- 10 Connected Car Stereo Receivers to Make Your Commute Less Boring
- Sony XAV-AX100 Car Audio Receiver
- Sony MEX-N5200BT Car Audio Receiver
- Pioneer FH-X731BT Car Audio Receiver
- Pioneer DEH-X6900BT Car Audio Receiver
- Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX Car Audio Receiver
- Pioneer AVH-X2800BS Car Audio Receiver
- Pioneer AVH-X490BS Car Audio Receiver
- Pioneer AVH-2330NEX Car Audio Receiver
- Kenwood DMX7704S Car Audio Receiver
- Alpine iLX-207 Car Audio Receiver
- Bluetooth Tech
- 10 Best Bluetooth Car Stereos of July 2023
- Best Bluetooth Car Stereos 2022
- Best Overall: JVC KW-V66BT Apple CarPlay Android Auto DVD/CD Player
10 Connected Car Stereo Receivers to Make Your Commute Less Boring
These days, car stereos are as slick and high-tech as the latest and greatest smartphones out there. Apple and Google have entered the field with their own platforms, making complete phone integration easier than ever in the aftermarket. From Apple CarPlay- and Android Auto-compatible units to simple and affordable receivers with robust Bluetooth connectivity, these are some of the best car stereos money can buy.
Sony XAV-AX100 Car Audio Receiver
from $398 BUY NOW
Best Overall Car Audio Receiver
Sony’s XAV-AX100 in-dash car audio receiver is the best way to get Android Auto or CarPlay in your vehicle. It offers buyers an incredible value and wide feature set. The unit boasts a 6.4-inch touchscreen display, Bluetooth, and a built-in microphone for voice commands.
Most other receivers have flat buttons that are difficult to distinguish and rely heavily on the touchscreen. Sony, on the other hand, installed a volume knob on its receiver and additional buttons for skipping tracks, going to the home menu, and triggering Siri. The user interface is intuitive and easy-to-use, and it’s not incredibly distracting for either Android or iOS users. Our biggest complaint is that Sony decided to use a resistive touchscreen instead of capacitive one, so it seems less responsive than other in-dash receivers. R egardless, the Sony XAV-AX100 is still one of the best in-dash receivers you can buy, and it’s a great value.
Sony MEX-N5200BT Car Audio Receiver
Best for CD Listeners on a Budget
Some drivers don’t need big touch screens with flashy user interfaces, apps, and built-in navigation. Instead, they want a reliable in-dash receiver that offers an easy installation, impressive audio quality, and a fair price. The Sony MEX-N5200BT offers all those things and more.
It features a nice, bold-looking carbon fiber finish with adjustable LED accents. You can pair your smartphone to it for hands-free calls and playing music to your car’s speakers over Bluetooth, and you can use voice commands. Audiophiles will appreciate that this receiver plays FLAC files, and it has a USB port for connecting your MP3 player, too.
Pioneer FH-X731BT Car Audio Receiver
Best for Internet Radio Subscribers on a Budget
If it’ll fit in your dash, the Pioneer FH-X731BT is an impressive car audio receiver packed with a lot of features for a fair price. It has built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calls and pairing to your smartphone to play music, and it integrates nicely with Spotify and Pandora, so you don’t have to reach for your phone to adjust volume, skip tracks, and browse playlists. The receiver is illuminated and lets you adjust colors both on the unit and the screen.
Pioneer DEH-X6900BT Car Audio Receiver
Best No-Frills Audio Receiver
For those looking for a bare-bones receiver that costs less than a hundred bucks, has Bluetooth, and a nice smooth turning volume knob, look no further than this receiver from Pioneer. It has a CD player, a microphone for hands-free calls, and a built-in USB port for charging your smartphone.
Pioneer AVIC-8200NEX Car Audio Receiver
Best If Money Is No Object
The AVIC-8200NEX is Pioneer’s flagship car audio receiver. Compatible with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the device is capable of closely integrating with most smartphones via a Bluetooth or wired connection. A bright 7-inch display, voice commands, HD radio tuner, FLAC audio playback, and a DVD slot are only a handful of the receiver’s key features.
Pioneer AVH-X2800BS Car Audio Receiver
Best for Those Who Don’t Need Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
The Pioneer AVH-X2800BS isn’t compatible with CarPlay or Android Auto, but it’s considerably more affordable than any of the devices that are. It has a 6.2-inch touchscreen, full Bluetooth integration, a CD/DVD slot, FLAC audio playback, and SiriusXM radio capability via an optional tuner.
Pioneer AVH-X490BS Car Audio Receiver
Best for DVD-Watching on a Budget
The aftermarket Pioneer AVH-X490BS features a large 7-inch touchscreen that looks like it was stock in your car. While it doesn’t support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, it still has an intuitive user interface and a remote control, and it’s also SiriusXM-ready. The unit can even play DVDs, so it’s perfect for kids in the backseat.
