Dealing with an older car’s infotainment system is incredibly frustrating. Whether it’s an ancient, basic stereo from the era of CDs or an early touchscreen setup, the lack of Android Auto severely limits what you can do with it. So, you’re probably thinking about upgrading to an aftermarket head unit, but you’ve heard mixed things about their quality and reliability.
At the same time, you might not be able to justify spending hundreds of dollars on a brand-name Sony, Pioneer, or Kenwood unit. I had the same doubts, but after upgrading to a $100 Android model, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made all year.
Even the cheapest head units now get the basics right
They’re way better than you think
The market is flooded with cheap aftermarket head units from unknown brands that advertise Android Auto (and, quite often, Apple CarPlay) support. They come with varying amounts of RAM and storage, different processors, displays, and even other goodies like backup cameras and a CAN bus decoder with the correct wiring harness for your specific model.
Many of these aftermarket models are priced around $100 to $200, which begs the question: are they actually any good?
Speaking from my experience, the $100 head unit I have in my E46 BMW completely transformed the car’s aging interior. It’s nothing like those older Android head units you’d come across six or seven years ago. It’s pretty responsive to my inputs, albeit with occasional hiccups.
One of my main concerns before I got it was sound quality. Fortunately, the built-in amplifier and DAC sound just as good as the original stereo, if not better, and there’s also the option to add a subwoofer. The model I bought was specifically designed to fit my E46 BMW and included all the cables needed to hook it up. If you can find a model designed for your vehicle, it’s the best option since you won’t have to spend extra money on a wiring harness.
The only caveat is that you never really know what brand you’re buying with these cheap units. I have no idea who made my model. It seems 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 a lot 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
Low-budget is sometimes all you need
The real magic that makes these cheap Android Auto head units work so well has nothing to do with their hardware. If we’re being honest, they’re 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 area. 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 display 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 brain behind Android Auto, and running apps like Google Maps and Spotify at the same time is effortless for even budget Android phones. This means you can completely ignore the clunky 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 should change before your next drive
Tweaking these settings will make you want to drive your car way 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 places all the apps you’d typically rely on your phone right there 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 the feature. Plus, it’s a huge battery drainer, meaning you can easily lose access to Android Auto if you don’t have a phone charger or USB cable in your car.
In those situations, the head unit doesn’t become completely useless. It still works as a basic media system, and if it’s a slightly better model, you might even try using offline maps through an app like Sygic. I haven’t personally tried it, as I simply charge my phone, so I can’t comment on that.
However, most of the time, I don’t even need navigation in my car. I simply use the head unit as a regular old stereo—and the screen with touchscreen controls is miles ahead of those old-school aftermarket stereos.
Between the 64GB of internal storage and a 32GB USB flash 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 stock music player that came pre-installed on your head unit, you can always try sideloading a different music player.
I tested 4 wireless Android Auto adapters, and this is the only survivor
The only dongle I’ve found that’s worth buying.
It’s often the best upgrade for an older car
An inexpensive upgrade that transforms how 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 in a safe and convenient way, 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 that’s a deal-breaker, you can also buy a portable unit to add Android Auto to your car instead. 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 might even come with a built-in dash cam. Most 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 have to mess with wiring to upgrade your car’s display.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
