Blaupunkt 68 in-dash Touch Screen Receiver Compatible With Apple Carplay and Android Auto Review

The research

• Why you should trust united states
• Who this is for
• Volition this fit your machine, and can you install it?
• How we picked
• How we tested
• Our choice: Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX
• Flaws but non dealbreakers
• Budget pick: Sony XAV-AX100
• Upgrade selection: Pioneer AVIC-W8500NEX
• If you demand a single-DIN stereo: Pioneer AVH-3500NEX
• What to await forward to
• The competition
• Sources

Why you should trust us

Rik Paul, who conducted our latest test, has edited this guide since its beginning, and was previously the automotive editor for Consumer Reports and the senior feature editor for Motor Trend, where he evaluated hundreds of car sound and infotainment systems. He avidly encourages the development of any technology that makes using a phone in the car easier and safer, and has been using Android Auto since it was introduced in 2015.

Eric Evarts, who wrote the original version of this guide, has been reviewing new cars and their entertainment systems for more than 20 years. In addition to Wirecutter, his manufactures have appeared in The Christian Scientific discipline Monitor, Consumer Reports, U.S. News & World Report, AAA, Alternet, the journal Nature Outlook, and Green Car Reports. He has also installed 3 new stereos in his family'due south xi- to 22-twelvemonth-old vehicles in society to incorporate the latest smartphone connectivity features.

We've besides spoken to industry experts, including Tony Mercado, the one-time marketing development manager for the JVCKenwood Corporation; Seth Halstead, the Eastern regional grooming managing director for Kenwood USA; Christopher Mascari, Wirecutter's manager of concern operations at the fourth dimension of our enquiry, who has been installing and using replacement stereo systems for years and whose father owns a automobile-sound installation shop; and Ted Cardenas, vice president of marketing for Pioneer'southward Auto Electronics segmentation. (Our picks had not been publicly announced at the time of Cardenas'due south 2017 interview, and it in no way informed our determination to recommend Pioneer radios this year.)

Who this is for

If yous drive an older or less expensive car—from, say, a 1990s Honda Civic to a contempo Ford Focus or Toyota Corolla—chances are, you lot're not able to go the full advantages of your smartphone through your car stereo. Even if you tin stream audio and comport hands-free calls via Bluetooth, you're likely having to use your telephone'south pocket-size screen to navigate, which means, even if you have your phone secured in a automobile mount, it's difficult and potentially distracting to collaborate with if you need to. If you have to increase the volume to hear the directions, you need to fumble with the volume control on your phone, and switching apps or sending or responding to letters only isn't appropriate (and, hopefully, yous're non picking up your phone to send a text).

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto increase the convenience, condom, and enjoyment of driving by basically putting your phone's controls on your stereo's display, so yous can collaborate with your device from a simplified driver-friendly interface or past vocalization control. The integration of voice administration, especially, makes these systems much easier and safer to utilize than if you had to choice up the telephone itself. Over the past few years, CarPlay and Android Motorcar have become available in most new cars, and at present dozens of replacement stereos also include them.

Apple CarPlay lets you admission common smartphone features—such as audio streaming, navigation, and hands-free calling—in a driver-friendly interface on your stereo'south display, also equally through Siri. Photo: Rik Paul

With both systems, you can conduct hands-free phone calls, stream sound, send text messages by voice, and listen to incoming letters. And you get total access to the telephone's digital assistant—Siri or Google Assistant—which means all of this and more can be done through voice commands.

For many, though, the biggest upgrade with a production like this is a meliorate ability to become driving directions by using your phone's navigation system—whether Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze—to see the map, route, and detailed traffic info on the stereo's large, in-dash brandish. Using your phone as a nav organization occupies your screen and consumes data, but it tin can salve yous a substantial corporeality of money—a built-in nav system can add thousands to a vehicle's price, or information technology can add together hundreds to the cost of a stereo (plus, you may have to pay for map upgrades down the line).

Simply as important as their convenience is the value of these apps in reducing distracted driving. Being able to easily conduct hands-free calls, play music, send texts, or get directions, either by voice or by pressing a push button or two on the stereo, means you're less likely to pick up and use your telephone while behind the wheel, which is i of the worst things you lot tin practise while driving (PDF). Talking on a handheld telephone while driving is confronting the law in 16 states and the District of Columbia; texting while driving is banned in 47 states and in DC. Moreover, a 2013 written report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (PDF) includes findings from the frequently-cited 100-Motorcar Study (conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Establish and NHTSA) that shows that a driver who is reading or dialing a handheld device is about three times more likely to exist in a crash or near-crash. By dissimilarity, adjusting a motorcar radio has "little effect on driving performance or crash risk."

