Budget Android Auto units now rival the expensive ones
Dealing with an older car’s infotainment system is incredibly frustrating. Whether it’s an old, basic stereo from the CD era or an early touchscreen setup, the lack of Android Auto severely limits what you can do with it. So, you’re probably considering upgrading to an aftermarket head unit, but you’ve heard mixed things about their quality and reliability.
At the same time, you may not be able to justify spending hundreds of dollars on a Sony, Pioneer, or Kenwood brand device. I had the same doubts, but after upgrading to a $100 Android model, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I made all year.
Even the cheapest head units now have the basics
They’re much better than you think
The market is flooded with cheap aftermarket head units from unknown brands that advertise support for Android Auto (and, quite often, Apple CarPlay). They come with different amounts of RAM and storage, different processors, displays, and even other goodies like rearview cameras and a CAN bus decoder with the appropriate wiring harness for your specific model.
Many of these aftermarket models cost between $100 and $200, which begs the question: Are they actually any good?
In my experience, the $100 head unit I have in my BMW E46 has completely transformed the car’s aging interior. This is nothing like the old Android head units you encountered six or seven years ago. It’s quite responsive to my inputs, although with occasional hiccups.
One of my main concerns before getting this was the sound quality. Fortunately, the built-in amplifier and DAC sound just as good as the stock stereo, if not better, and there’s also the option to add a subwoofer. The model I purchased was specifically designed to fit my BMW E46 and included all the cables needed to hook it up. If you can find a model designed for your vehicle, this is the best option since you won’t have to spend extra money on a wiring harness.
The only downside is that you never really know which brand you’re buying with these cheap units. I have no idea who made my model. It appears to be a copy of the popular Eonon unit, which itself is a bit more powerful and refined.
Of course, if your car supports standard double DIN head units, you have many more options. You can find models that cost less than $90, like this Kissound seven-inch touchscreen stereo model.
Your phone does all the heavy lifting anyway
Sometimes a small budget is enough
The real magic that makes these cheap Android Auto head units work so well has nothing to do with their hardware. If we’re honest, these are pretty basic, tablet-like devices, and while they often include built-in navigation, it’s probably the last thing you’d want to rely on in an unfamiliar field. I’ve tried using mine a bit, and it’s not a great experience.
That said, it doesn’t even matter because, at their core, all these cheap head units need to do is act as a screen and route audio through your car, and they do that very reliably, even over a wireless connection.
That’s because your phone is the real brains behind Android Auto, and running apps like Google Maps and Spotify simultaneously is effortless, even for budget Android phones. This means you can completely skip the cumbersome software that comes pre-installed on the head unit if all you really want is Android Auto, which is a perfectly valid way to use it.
5 Android Auto Settings You Need to Change Before Your Next Ride
By changing these settings, you will want to drive your car much more often.
When Android Auto drops, you’re still covered
It doesn’t become useless if your phone isn’t nearby
Android Auto is amazing because it puts all the apps you typically rely on on your phone right on your dashboard in a layout that makes sense.
However, Android Auto requires your phone to be in the car, so if you forget it, you won’t be able to take advantage of this feature. Plus, it’s a huge battery drain, meaning you can easily lose access to Android Auto if you don’t have a phone charger or USB cable in your car.
In these situations, the main unit does not become completely useless. It still works as a basic multimedia system, and if it’s a slightly better model, you can even try using offline maps through an app like Sygic. I haven’t personally tried it, as I’m just charging my phone, so I can’t comment on that.
However, most of the time I don’t even need navigation in my car. I just use the head unit like a regular old stereo – and the screen with touch controls is way ahead of those old-fashioned aftermarket stereos.
Between the 64GB of internal storage and a 32GB USB drive plugged into it, I have plenty of room for my MP3 collection. This is actually how I use the head unit 95% of the time. By the way, if you don’t like the original music player preinstalled on your head unit, you can always try loading another music player.
I tested 4 wireless Android Auto adapters, and this is the only survivor
The only dongle I’ve found worth buying.
It’s often the best upgrade for an older car
An inexpensive upgrade that transforms the way you interact with your vehicle
A cheap Android Auto head unit can be one of the best investments you can make. You get seamless access to your phone safely and conveniently, from calls and notifications to music and navigation. The only downside is that you have to be comfortable installing it yourself or paying someone to do it.
If this is a problem, you can also purchase a portable unit to add Android Auto to your car. This can be a great alternative if you can’t find the right head unit for your specific car. Plus, portable options tend to be even cheaper and may even come with a built-in dash camera. More importantly, you can install one yourself in less than 15 minutes.
Adding Android Auto or CarPlay to your car is easier than you think
You don’t need to worry about wiring to upgrade your car screen.
