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You can stop putting your phone in the cup holder to turn up the music. Check out our favorite Apple single-DIN car speakers with big screen, wireless connectivity and affordable pricing.
If you’re still listening to music through tinny and crackling speakers on your phone, it’s time for an upgrade. The convenience of wireless streaming is unbeatable, but you’ll likely need to upgrade your car’s head unit stereo to take advantage of this feature. iPhone users want to make sure they upgrade to one of the best CarPlay head units on the market today.
Beyond enjoying great music, there are many benefits to using an Apple CarPlay head unit: anyone with an iPhone can use simple voice commands to navigate, answer calls, send text messages and more via CarPlay. What’s more, you don’t need a brand new car to experience any of these features in a safe and distraction-free way. Since the debut of Apple CarPlay in 2014, aftermarket audio manufacturers have been developing head units with Apple’s in-car operating system for various vehicle models.
In addition to Apple CarPlay, many head units from Sony, Kenwood, JVC, Pioneer, and more include HD radio, satellite radio, USB ports, CD and DVD players, preamps, built-in GPS navigation, and wireless and Bluetooth connectivity. . With all its possibilities, the term “infotainment system” has taken root for a reason. Upgrading to a new Apple CarPlay head unit can also provide a larger display than the one you already have. Some newer stereos may even add features that your factory stereo didn’t have before, like the ability to add a backup camera or engine performance sensors.
With so many options, it can be difficult to determine which Apple CarPlay head unit is best for your vehicle. That’s why we turned to Crutchfield to help us select the best Apple CarPlay head unit for your car stereo. Since 1974, Crutchfield has helped more than 6 million customers improve the quality of their car audio systems. Check out some of the best Apple CarPlay head unit options below to find the perfect fit for your vehicle.
We’ve compiled a list of the best Apple CarPlay head units from models that fit the most common radio sizes: single DIN head car stereos and dual DIN head car stereo sockets. Car audio selections are based on recommendations from Crutchfield experts, user reviews, and ratings from top shopping sites.
Before you dig into it, use Crutchfield’s “Find What Fits” tool to find out exactly which Apple CarPlay car stereo is right for your car. Enter the make, model and year of your car and you’ll see speakers, Apple CarPlay head units and more to equip your ride.
Using Apple Siri in the car is great, but plugging and unplugging your phone while on a business trip is not. We like the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX as our best Apple CarPlay car stereo head unit overall due to its dual DIN head unit with choice of wired or wireless Apple CarPlay connectivity, HDMI and Bluetooth phone input and audio streaming. For music lovers, this CarPlay stereo’s CD/DVD drive, HD radio, FLAC support and satellite radio have you covered no matter the digital format. the coolest? An accessory (sold separately) allows you to view engine information on the Pioneer head unit’s 6.9-inch touch screen.
You don’t have to spend a fortune to install Apple CarPlay in your car. If money is tight, pay attention to the Pioneer DMH-1500NEX car head unit. Manage your Apple iPhone’s music library from the 7-inch touchscreen and use Siri to answer questions like “Did anyone spot the monkey in Topeka?” before entering the city limits. This Alpine stereo receiver is also highly expandable, with six-channel pre-outs, compatibility with most digital audio formats, and dual camera connectivity.
Opening up a single DIN car stereo in your car doesn’t mean you can’t have a giant touchscreen anymore. The Alpine Halo9 iLX-F309 car head unit allows you to connect a 9″ floating display to a 2″ head unit. In addition to the rear USB port input, auxiliary input, HDMI input and Bluetooth input, there are plenty of height and angle adjustments. Built-in Apple CarPlay means Apple maps, text messages, phone calls and the weather are just a voice command away.
The Apple CarPlay head unit stock stereos are not much larger than those of the Pioneer DMH-WT8600NEX. This digital wired and wireless CarPlay media player eschews discs in favor of a 10.1-inch 720p capacitive touchscreen that floats above a single DIN instrument cluster. For $1,500, you also get wireless Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, Bluetooth, and compatibility with a variety of digital music formats, including AAC, FLAC, MP3, and WMA.
Who needs CDs and CD players? Not an Apple Alpine iLX-W650 head unit. Ditching the optical drive frees up space, and if you don’t have a lot of room in your dashboard, this 2-din stereo unit is a great choice. In addition to the usual Apple CarPlay head unit integration, the iLX-W650 has front and rear camera inputs and six-channel preamp outputs. Speaking of expandability, you can easily add an Alpine Power Pack amplifier for an additional 50W RMS through four channels for even more sound.
We chose the Pioneer AVH W4500NEX as the best Apple car stereo overall, but we also chose it as the best wireless Apple CarPlay DVD head unit because it delivers the right mix of expected features as well as surprises like the aforementioned engine performance numbers. While there are cheaper options if you’re a diehard CD lover, this is the best way for most people who use a CD/DVD drive to play them and still get Apple CarPlay with an Apple iPhone or Android. All functions are available by phone. in the same time.
What does a $2,000+ car head unit with Apple CarPlay look like? Kenwood Exelon DNX997XR. All that gold gives you a ton of features, not the least of which is built-in Garmin GPS navigation with three years of free updates. In addition to wireless Apple CarPlay, wired and wireless screen mirroring, passengers can also control the Pandora wirelessly from an Apple or Android device. This dual DIN car audio model also features a motorized 6.75″ 720p touchscreen display, Bluetooth and a built-in HD radio tuner.
The console usually sells for around $1,400 but is hard to find in stock right now. Amazon’s best sale right now is $2,300, but it might be worth waiting for other retailers to restock, saving you $900.
Depending on where you purchased your Apple car stereo, it may be free to install. Otherwise, Best Buy will charge $100 for installation and promise to provide a factory-installed look with no loss of factory functionality. You must pay for any additional parts in addition to the fixed labor costs.
When it comes to do-it-yourself headunit installation, you have several options, but they all include pre-wired harness adapters. Scosche and Amazon sell a variety of connectors that eliminate the need to cut and solder into factory wire harnesses. You can also opt for adapters so you don’t lose features like OnStar, steering wheel controls or doorbells. Prices for these products range from a few dollars to several hundred dollars, depending on the complexity. You can also buy trim and installation kits, and finding how-to videos on YouTube for your stereo model and car shouldn’t be too difficult.
If you don’t have the time or energy to track it all yourself, consider purchasing an Apple CarPlay stereo head unit from Crutchfield. The Crutchfield trademark makes installation incredibly easy for DIY enthusiasts. Crutchfield eliminates the fear of do-it-yourself audio upgrades by providing pre-wired harnesses, connectors, trim and installation instructions for each car-specific head unit and speaker.
Best of all, DIY doesn’t mean you’ll lose steering wheel audio controls, rearview cameras, or other factory conveniences. But this has its price. When budgeting for an upgrade, expect to allocate between $300 and $500 for the required wiring harness and data controller, in addition to the cost of the mainframe hardware. However, older cars are cheaper to install. For example, Pioneer’s AVH-W4500NEX mounting kit for the 2008 Ford Ranger sells for $56 but is currently discounted to $50.
“You can 100% have a very modern (smartphone connected) radio in your car,” even though it’s over a decade old.
Post time: Jul-31-2023