Virtually stereos with these apps crave you to connect your telephone with a USB cable. With that setup, you can use any iPhone five and after model with iOS 7.1 or higher with Apple tree CarPlay. Android Auto is compatible with devices running Android 5.0 (Lollipop) and higher (although six.0—Marshmallow—and later is recommended for all-time performance).

If you want a wireless connection to Apple CarPlay, you need iOS 9 or higher, and equally of this writing, Android Machine Wireless is compatible with Pixel and Nexus 5X and 6P phones using Android 8.0 or college, besides as with later-generation Samsung Milky way and Notation devices using Android 9.0 or higher.

Will this fit your car, and can y'all install it?

Most of the stereos in our test group fit in a standard double-DIN (7-past-4-inch) dash opening, which is common to many vehicles. Only a couple of models we've tested fit in the smaller single-DIN (7-by-ii-inch) opening, found in many older and less-expensive cars. Typically, y'all can tell which opening your car has by simply measuring the stereo. But that's non always authentic, as many cars have a single-DIN stereo housed in a larger, double-DIN opening. And some vehicles accept the stereo and then seamlessly integrated into the car'southward nuance that it's difficult to tell what size it is. This makes information technology difficult to just pop in a new one and have it await the same.

A expert way to see what stereos will fit your car is to go to the Crutchfield website and enter the year, brand, and model of your vehicle. In add-on to telling you if a specific stereo volition fit, the Crutchfield site shows whatever extra installation gear y'all'll need. The site also offers tips on removing the current stereo (and replacing your speakers, if that'southward something you're also because). Alternatively, y'all tin can visit a local car-stereo installer—call around to compare quotes outset—or install it yourself. If you lot do that, download the digital manual, which can be more consummate than the included paperwork. Many people accept constitute Crutchfield's customer service reps to be helpful in this area, also, especially on more complicated installations that crave secondary wiring harnesses for things similar steering-wheel controls.

How nosotros picked

Through two rounds of testing, we researched most 70 replacement car stereos, from nine brands, that run Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. We compared the specs, features, and pricing of each, and chose nineteen of the most promising models for easily-on testing. All of the models nosotros tested give you Apple CarPlay and/or Android Automobile, Bluetooth, a touchscreen with a resolution of 800×480, voice control, and an adequate fifty to 55 watts of power. A few CarPlay and Android Auto stereos are available with larger, eight- or nine-inch screens, but they normally require custom installations and fit in but a few vehicles, so we didn't include them.

In addition to requiring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, here are other key features we looked for when deciding which models to exam and recommend, starting with the most important.

The most of import considerations:

• Wireless connectivity: We could seamlessly link to all of the stereos we tested with a USB cord, merely being able to connect wirelessly to the CarPlay and Android Auto apps is a huge convenience. Relatively few stereos offering wireless connections to CarPlay or Android Auto, but it's the area where we've seen the most innovation in the last year. (CarPlay and Android Auto tin't run off of Bluetooth, according to Pioneer's Ted Cardenas, because each require as well much information.) So, wireless stereos have a congenital-in Wi-Fi network that you connect your phone to, and once the ii are paired, the telephone automatically drops any other Wi-Fi network it'due south connected to in favor of the stereo's.
• Easy-to-use interface: Intuitive controls, big on-screen buttons, and easy-to-read fonts make it easy to get to what you want rapidly, minimizing distractions. Nearly stereos have similar screens: a 6.4- to vii-inch display that'southward clear, sharp, and responsive. Where we saw the almost difference was in the stereos' physical buttons, which are located on the faceplate around the screen. The all-time have a nice tactile feel, which makes them easier to identify past touch. A few models—including iii of the stereos we tested—have a knob, which makes volume adjustments much easier, although the compromise tin be a slightly smaller display.
• Touchscreen: We preferred a capacitive touchscreen (similar to the 1 on your smartphone), which allows multitouch gestures that can be particularly handy for pinching to zoom on navigation maps. But those are typically available only on higher-priced stereos. The resistive displays used on most replacement stereos recognize just ane touch point at a fourth dimension, only we've found that they're fine for nigh uses, such as tapping on-screen buttons and swiping menus. To zoom in or out on a map, you just take to use the + and ‒ buttons on the screen.

