12 Best Android Auto Head Units and Apple CarPlay Stereo to Buy in 2022

Most of the premium cars these days come with a car stereo with the Android Auto head unit or Apple CarPlay head unit or both. The Android Auto head unit as well as the Apple CarPlay Stereo support Android phones and iPhones. These car stereo head units can extend the features of your car stereo. But, if you own an old car, there is a big chance you might not have the luxury of Android Auto or Apple CarPlay head unit. But now, it is possible to get a car stereo with the Android Auto head unit or Apple CarPlay radio on your outdated vehicle.

Here is a list of the best Android Auto head unit and Apple CarPlay head units to enhance your car stereo features.

Pioneer Double DIN AVH-W4500NEX 

The Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX  is one of the best Android Auto head units that you could get online. It can even work with Apple CarPlay while being connected with your iPhones. This Android car stereo comes at a reasonable price tag and works just fine. The Pioneer Double DIN Android Auto packs a hell lot of features up its sleeves. The car head unit has a 7″ WVGA full touch screen display coupled with navigation buttons. Once installed, you can connect it to your smartphones via Bluetooth.

This Android Car Stereo supports mp3 and features a DVD and radio player. The Android Head Unit has inbuilt Android Auto and Apple CarPlay features. Using these, you can connect your smartphones and iPhones to play music, share media, etc. You can attend calls while you’re driving with Bluetooth connectivity. Apart from that, Pioneer’s AppRadio mode allows you to mirror apps from your smartphones.

This Android car stereo is equipped with inbuilt Spotify, Pandora, and Sirius XM Satellite Radio for music playback. You can control Spotify Playlist over an AV connection. The Pioneer’s own NEX UI makes it easy for you to play with the device as the UI is minimalistic and elegant.

Related: 8 Best Car Battery Chargers & Jump Starters.

Sony XAV-AX5000 Double DIN Android & CarPlay Stereo

The Sony XAV-AX5000 is an excellent car head unit that supports both the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It flaunts a touch enabled LCD 6.95″ screen, which by the way is vibrant. This Android head unit is pretty sleek. With very lesser bezels, you can fit it on your dashboard with ease.

Sony XAV has two USB ports to hook up your favorite local music destinations and drives. Also, the inbuilt 4 x 55 W amplification gives you exceptional audio qualities. You can also adjust the audio levels between -8 dB to +18 dB using your connected smartphone.

This Android Head Unit has a navigation system made with its native UI. The hardware buttons are easy to use and the touchscreen has excellent feedback.

With this Android Auto head unit installed, you can connect your rearview parking camera as an added surveillance cam. Also, you can access the Sirius XM Radio satellite tuner with this device. Sony also provides a wide range of inbuilt microphones for better audio calls and voice controls.

Kenwood DDX9907XR Double DIN Car Stereo

Kenwood’s Car Head Unit comes with a 6.8″HD display, with a bright LED-backlit. The DVR supports a high-resolution audio source and can amplify music output up to 50W x 4. The Android head unit supports wireless Android Auto and you can connect your Android smartphone via the Bluetooth.

A thing to note is that you’ll need to connect your iPhone over USB Cable. Among the two USB ports, one supports the Android Fast Charging. It also comes with Weblink, which enables you to access Waze Map, Youtube, Next Radio, Spotify, etc.

The connectivity side includes 3 outs, Rear AV IN and OUT, RCA Video Inputs for Front and Rear Cameras, Sound Excellence in DSP, FM/AM Presets, 2xUSB Ports, Bluetooth, Sirius XM Ready, etc. There is also an OEM Remote Control interface too. It is also possible to connect two smartphones and connect calls. The entire stereo device is controlled using the iDatalink firmware. Hence, there’s assured stability while being connected.

Related: 20 Best Compatible Apps for Android Auto

Boss Audio BVCP9850W  Double DIN Car Head Unit

BOSS Audio Systems BVCP9850W is a great car head unit that supports both the Apple CarPlay and the Android Auto. This double-DIN Android Auto head unit is completely touch enabled. The capacitive touchscreen is of standard size, 6.75“. Being one of the latest, this Apple CarPlay stereo doesn’t feature a CD or a DVD interface. Rather everything’s connected wirelessly via Bluetooth. Using the inbuilt Android Auto and Apple CarPlay Head unit, you can connect your Android smartphone or your iPhone to your car. You can play songs, videos, and many more from your smartphones and iPhones. There are also a number of streaming apps pre-installed.

