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Bring your ICE bang up to date with the best Android Auto-compatible head units for older vehicles 10 Inch Vehicle Tablet
The best Android Auto head unit is designed to bring an element of modernity to ageing vehicles that perhaps don't possess the latest all-singing, all-dancing infotainment system.
While we can't guarantee these aftermarket options will be able to offer games from an app marketplace, like you can in a modern Porsche or Tesla, the tech is designed to allow you to pair a favoured Android smartphone… and that's the next best thing.
The Android head units we've featured on this list all allow for seamless Android compatibility with a large touchscreen display, which provides access to navigational tools, such as Google Maps and Waze, as well as seamless integration of your preferred playlists on Spotify.
Similarly to the best sat navs and best dash cams, Android Auto units can be retrofitted into cars with little fuss or fabrication. Even those ancient vehicles with a thin sliver of a stereo system can now be finished with phone-friendly tech and a large, easy-to-read screen.
If you fancy yourself as a bit of a DIY mechanic, most of the head units listed below are essentially 'plug-and-play' devices, so long as you are comfortable with potentially removing vehicle trim and locating some wiring.
Otherwise, retailers like Halfords will fit the technology for you in a couple of hours for around £99, depending on the vehicle and the ease at which your chosen head unit can be installed.
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Thanks to its seven-inch, motorised touchscreen display, this impressively grand infotainment system neatly stashes away inside a single DIN chassis, meaning users can get a sizeable tech hit without the need for masses of real estate.
With the ability to stand fully upright, or tilt back slightly, it can also be mounted in multiple locations, as not all vehicles have the single DIN chassis slot in the same place.
Once installed, this premium Pioneer unit offers bags of Android Auto functionality, including beaming your favourite car-friendly apps to the sharp display.
Annoyingly, there's no wireless Android Auto here, but there are physical USB inputs, as well as connectivity for reversing cameras. There’s even a CD player, should you still prefer listening to your favourite tracks via that decidedly retro format.
What’s more, the neat mix of touchscreen and physical buttons makes it easy to locate and adjust the volume when driving, open and close the unit, as well as navigate back to home screens without excessive swiping.
We have expensive taste because this top-quality Alpine unit sits towards the top end of the budget scale, but it is a lovely piece of kit.
Its incredibly crisp HD screen is a joy to look at and massively out-performs some of the cheaper models on the market. It boots up quickly and offers seamless Android Auto integration as soon as a phone is wired in. There are inputs for reverse cameras and plenty of outputs for subwoofers and extra speakers.
Granted, it doesn't sit flush into the dash like some screens, but that's because it is designed to fit into a single DIN slot, which means it is compatible with a huge variety of vehicles, regardless of age. Oh, and the little strip of white ambient LED lighting at the bottom of the unit is a nice touch. Pure class.
This might be one of the most expensive Android Auto-compatible head units on the list, but its is by far one of the most technologically accomplished. Bluetooth pairing for up to five phones, alongside the ability to control two of those at once, as well as a HDMI input for Amazon FireSticks and whatnot are just a couple of highlights.
It's also an absolute beast of a system, with a 10.1-inch touchscreen display adding luxury automotive levels of infotainment to pretty much any car with the space. The "floating panel" display can be set to three different heights, ensuring it works in most dashboards, although those heights aren’t electronically adjustable like some rivals.
The double DIN design means this won’t be compatible with all vehicles, but the extra chassis space houses inputs for up to four external cameras, which can be triggered when initiating reverse gear, for example.
Kenwood has long been a brand associated with booming audio quality and the DMX9720XDS Stereo offers a 13 band graphic equaliser and a Time Alignment feature to really dial in your favourite sounds.
Although lacking the inches of some of the head units previously mentioned, this Sony number deserves high praise for its stylish looks and physical volume dial. Many others resort to separate plus and minus keys or commit volume functionality to the touchscreen, which can be very annoying.
5 Inch Agriculture Terminal The dial on this is a joy to use, as is the rest of the system, which proves fast and responsive, delivering seamless navigation, Spotify and other Android experiences. A built-in 4 x 55 watts Dynamic Reality Amplifier allows for tunes to be pumped at extraordinary levels, and it plays nicely with numerous other after-market sub-woofers and speakers, too.