The better stereos have hard buttons that are easy to apply while driving, without having to take your eyes off the road for longer than necessary. The ones on this Pioneer have a tactile feel that makes them like shooting fish in a barrel to identify by touch. Photo: Rik Paul

• Adjustable colour themes: It's purely a cosmetic feature, but we prefer the pick to change the color theme of the stereo's display and buttons to better coordinate with a car's own interior lighting. This lets y'all reflect the mood you want, adjust between modes you can see better in daylight or at night, or simply provide some variation in how the stereo looks. Peter Logan, an audio specialist at Crutchfield, told us, "A lot of our customers actually want their aftermarket head unit to accept adjustable screen colors. Information technology sounds airheaded, simply having the stereo friction match the interior lighting makes it feel much more integrated."
• Compatibility with steering-wheel controls: Most new vehicles have steering-wheel controls that work with the factory audio system to adjust the volume, modify a channel, or exercise other basic functions. Swapping out the factory stereo risks losing this convenience, only the amend models, including nearly of the ones we tested, tin can keep information technology as long as y'all connect a special wiring harness such equally the iDatalink Maestro. If your car has other functions—such as climate controls or vehicle settings—integrated into the infotainment organisation, yous can also usually get a wiring harness that enables those features besides. Check with an installer or the stereo manufacturer to find out what's best for your specific vehicle.

Other details that are important to some people

Some high-terminate stereos have a congenital-in navigation system, which adds to the price simply can offer a better navigation organisation than relying on your phone—it stores all information onboard, which saves your phone'due south data, and works even in areas of poor cell coverage. Photograph: Rik Paul

• Built-in navigation system: Not everyone needs a built-in navigation system, merely deciding whether to get one is a big office of this purchase. If yous skip it, you volition still exist able to utilize your phone's apps, like Google Maps, Apple Maps, or Waze, for navigation (through Apple CarPlay or Android Auto). That gives you lot keen traffic info, just it uses your phone'southward data and battery, ties upward the phone'south screen, and tin become a problem if yous lose cell coverage. A built-in navigation system—which adds hundreds to the cost of the stereo—doesn't rely on reception because it has all of the mapping and points-of-interest data stored in the stereo's retentiveness. It can also provide better visual navigation than some phone map apps, such equally clearer lane guidance for highway exits. Only unlike with phone-based nav systems, which are typically continuously updated, you frequently need to pay for map updates for built-in systems. If y'all're already sure you desire a built-in nav system, start your search with our upgrade choice.
• Satellite radio compatibility: Satellite radio compatibility is of import for anyone who has (or wants to buy) a subscription to SiriusXM radio. Only one stereo nosotros tested includes a SiriusXM tuner—and we didn't require 1 for our picks, because most of the stereos nosotros looked at can exist connected to a separate SiriusXM tuner if y'all need one.
• CD/DVD player: Having a CD thespian can exist nice, just with so many ways to listen to sound through your phone, we didn't consider one to be essential. Many lower-priced stereos, chosen digital media players (DMRs), don't include a disc player. (The same goes for many new cars.) One benefit to consider: Stereos with disc players also play DVDs, and include video inputs so you can play a DVD for rear-seat passengers on a separate monitor (or in the head unit when the car is parked).
• Video inputs and outputs: All of the stereos nosotros tested accept a video input, and so this cistron didn't influence our decision. The input lets you lot connect a backup camera and see its video image on the unit of measurement's screen (whether you're replacing a stereo in a car that came with a born fill-in camera, or if you're calculation an accessory backup camera). Some college-priced stereos besides take a 2nd or third input, which lets you also connect, say, a second photographic camera in the forepart or backside a trailer, or provide a larger display for a nuance cam.
• Hard disk Radio: Some stereos can receive HD Radio, which is a digital betoken that'south broadcast from regular regional radio stations, but we don't consider it a must-take feature. Hd Radio tin can provide better audio quality, but we've had mixed results with Hard disk drive Radio reception—if you're out of range of the signal, the stereo defaults to regular radio reception, simply it as well sometimes produces weird interference and an abrasive echo outcome.

Higher-priced stereos include more inputs and outputs for connecting external accessories such as backup cameras, dash cams, a GPS receiver, a satellite radio receiver, an external amplifier, or other video devices. Photo: Rik Paul

• Remote command: We don't count a remote as a must-have, although several of the radios we tested come up with one. We found them handy for rear-seat passengers watching a DVD on a split monitor, or if you're listening to the motorcar stereo at an outdoor get-together, like when tailgating.
• Pre-out outputs: Almost automobile-stereo head units accept two or three pre-outs, which are of import merely if you intend to aggrandize your sound system by adding an external amplifier. Well-nigh people don't do that, so we didn't prioritize these. If y'all do intend to add an amp, the power from the pre-outs usually range from a basic two volts up to 5 volts in higher-priced stereos. An expert at Model Electronics (in Ramsey, New Jersey) told us that extra voltage produces a cleaner sound, with more than punch.
• Power output: Unless you're a dedicated audiophile, this is something you don't accept to worry near. All of the stereos we tested deliver more than enough power for a typical car-stereo setup, with 50 to 55 summit watts per channel for a four-speaker organisation. (According to Crutchfield, that commonly means almost twenty to 25 watts of continuous power.) If y'all need more power than that, yous can always add one or more than amplifiers.