Pioneer AVH-2330NEX Car Audio Receiver
Best Mid-Range Apple CarPlay and Android Auto Audio Receiver
Pioneer was the first aftermarket receiver company to roll out Apple CarPlay receivers, so they offer some of today’s best. Because the technology is so new, some in-dash receivers reach prices as steep as $1,300. Luckily, the Pioneer AVH-2330NEX doesn’t offer as large of a sticker shock. The device is compatible with Android Auto, Spotify, Pandora, and SiriusXM. It plays HD audio or pairs to your phone with Bluetooth.
Kenwood DMX7704S Car Audio Receiver
Best for Using with a Backup Camera
The Kenwood DMX7704S isn’t compatible with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but it’ll still connect to your smartphones via Bluetooth. The unit features a 7-inch touchscreen, an HD Radio tuner, the ability to add satellite radio subscriptions, and a USB port. It doesn’t have a CD player, though.
Alpine iLX-207 Car Audio Receiver
from $695 BUY NOW
Best for Gaming
While we would never endorse gaming while driving, it’s pretty cool to know that the Alpine iLX-207 gives you the option of hooking up your PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch if you want. That’s because it has a HDMI input. Other features include compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite radio integration, Bluetooth, and steering wheel controls.
Brandon Carte has been covering technology at BestProducts.com since 2017, where he’s been writing about the latest gadgets, appliances, and scouring the internet for the products that make life easier. His reporting has been featured on , Good Housekeeping and USA Today. When he’s not researching washing machines or testing robot vacuums, you can find him at concerts, swimming laps, or at the movies. He thinks smartphones are too big, prefers MP3s to Spotify, and misses his iPhone’s headphone jack.
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Pioneer AVH-1300NEX Multimedia DVD Receiver with 6.2″ WVGA Display/Apple CarPlay/Built-in Bluetooth/SiriusXM-Ready/AppRadio Mode +
Pioneer AVH-1300NEX Multimedia DVD Receiver with 6.2″ WVGA Display/Apple CarPlay/Built-in Bluetooth/SiriusXM-Ready/AppRadio Mode +
Sony XAV-AX8000 1DIN chassis 8.95” floating LCD screen with Apple Car Play, Android Auto, Media Receiver with Bluetooth
Sony XAV-AX8000 1DIN chassis 8.95” floating LCD screen with Apple Car Play, Android Auto, Media Receiver with Bluetooth
[Upgrade] ATOTO Double Din Car Stereo with Wireless CarPlay,Wireless Android Auto,7in IPS Touchscreen,Bluetooth,Phone Mirroring,HD LRV Camera,USB Video & Audio,F7G2A7WE-S01
[Upgrade] ATOTO Double Din Car Stereo with Wireless CarPlay,Wireless Android Auto,7in IPS Touchscreen,Bluetooth,Phone Mirroring,HD LRV Camera,USB Video & Audio,F7G2A7WE-S01
Pioneer DMH-C5500NEX 8″ Amazon Alexa When Paired with Pioneer Vozsis App, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, HD Radio — Modular Solutions Digital Media Receiver
Pioneer DMH-C5500NEX 8″ Amazon Alexa When Paired with Pioneer Vozsis App, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth, HD Radio — Modular Solutions Digital Media Receiver
7 inch Double Din Digital Media Car Stereo Receiver,aboutBit Bluetooth 5.0 Touch Screen Car Radio MP5 Player Support Rear/Front-View Camera, AM/FM/MP3/USB/Subwoofer,Aux Input,Mirror Link
7 inch Double Din Digital Media Car Stereo Receiver,aboutBit Bluetooth 5.0 Touch Screen Car Radio MP5 Player Support Rear/Front-View Camera, AM/FM/MP3/USB/Subwoofer,Aux Input,Mirror Link
Best Bluetooth Car Stereos 2022
While the best Bluetooth car kits are a quick way to add streaming capabilities to your car, nothing beats the convenience of having it baked into your actual in-dash stereo. The best Bluetooth car stereos allow you to ditch the cords while still playing your favorite tunes, and some even include support for Apple’s incredibly slick CarPlay technology for the iPhone. The JVC KW-V66BT is the perfect combination of features and price with a large touchscreen display, CarPlay, and of course, Bluetooth. If you are ready to go the replacement route, these are the best Bluetooth car stereos on the market.
Best Overall: JVC KW-V66BT Apple CarPlay Android Auto DVD/CD Player
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JVC’s double-din KW-V66BT car stereo features a large 6.8-inch capacitive touchscreen display that makes navigation quick and easy. The KW-V66BT supports CarPlay and Android Auto, so you can access popular apps and services like Apple Music, Google Maps, iHeartRadio, Waze, and more, all through familiar interfaces. If apps aren’t your thing, the KW-V66bt also plays old-school DVDs and CDs — a feature that is hard to find with modern touchscreen stereos.
For audio, the KW-V66BT delivers 50 watts over four channels with a 13-band equalizer to tailor the tunes to your taste. You can also take customization even further with a unique Time Alignment feature that optimizes sound by dialing-in delays according to your car’s speaker placement.