Best budget friendly android auto head unit

I am the proud new owner of an ex British gas caddy maxi (mk4) and I’m looking at kitting it out for bikes etc. It’s the first vehicle I’ve ever actually owned myself (one hand me down and one lease) so I know very little about aftermarket add-ons.

I’d love to get an updated head unit (and reversing cam) so I can use android auto with my phone for music and navigation, but I know pretty much nothing about this area of electronics.

Does anyone have any good recommendations for a relatively modestly priced (ideally £250 or under) head unit that could fit the bill?

We used to have a Pioneer something or other in our Transporter but it was utter bobbins. Really can’t see how a touchscreen-only stereo in a vehicle makes sense from a safety point of view.

I’ve just swapped it for a Kenwood-refurbished DMX8019DABS and it’s fantastic – and importantly has a row of actual buttons along the bottom of the screen. Was about £220 on eBay from the Kenwood store. Has connections for reversing cameras, GPS, DAB, amplifiers, hands-free, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, even has an HDMI input if you want to go crazy with it.

Really can’t see how a touchscreen-only stereo in a vehicle makes sense from a safety point of view.

Shirley, with Android Auto you just jabber at your phone?

Shirley, with Android Auto you just jabber at your phone?

Exactly this.  The best thing about Android Auto is it provides reliable voice control for lots of things that used to need buttons/touching a screen.

Yeah but for changing the volume etc. the Kenwood has tactile buttons I can find without taking my eyes off the road.

Another vote for physical buttons, especially volume. Our Pioneer evo64 works well, but I would prefer some buttons. We do have the advantage of steering wheels controls

Not sure about the Caddy, but lots of VAG vehicles use the head unit to set lots of options in the car. So if you bang a generic Android Auto head unit in there you won’t be able to set the TPM for tyre pressures, and various other settings.

So check to make sure you get one that works.

I’ll caveat this with the fact I don’t have much experience in this, it’s just something I’ve looked into, but I don’t think the cheap ones are Android Auto so you’re probably looking at £300+ for a decent brand, and I wouldn’t fancy anything with proprietary software, there’s just too many really bad user interfaces out there.

On the cheaper end of the spectrum I’ve seen Atoto recommended a lot. Some mixed reviews, but you get what you pay for and that, and many users seem happy with them.

Really can’t see how a touchscreen-only stereo in a vehicle makes sense from a safety point of view.

Not entirely sure how well it works on aftermarket units, but I’m assuming you’ll get some form of voice activation. Works great for finding stuff on Spotify, navigation, etc.

Ideally you’d want tactile buttons for volume at least.

Do Not get the Road Angel one from Halfords. It is rubbish! I will sell you mine cheap if you do want to have one mind

https://www.halfords.com/technology/car-audio/car-stereos/road-angel-ra-x721dab-car-stereo-with–apple-carplay-and-android-auto-660830.html?stockInventory=undefined

My extensive experience driving lots of cars has shown me that full touch-screen technology in cars is a total folly, and is inherently dangerous, which is why I specifically chose a car with a touchscreen, but with analogue input, ie actual knobs.
I’ll be honest and admit I haven’t looked at any replacement head units for years, not having had a need for one, but a quick search shows that traditional single-DIN units are readily available which are all analogue input, but if you’re considering a double-DIN then Alpine and Pioneer do units with a large touchscreen and a row of actual buttons along the bottom.
I don’t have a problem with touchscreen input when it’s not the primary interface, that is you use it for setting up and then everything else is done using buttons, my car satnav is actually using my phone, and in use I avoid making adjustments while driving, if I have to I’ll pull over to make any changes, but for music I’ve got one radio station set, otherwise it’s music from my phone, and I have buttons on the steering wheel for volume, and in the unlikely case of a phone call I can answer from there as well, like most cars do now.
It’s nice to have a big screen for information, and obviously for navigation, but for all functions it’s a complete bust – should never have been allowed in the first place.

Not sure about the Caddy, but lots of VAG vehicles use the head unit to set lots of options in the car. So if you bang a generic Android Auto head unit in there you won’t be able to set the TPM for tyre pressures, and various other settings.

So check to make sure you get one that works

This is a good point and probably the single most important consideration before you do anything!

My Skoda (2019) has a shed load of vehicle stuff controlled from the touchscreen system and even my 2012 Passat had a number of settings that had to be done through the buttons / touchscreen of the OEM unit.

Atoto get really good reviews but the website was confusing last time I looked. Loads of reviews and demos on YouTube. I wanted one in the van but the van blew up then I wanted one in the Yeti but we swapped for something newish so I never did buy one.

Current car has Android capability and lots of apps are speech only when you’re driving to prevent you messing with the keyboard when you should be trying not to kill people. The speech recognition actually works very well even with my accent.

Yeah but for changing the volume etc. the Kenwood has tactile buttons I can find without taking my eyes off the road.

I just flick my left thumb up or down on the steering wheel.

Kenwood DMX something something something here – had it years so model number probably irrelevant, I do however remember I opted for the model with the capacitive screen rather than cheaper resistive.
I also remember the fitting kit to get it to work with the climate control, parking sensors etc cost more than the head unit.
VW caravelle here so YMMV

worth every penny

Some head units will let you access the OEM software also. My son’s retrofitted a budget android screen in his 57 plate BMW, and a long press of one of the buttons switches back to the BMW menus. Fortunately, the screen uses all the original buttons.

Back to the op. I bought the cheapest Sony android auto headunit a couple of years ago, completely happy with it except it doesn’t have multi point touch which is a bit annoying for using Google maps, the one that was an extra £50 features that. Rock solid otherwise

Ordered a Kenwood Android system (wireless) and a reverse camera. Price wasn’t bad, 30% off sale. What killed me was the cost to install it, but it’s the kind of thing I’d be overconfident at, and most likely bugger it up. I was gonna ask the guy to install my dash cam and all the cablin for that too but I decided against it for now I’ll just drown in a sea of cable.

Thanks all! A lot to think about then. Good thing is nothing apart from media/phone stuff is controlled via the stock head unit now so I should just do a straight swap.

All touchscreen wouldn’t be ideal but yeah all I really want is a unit that will be used exclusively with android auto, I’ll have a look though all the recommendations and see what’s out there!

I have a Pioneer DA160DAB full touch screen and it’s…. O.K. works well enough but I do miss having physical buttons, especially for volume and I’ve had it replaced under warranty as.it died after 2 years.

I’m not at the point where I regret my purchase but if starting again I would probably buy something else.