How we tested

We bench-tested the stereos past following the installation instructions for each and connecting them to a portable 12-volt ability supply, speakers, a microphone, and a GPS antenna, if needed. We focused mainly on each stereo'southward features, ease of use, and ergonomics. Nosotros didn't attempt to compare audio quality, equally that depends so much on the number and quality of the speakers, how they're installed, and the design and materials of the vehicle interior they're used in. With the correct speakers and installation, we're confident that any of the models we tested volition evangelize audio quality that volition satisfy or even impress about drivers.

We connected to each stereo with both an iPhone and a Google Pixel phone, and we put them through their paces in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, respectively. Nosotros checked to see how easily they continued, and if they would automatically reconnect later we turned the stereo off and back on. In our testing, we also found that a Wi-Fi connexion drew a piffling more of the phone'southward battery ability than using Bluetooth, but the difference wasn't significant. To check, we twice ran our fully charged Pixel ii XL exam phone for an hour while streaming Pandora, first using Bluetooth and so Wi-Fi. With Bluetooth, the bombardment'southward accuse dropped to 98 and 97 percent, respectively, in the two tests. With Wi-Fi, information technology dropped to 96 and 93 percent.

We also carefully checked each of the unit of measurement'south core functions, from operating the radio (changing stations, setting presets, and adjusting the volume) to using the hands-free phone features (checking and dialing contacts and receiving calls).

We switched betwixt functions to see how rapidly and easily we could get to what nosotros wanted. We pinched, zoomed, swiped, and recentered every map. We adjusted the volume up and down for each part, considering when you're driving it always seems like you lot can't hear what you need to (turn-by-turn nav instructions or a disquisitional moment in an audiobook). We scrolled through the settings menus of every unit, looking for shortcuts to make things easier.

Most important, nosotros were sure to run multiple functions at in one case on each unit, because 1 of the reasons for using CarPlay or Android Auto is to brand it safer and easier to multitask while driving: For both CarPlay and Android Auto, we made and received phone calls while playing audio and running a navigation arrangement from the phone. We also used the stereo's native operating system, when we could, to stream music and listen to the radio while navigating. In each case, we did our all-time to mimic all of the situations nosotros've experienced while driving, to see how easy each model fabricated it for the states.

Our pick: Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX

Photograph: Rik Paul

Our pick

If yous want the advantages of Apple tree CarPlay or Android Automobile in a replacement car stereo, we're convinced that there'due south no ameliorate pick than the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX. The AVH-W4500NEX is one of simply a handful of stereos that let you lot connect to CarPlay or Android Auto wirelessly (all models let yous connect through a USB string). This Pioneer likewise has a display that's more attractive and customizable than other stereos, with intuitive concrete controls and a suite of features that evangelize all of our standard requirements too as a few squeamish-to-have extras. Information technology lacks congenital-in navigation and a capacitive brandish—features our upgrade pick includes—but omitting them here lowers the cost by a couple hundred dollars.

With our Pixel ii 40 and iPhone SE test phones, both CarPlay and Android Auto worked seamlessly whether the AVH-W4500NEX was connected wirelessly or through a cord, letting us stream music from Pandora and Spotify, plot navigation routes, and conduct hands-gratis phone calls. You tin set the app to automatically activate when the stereo is turned on, or exercise it manually by pressing a couple of on-screen buttons.

To wirelessly connect to Apple CarPlay and Android Car (shown above), the AVH-W4500NEX uses an internal Wi-Fi network. We found the process seamless, although Android Machine Wireless works but with a limited number of phones so far. Photo: Rik Paul

Like all of the stereos we tested, the AVH-W4500NEX comes with an external microphone, which makes it easier to apply Siri and Google Assistant voice commands in CarPlay and Android Machine. You can position it shut to your confront past slipping it onto a windshield visor or similar location. Every bit when using the digital administration on our phones, we could easily stream music and input destinations by using voice commands, and could cull playlists and albums, and even chop-chop switch between Pandora and Spotify, without touching the screen. (Okay, we didn't always get the exact playlist we requested—sometimes getting a more than general one of a similar genre—but that's an attribute of the apps themselves, non the stereo.)

