I've had a wireless CarPlay adapter since 2021 — the same one, as a matter of fact. While it kind of worked well enough most of the time, it would lag and crash at least once a week. Oh, and let's not forget times when it didn't connect at all. Those were more frequent than I'd like, too.
Come to think of it, it probably would have been easier for me to just use a cable for Apple CarPlay, but for whatever reason, I kept wrestling with this device. That is, untl I got an iPhone 17 Pro Max, and my CarPlay adapter completely stopped working. I'm not talking about the occasional disconnect or crash — it just wouldn't connect to the phone.
So I had the daunting task of finding a new one that worked with my 2023 Hyundai Sonata, an iPhone 17 and iOS 26. I checked reviews and landed on a model from vnilrgle, a brand I've never heard of (though if you look through the wireless CarPlay devices on Amazon, you probably won't have heard of any of the options there).
Vnilrgle's $29 CarPlay adapter is small and comes with a USB-C adapter that my car doesn't need, but yours might. Most importantly, it works flawlessly.
The wireless adapter never disconnects. My phone always connects in seconds. Delay is the lowest I've ever experienced with a wireless CarPlay device. It's just a solid little device that does exactly what it promises.
Why wireless CarPlay?
Why was I on a quest to find a wireless CarPlay dongle that actually worked, instead of taking the 10 seconds to plug my phone in? To be honest, I just don't like knowing there's a better technology out there that I can't access. For whatever reason, Hyundai doesn't want to offer wireless CarPlay in its cars. (Before the Sonata, I had a Kona, which was wired-only).
As a tech writer, I usually want the latest and greatest, and plugging my phone into the car to get CarPlay just feels so antiquated. Plus, when the solution to get the improved technology is right there in front of you for $29, it's hard to pass up.
Is it hard to plug a phone in? No. Does it take a long time? Also. no. But do I want to plug in? That's the biggest no of them all, and that's why the Wireless CarPlay Adapter for Apple iPhone was my favorite thing I bought this year, beating all the expensive golf gadgets, high-end gaming accessories and everything else I put my paycheck toward.
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