD each can be ordered with a Fender sound system with 12 speakers and 485 watts of power.

It turns out that all four domestic pickup brands have new trucks with Apple CarPlay this year. Along with the Chevy Silverado, Ford Ranger, and GMC Sierra, the 2019 RAM 1500 is part of the club.

The Ram rocks a few significant surprises, too, like a full 12-inch touchscreen to use with its Apple technology. Also available is a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system with 900 watts of power. On the topic of power, the Ram’s HEMI V8 combines 395 hp and the ability to tow 12,750 pounds. But the biggest surprise may be the truck’s standard powertrain. With mild hybrid assistance and a 305-hp V6, this setup helped the Ram win the 2019 “Green Car Journal” Green Truck of the Year award.

When this story was first published, the previous nine trucks with Apple CarPlay were the only light-duty pickups available with that technology for the 2019 model year. That said, all four domestic pickup brands sell heavy-duty entries with CarPlay, and to keep things fair, we’ll name-check all four today.

The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD models have the same infotainment advantages as their light-duty counterparts, which means Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 7-inch touchscreen are standard. The 2019 Ford Super Duty team offers advanced smartphone integration with its available Sync 3 infotainment system, and that can be matched with an available B&O Play audio system. You also can look forward to this sort of technology on the 2019 Ram heavy-duty roster, which is all-new this year.