The Pioneer's large on-screen buttons make it easy to use while driving, and switching sources or functions is easy by tapping the AV button. The icons for nonfunctional features are grayed out. Photo: Rik Paul

The standard 7-by-4-inch double-DIN display is clear and abrupt, with like shooting fish in a barrel-to-read fonts and large on-screen buttons. We found navigating the menus quick and intuitive. They show only the functions yous're probable to need from wherever you are, so icons remain large and easy to spot. Switching between AV sources or unlike functions is usually a matter of pressing a button or two. Similarly, while CarPlay or Android Motorcar was playing, we could easily access the stereo's settings and other functions. A nice touch: you lot tin also separately accommodate the volumes of the AV source and the navigation app, then one isn't as well loud or soft when using both. You tin can also speedily mute the sound if desired, and, when continued to a phone, the screen shows the phone's battery charge, so you lot know when to plug it into a USB port for charging.

We liked that the display is highly customizable, allowing you lot to cull unlike themes, colors, and backgrounds (fifty-fifty using a photo you load), and you tin can choose which on-screen buttons appear on the domicile screen for quick access. The screen can be adjusted for 24-hour interval or night modes manually, past setting a timer, or automatically when the car'southward headlights are turned on. In improver, you can tilt the brandish upwards in modest increments to make it easier to run across or to recoup for higher or lower placements in the machine'due south dash.

The hard buttons, beneath the display, are relatively small, but they have a squeamish tactile design, which makes them easier to identify by touch while driving than those on the other stereos we tested. The volume and back/vocalization buttons are particularly like shooting fish in a barrel to find, as they protrude slightly from the faceplate and have their own distinct experience. You can easily alter the hue of the difficult-button illumination, choosing from five main colors, having them rotate through the colors, or setting your own customized color.

Every bit with all of the stereos nosotros tested, the AVH-W4500NEX allows you to pair two phones via Bluetooth simultaneously, and switching between them was easy past tapping a button on the domicile screen.

This Pioneer likewise includes a disc player for spinning a CD or watching a DVD while the vehicle is parked. You tap the squirt button on the far right side and the display tilts downwardly, allowing you lot to insert the disc. You can also insert an SD memory carte the same way.

The rear of the AVH-W4500NEX lets y'all connect a host of devices, including a microphone, GPS antenna, SiriusXM tuner, backup camera, external amplifier, rear monitor, an optional Pioneer navigation arrangement, and iDatalink adapter for using the stereo with your automobile'southward steering-wheel controls or other features. Photo: Rik Paul

On its rear side, the AVH-W4500NEX has a number of inputs and outputs that give you a lot of extra functionality. Yous can connect an assortment of external devices, such as the supplied GPS antenna or an optional Sirius/XM tuner, backup camera, or rear-seat monitor. Plus, y'all can expand your auto's audio organisation with an external amplifier by connecting to the Pioneer's pre-out connectors, which deliver a salubrious 4 volts for meliorate sound at higher volumes. While lower-priced models by and large take one USB port in the rear, the AVH-W4500NEX has two, so you can use one phone to operate Apple CarPlay or Android Car while charging a second telephone. You can as well connect an optional Pioneer navigation organization, or use an optional iDatalink Maestro adapter to integrate the stereo with your car'southward steering-wheel controls or other features.

Flaws just not dealbreakers

All of the stereos we tested, including the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX, permit yous pair two phones via Bluetooth for conducting hands-gratuitous calls, streaming music, and the like. But a minor gripe nosotros have with all such systems is that when you lot begin using one phone for Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the 2d one no longer routes sound through the stereo, even if a phone call comes in on the 2d phone. In addition, you can't play music from one phone while another is paired for phone calls if either of them is connected to CarPlay or Android Auto. So far, this inconvenience is just something you have to live with when using these systems.

Ane tip for Android users: Because the Pioneer uses an internal Wi-Fi network for wireless use, earlier connecting to Android Auto that manner, be sure to go into the Android Auto app settings on your phone and brand sure the "Plow Wi-Fi off when Android Auto is running" setting is unchecked. Otherwise, equally we discovered, the stereo will attempt to connect to your phone, simply immediately disconnect. This isn't mentioned in the stereo'due south instructions, so checking in accelerate will salvage a bit of caput scratching and possibly some foul linguistic communication.

Last, information technology's not a flaw so much as a missing feature we want to brand extra sure you're aware of: This model lacks a built-in navigation arrangement and a capacitive display, two features that gear up our upgrade pick apart. You'll have to use your telephone as a navigation organization with this model, an approach that generally works well but comes with a few trade-offs, every bit outlined in Who this is for.