The capacitive, external buttons are touch controllable and can be illuminated in various colors. By connecting it to your car, you can use your steering wheel control buttons to control music playback. The maximum audio output is 80W x 4 speakers.

Using Bluetooth, you can stream Spotify, Pandora, Calls, etc. Other key features include AUX-In, USB, High-Quality Audio, Pre-Amp Output, camera input, and steering wheel control. You can also use the voice assistant on your smartphone to control the device. The soft-touch buttons on the sides deliver a new-gen look, compared to the hardware buttons.

Pioneer DMH-2660NEX Double DIN Android Head Unit

The PioneerDMH-2660NEX is a smart car head unit that offers both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. Unlike the previous versions, this car head unit comes with easy wireless connectivity to Apple CarPlay. With wireless Bluetooth, you can stay connected with your Android smartphones or iPhones.

The car stereo can also fit with any car, and comes with a double DIN Android Auto unit. You can connect your steering wheel control to the car head unit with ease. Hence, you can control your music, calls, etc. using the steering wheel control buttons.

This is the best car stereo that fits your needs if you travel a lot in your car. The device has pre-installed maps of 7.9 Million Point Of Interest locations, including the United States. You can navigate through the 6.7″touch screen with ease. It also comes with the NEX User Interface, which Panasonic runs on most of its premium car stereos. Apart from theAndroid Auto and the Apple CarPlay, this car head unit comes with Amazon Alexa integrated out of the box.

Related: Android Auto: How to Get and Enable Android Auto in your Car?

Kenwood eXcelon DMX4707S Double DIN Car Stereo Unit

This double DIN Android Auto unit from Kenwood is by far a value for money deal you should check out. It supports both the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. This navigation receiver comes with a 6.8″ HD touch screen. The unit can be used as a wireless Android Auto head unit and also work with a wired connection. The inbuilt Bluetooth lets you connect it with your Android smartphones and iPhones. This Android Auto Head unit includes navigational apps and access to Google Maps. The complete touch-enabled display features good vibrancy and is excellent to install in almost any Double DIN compatible car. You can watch YouTube and other apps with WebLink support.

The unit has an additional built-in Garmin navigation system. This Apple CarPlay Stereo unit has good speaker support, which by the way makes it excellent for online audio streaming via Spotify etc.

Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX Double DIN Car Stereo Head Unit

This is another flagship-level car stereo head unit from Pioneer that comes at a reasonable price. This Android auto head unit car stereo flaunts a 7″ LCD display. It has a multipoint touch screen panel, over which the navigational buttons are present. The faceplate or the screen unit is detachable. this makes it pretty much easy to install or re-install as per your wish.

This car head unit works well with the voice assistants. With both the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, you can easily control music playback via voice commands. So, despite the smartphone you own, you will be able to connect to this Apple CarPlay stereo without even a single cable.

The Pioneer AVH-W4400NEX CarPlay head unit comes with a Miracast Wi-Fi connection. You can stream movies, videos, and even your smartphone screen to the device over WiFi. Also, the Pioneer AppRadio+ mode expands the control of the app on your smartphone to the display screen.

AVH Android Auto Car Stereo has two camera slots so that you can connect your rear cameras. The iDatalink Maestro supported the car head unit as a powerful audio output PCB and supported Android fast charging. You can also connect an external hard disk or any source of storage with an NTFS File System type. The dual-zone feature lets you split the front and rear speakers to play different music.

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JVC KW-M560BT Double DIN Car Stereo Unit

The Japanese audio pioneers, JVC builds this Android Auto, Apple CarPlay Head Units for all premium cars. The device has a standard-sized display of 6.75″ with multi-touch support.

The inbuilt wireless Bluetooth support helps you to connect smartphones and stream media. The Apple CarPlay and Android Auto head unit let you pair both Android and iPhone at a time. You can use Android Auto as well as the Apple CarPlay with this device. This JVC car stereo is also WebLink compatible. Hence, you can control certain apps including Waze, Youtube, Open Weather Map, and Media Player with ease.

JVC’s K2 Technology is also utilized to deliver enhanced audio quality. It can manipulate the speaker’s height by varying the frequencies. The Bluetooth connectivity supports two device connectivity. Also, Android Auto Car Stereo can control Spotify on both iOS and Android. Other features include SiriusXM Radio, touch gestures, and simple control hardware buttons.