Budget option: Sony XAV-AX100

Photo: Rik Paul

Budget pick

Sony XAV-AX100

Lower toll, fewer features

You get Apple CarPlay and Android Car and an piece of cake-to-employ book knob, just no wireless connection, no customizable display, and a smaller screen.

Buying Options

*At the time of publishing, the cost was $300 .

The Sony XAV-AX100, our previous acme pick, tin be a practiced choice if you desire Apple CarPlay or Android Auto and are willing to do without the versatility and extra features of our height option. Both apps worked seamlessly in our testing, simply they don't take the wireless connection that nosotros like in our option—with the Sony, you lot have to connect your phone through a USB string. The 6.4-inch screen is vivid, clear, and responsive to touch, but it's a little smaller than well-nigh of the other stereos nosotros tested, which mensurate betwixt 6.8 and 7 inches. And, compared with the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX, this Sony lacks the extra functionality of a CD/DVD player, satellite-radio capability, and the ability to customize the buttons' illumination to complement your vehicle's interior. This Sony model is beingness phased out, nevertheless, so we'll exist doing a new round of testing before long to choose a new budget pick.

A highlight of this model is its handy volume knob, which few other double-DIN stereos share. This makes adjusting the volume quicker and easier than pressing a small button. In improver, pressing the knob brings up a carte du jour of sound-control options, and holding it in activates the voice-command arrangement. Having the buttons on the left side of the display is besides convenient, making them very accessible for a driver. Compared with our top pick, though, it has fewer buttons—and therefore fewer options for quickly navigating the menus.

To operate Apple CarPlay or Android Machine, yous have to plug your phone into the USB connector that extends from the rear. Exist sure that this is mounted in a convenient location during installation. Photo: Rik Paul

Dissimilar our tiptop pick, the Sony XAV-AX100 has merely one USB connector (housed in a cord on the rear), which an installer will accept to run to a convenient location, such as your glove box or console, for y'all to plug in your smartphone to use CarPlay or Android Auto. If you need to charge a second phone at the same time, nosotros recommend using a USB automobile charger, which plugs into a automobile'south 12-volt accessory outlet (aka cigarette lighter).

Like all of the other stereos nosotros tested, the XAV-AX100 includes Bluetooth support, a video input for connecting a backup camera, and preamp outputs for expanding your audio arrangement. Rather than providing a separate GPS antenna, though, it uses your telephone's, and so when navigating you have to keep your phone in a location where it can get a clear point. The XAV-AX100 too isn't set upwardly for an iDatalink adapter, for using a car's steering-bicycle controls or other functions.

Upgrade pick: Pioneer AVIC-W8500NEX

Photograph: Rik Paul

Upgrade pick

If you want a stereo with a born navigation arrangement, we recommend the Pioneer AVIC-W8500NEX, which is a college-priced sibling of our option, the AVH-W4500NEX. Like that model, this Pioneer lets you connect to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto either wirelessly or with a USB cord, which makes it more versatile and convenient than most other models. It likewise has a capacitive display that, unlike our option'southward resistive screen, lets you use multi-finger gestures, such as pinching to zoom on a map display. Otherwise, the two are well-nigh identical stereos.

Equally we explained in How we picked, using the built-in navigation instead of Google or Apple Maps can be especially useful in areas with poor cellular reception, where phone-based mapping is unreliable. It's also handy for times where you desire to go on your telephone free for other uses or minimize its battery and data usage, such equally on longer trips.

Pioneer'southward nav system, which uses Here mapping, shows the speed limit for the road you're on and helps you navigate thruway interchanges by clearly showing the highway sign to follow and the lane to exist in. It alerts yous to traffic incidents along your route and shows color-coded traffic flow on surrounding streets, but it doesn't offering the breadth and detail of Google Maps's traffic info. With the capacitive display, pinching to zoom worked in both Pioneer'south nav arrangement and in Google Maps. It wasn't as smooth as we'd similar, but information technology was easier than using the + and – buttons on the screen.

With Pioneer'due south integrated nav organisation, swiping with your finger gets you some other helpful data, such as the vehicle's speed, distance, and compass heading. And we liked that while navigating with the map on the screen we could yet encounter our AV source along the lesser of the screen, and vice versa.

If you need a single-DIN stereo: Pioneer AVH-3500NEX

Photo: Rik Paul

Also smashing

The Pioneer AVH-3500NEX is the best choice for getting Apple CarPlay and Android Car if y'all have an older or less-expensive vehicle with a smaller, single-DIN dash opening. It does and so by using a motorized seven-inch screen that slides out and pivots up to give you a display the same size as a double-DIN model'southward. Different with our other Pioneer picks' wireless connectivity, however, you need to connect your telephone to the AVH-3500NEX with a USB cord to use Apple tree CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Pioneer AVH-3500NEX lets y'all take the convenience of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in an older vehicle with a unmarried-DIN stereo opening. Photograph: Rik Paul

The AVH-3500NEX model's touchscreen is bright, clear, and responsive, and CarPlay and Android Auto piece of work beautifully. The screen automatically retracts when the stereo is turned off. And if you ever don't want to see the screen, you tin can retract it into the head unit and go on to listen to any sound source is playing. Whether the screen is extended or tucked away, the nice, big volume knob on the front panel is easy to grasp, and the large forrad- and back-track buttons are easy to hit. And the CD/DVD-player slot is easy to access whether the screen is deployed or retracted. Other features include variable-color lighting for the buttons, satellite radio compatibility (with a carve up receiver), and a partially detachable face up for theft deterrence.

With the press of a button, the Pioneer AVH-3500NEX model's 7-inch screen slides out of the head unit and pivots up to function as a double-DIN display. Video: Rik Paul

The fold-out screen design isn't ideal for every car, however. It extends upwards about 4 inches from the stereo, and then if your climate controls or other critical buttons are correct in a higher place the stereo in your dashboard, you won't be able to access them with the screen extended. Information technology could as well block air vents in the dash. And of course the slide-out mechanism adds mechanical complexity—and thus the potential for more things to become wrong down the route.

What to expect forward to

Companies have recently introduced several motorcar stereos that, like our top and upgrade picks, offer wireless connectivity to both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Nosotros'll be doing a new round of testing to evaluate a pick of those models, likewise every bit a number of less-expensive stereos to fill the shoes of our electric current budget pick, which is being phased out.

The competition

Digital media receivers (DMRs)

Too chosen "mech-less receivers," DMRs don't include a disc thespian, focusing primarily on streaming media.

The Kenwood DMX905S is one of five Kenwood models that feature wireless Android Auto, along with a traditional corded Apple CarPlay app. The Kenwood worked well in our testing, but small usability details separated it from our top selection. Information technology has a capacitive display, although pinching-and-zooming didn't work in Google Maps. The unit'southward difficult buttons are big enough to press easily, just they don't have the dainty tactile feel of the Pioneer models'.

The Kenwood DMX7704S is very similar to the DMX905S, above, but lacks its wireless Android Auto capability and capacitive display. It has the same relatively big, but tactile-less buttons along the bottom. And we found the menu structure to be more complicated than the Pioneer or the Sony models'.

Considering the Kenwood and JVC brands are owned by the aforementioned company—JVCKenwood Corporation—the JVC KW-M845BW is similar to the Kenwood DMX905S, above, with wireless Android Auto and simply pocket-sized pattern differences. Its half dozen.viii-inch screen is resistive instead of capacitive; it has only i USB port, instead of two; and yous can't change the buttons' illumination color. It has likewise just iii small-scale, hard buttons, which offering less versatility and are more difficult to apply than the Kenwood'due south. Most irksome for united states of america, though, is that we had a difficult time wirelessly connecting to Android Auto with our Pixel two XL test phone, and switching betwixt two Bluetooth-connected phones wasn't as seamless every bit with the Pioneers.

The JVC KW-M730BT, our previous runner-up, and the newer JVC KW-M740BT are about identical models. When plugged in with a USB string, both CarPlay and Android Auto worked well. The Pandora and Spotify apps were also flawless when using a Bluetooth connexion. Our primary gripes are the iii tiny hard buttons across the top, which offer less functionality and aren't as easy to access on the fly as those on the other models we tested. Also, you tin't customize the buttons' illumination colors.

The new Sony XAV-AX5000 is very similar to our upkeep pick, except that it has a larger, seven-inch, bezel-less display and smaller, hard buttons across the bottom, rather than the XAV-AX100 model'south volume knob and left-mounted buttons. We had no problems connecting to CarPlay and Android Automobile through a USB string, and the AX5000 provides dual USB ports and satellite radio adequacy. It could be another good upkeep choice, but it's sparse on features, compared with our other picks. Information technology doesn't come with a GPS antenna; it uses the one in your phone. The display isn't as customizable. You lot can't vary the buttons' colors. And yous tin't connect this model to an iDatalink adapter for use with a car'due south steering-wheel controls and other features.