Related: 10 Best OBD ll Scan Tool for iPhone and Android

Viabecs Android & CarPlay Head Unit Display

The Viabecs Touch Screen Head Unit is a pretty awesome and innovative touch display that comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It works on Android 10 and includes all connectivity features like Bluetooth and WiFi. There is also GPS navigation that lets you keep updated with the roads and traffic all the time.

This Car HD display offers an IPS HD rotatable screen that offers HD resolution. The device flaunts additional inputs like dual USB ports and a memory card slot. The 10” IPS screen is touch-enabled and has access to 100s of essential and innovative apps. What’s more, there is the inbuilt DSP and 4G connectivity module to keep you connected 24×7. The installation part depends on your vehicle model. There is also an optional mode to connect it with your steering wheel control if your vehicle supports it.

Boss BCPA10RC Single DIN Car Audio Head Unit

The Boss Car Audio system is the one car infotainment system that your vehicle needs no matter what. The car stereo head unit features a 10.1” IPS HD screen that has access to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The single-DIN Android Auto Head unit from Boss includes almost all connectivity features including Bluetooth and GPS.

With this Android Auto Head unit, you could stay connected all the time and get access to messages and other notifications with ease. There are also a lot of Android as well as iOS apps that make driving all the more fun and easy. With direct voice control support and Siri access, this Apple CarPlay Stereo and Android Head Unit is a pretty awesome car multimedia device to look out for.

The Boss Multimedia Head Unit lets you play audio as well as video in high quality. There is the USB, A/V and micro SD input interface included. Apart from that, you can also control the head unit with the car’s existing steering wheel control buttons. The installation is a bit tricky but if have the right tools then there wouldn’t be much of a hassle.

ATOTO A6 Pro Double DIN Android Auto Head Unit

The ATOTO A6 Pro is not much popular among car owners, but it is a nice buy. The Android Auto Head Unit comes with dual Bluetooth connectivity. The aptX allows low-power Bluetooth transmission to sync with the higher bitrate music and videos.

You need to go through the complete hardware specifications, if you are thinking of going with any other well-known brands like Pioneer, Sony, etc. This one has the latest Bluetooth 5.0 chipset for faster data sync. Also it runs on the ANdroid 10, meaning its lihtning fast and reliable. This Android Head Unit can support speakers from ranging 2-ohms to 8-ohms.

The rest of the specs include the wide viewable IPS display, Dual-band (2.4Ghz and 5GHz) Wi-Fi, etc. It can also accommodate two parking cams. Above all, it comes with five unique hand gestures options to control the playback. You can use your hands to show some gestures to skip songs, change volume, and more. A thing to note is that you’ll need to connect your Android smartphone with a wired connection inorder to get Android Auto. The Apple CarPlay on the other hand is easily accesible via both the wired or the wireless connections.

The device runs on ATOTO’s own firmware, which allows various options that others do not give. You can even lock the screen as you do on an Android tablet. The dedicated USB Ports also deliver a 2A current, which affects the fast charging of your smartphones.

Related: 10 Best Android Auto Navigation Apps to Get Directions While Driving

Alpine iLX-F309 HALO9 Single DIN Android Head Unit

Alpine’s new car stereo with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay comes with a large 9-inch screen. It is for those vehicles which have a single-DIN slot. For other car head units, your car should need a double-DIN slot.

This Android Auto Head Unit fit within the double-DIN slot. But, if you want to install the same on your old car with single-DIN, the Alpine iLX-F309 HALO9 can help you with it. Even though being a single-DIN slot device, you can have features from the standard devices including Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The flexible mounting bracket can hold the device with any aftermarket DIN holders. After connecting with your smartphones, you can tune in to Pandora Radio, SiriusXM, etc. But yet, it doesn’t give you access to Spotify yet. The iDatalink helps you solve the issue by controlling the apps from connected devices. You also get an HDMI input port if you wish to extend your display. A thing to note is that this Apple CarPlay stereo and Android Auto Head Unit comes at a pretty expensive price tag. there are some better priced options that we’ve already mentioned above.

Buy from Amazon: Alpine iLX-F309 HALO9

There are a lot of aftermarket Wireless Android Auto head units you can get for a reasonable price. We covered the most reliable and branded Android Auto head unit and Apple CarPlay stereo units in this list. Also, most of these car stereos will work as Apple CarPlay head units too. Apart from this, the models will be suitable for most vehicles and top in the market with good quality and support.

Best Android Auto Head Units and Apple CarPlay Stereo- FAQ