Our former as well-neat pick, the Alpine iLX-107, was the first replacement machine stereo to offer a wireless connection to Apple tree CarPlay, although it doesn't include Android Motorcar. The iLX-107 model's interface is relatively like shooting fish in a barrel to use, with responsive capacitive volume buttons beneath the screen. Its screen can be finicky, though, and we often had to hunt and peck to detect what nosotros wanted in the menus. The iLX-107 has a 7-inch screen and a host of extra features, such as satellite radio and Hd Radio, multiple color choices for the controls, and the capability to pair with upwardly to 5 smartphones over Bluetooth, but information technology tends to be more expensive than our acme choice.

The Alpine iLX-207 has the same vivid, 7-inch display as its cousin, the iLX-107, along with Android Auto, which the iLX-107 lacks. However, it doesn't take the iLX-107 model's wireless CarPlay connectivity or its slick capacitive book buttons. Instead, it has a thick lip beyond the bottom of the screen that protrudes nearly half an inch from the brandish, and houses several large plastic buttons that provide some tactile feedback. The iLX-207 worked fine overall, and includes satellite radio compatibility, HD Radio, selectable illumination colors and wallpaper, and an HDMI input and output. But as with the iLX-107, nosotros often had to hunt and peck to find what we wanted in the menus.

DVD receivers

Although our previous Pioneer picks have been replaced by newer models, there are simply small-scale differences between them and our new picks, and the older versions are still available through some retailers at a discounted price. These include our previous top selection, the Pioneer AVH-W4400NEX, and two of our previous single-DIN picks, the Pioneer AVH-3400NEX and AVH-3300NEX.

The Sony XAV-AX210 is similar to our budget pick, the Sony XAV-AX100, with a 6.4-inch display and book knob. But information technology adds a CD/DVD player, satellite radio capability, variable illumination, and the ability to connect to an iDatalink adapter for use with a car'southward steering-wheel controls and other features. An SXM version that includes a SiriusXM tuner as part of a bundle is currently being sold.

Stereos with built-in navigation

Our previous upgrade pick, the Pioneer AVIC-W8400NEX, is very similar to our new one, the AVIC-W8500NEX, and it's still available at some retailers for a discounted price.

The Pioneer AVIC-8201NEX is very similar to our upgrade option, but without its wireless capability for CarPlay and Android Auto; you need to plug in with a USB string. Like the AVIC-W8500NEX, this Pioneer comes with a built-in navigation system, capacitive touchscreen, satellite radio compatibility, HD Radio, and Pioneer's Dual Zone Entertainment (which gives rear-seat passengers the choice to savor different content than front-seat passengers).

The Kenwood DNX875S is essentially the same every bit the DMX905S digital media receiver, higher up, but with an integrated Garmin navigation system. You tin can connect to Android Auto either wirelessly or with a USB string, and to CarPlay with only the string. But, as with the JVC KW-M845BW, above, we had bug wirelessly connecting to Android Machine with our Pixel 2 Forty test phone, and switching between two Bluetooth-paired phones wasn't as seamless as with the Pioneers. We like the nav system; in our car GPS testing, we've found Garmin'due south navigation system to be piece of cake to use, with an intuitive interface, reliable and responsive routing, and helpful lane guidance at highway interchanges. As with Pioneer'southward Here mapping, Garmin'due south traffic data isn't as comprehensive or accurate as that of Google Maps and Waze, though. The DNX875S is compatible with Kenwood's DRV-N520 nuance cam, and can accept two camera inputs.

Our previous upgrade pick, the Kenwood DNX694S, and the newer Kenwood DNX695S are very similar models. Nosotros had no trouble connecting to CarPlay and Android Motorcar through a USB string. Both models come with born Garmin navigation, a CD/DVD player, HD Radio, satellite radio compatibility, variable color adjustments for customizing the controls' backlighting, and dual video inputs for connecting multiple cameras. Different on the other Kenwoods we tested, the buttons are located on the left side of the screen, where they're easier for a driver to reach, and the CD/DVD slot is visible higher up the 6.8-inch display. Both models can connect to the company'southward DRV-N520 dash cam, and when a backup photographic camera is connected, the stereo overlays helpful parking-guidance lines onto the camera's image. According to Kenwood's Seth Halstead, drivers tin also connect other accessories, such as an addition forwards-collision warning system.

Sources

1. Ted Cardenas, vice president of marketing, Pioneer , phone interview , Nov 27, 2017

2. Tony Mercado, former marketing development manager, JVCKenwood Corporation , phone interview , November 28, 2017

3. Seth Halstead, Eastern regional training director, Kenwood Us , telephone interview , November 28, 2017

4. Christopher Mascari, director of concern operations, Wirecutter , phone interview , November 21, 2017

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Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-car-stereos-with-apple-carplay-and-android-auto/

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