Best Apple CarPlay Head Unit Car Stereos for 2025

If you're using an older car, CNET's experts recommend upgrading your car stereo with one of the best Apple CarPlay head units to take full advantage of wireless streaming and modern tech. If you haven’t recently upgraded your vehicle, this is a simple and effective way to unlock seamless media control.

Apple CarPlay offers more than just music -- it gives you easy access to navigation, calls, and texts through voice commands. And the best part? You don’t need a brand-new car to enjoy it. Since its launch in 2014, aftermarket brands have created head units that fit a variety of vehicles -- bringing smart features to older models.

Top brands like Sony, Kenwood, and Pioneer offer head units loaded with extras, including HD and satellite radio, USB ports, CD/DVD players, GPS, and Bluetooth. Some even support larger displays and extra features like backup cameras and engine performance gauges – turning your car stereo into a full-fledged infotainment system.

With so many options available, choosing the right Apple CarPlay head unit can be overwhelming. To make it easier, we’ve partnered with Crutchfield experts, who’ve been helping people upgrade their car audio systems since 1974. Here are our top picks to find the best match for your ride.

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There are no shortage of options if you want to add Apple CarPlay head units to older cars.

Kenwood

Criteria for choosing the best Apple CarPlay head unit

We've assembled our list of the best Apple CarPlay car stereo head units from models that fit the most common radio sizes: single DIN car stereo and double DIN head unit car stereo slots. These car stereo system picks are based on Crutchfield's expert recommendations, user reviews and ratings at popular shopping sites. 

Before you dig in, find out exactly which Apple CarPlay car stereo will fit in your vehicle by using Crutchfield's Find What Fits tool. Enter your vehicle make, model and year and you'll be greeted with speakers, Apple CarPlay head units and more to outfit your ride. 

Three things to look for in a new Apple CarPlay head unit

• Double DIN or single DIN: DIN is a standardized head unit size, so the two most common unit sizes are double DIN and single DIN. Single DIN stereo openings measure 2x8 inches, while double DIN openings measure 4x8 inches. If you're replacing a double DIN unit, there are more options for adding smarts to your stereo. If you have a single DIN unit, that doesn't automatically mean you're out of the running for pairing your Apple iPhone to your car for Apple CarPlay, but you will have fewer choices.
• Types of receivers: There are a few different head unit categories, each offering a different feature set depending on your needs. Can't let go of discs? You're in luck, as you can have physical and digital in one auto head unit package with a DVD receiver. Digital multimedia receivers don't have an optical drive, but they can play back audio and video and many have touchscreens.
• Features: When you're looking for an Apple CarPlay stereo head unit, Apple iPhone integration isn't all you'll get for your dollar. If you want something closer to your smartphone look for a capacitive touchscreen rather than a resistive one. Many models also include pre-outs for adding external amps and subwoofers, in addition to HD and satellite radio tuners. For the ultimate convenience, look for a unit with Bluetooth and wireless Apple CarPlay app connectivity for your Apple device.

Depending on where you buy your Apple car stereo, it may come with free installation. Failing that, Best Buy charges $100 for installation and promises a factory-installed look without a loss of factory functionality. You'll have to pay for any additional parts beyond the flat labor fee.

When it comes to self-installation of a head unit, you have a few options, but both involve premade wiring harness adapters. Scosche and Amazon sell a variety of connectors that eliminate the need for cutting and soldering into the factory wiring harness. You can also pick up adapters so you don't lose features like OnStar, steering wheel controls or door chimes. These range in price from a few dollars to more than a few hundred bucks, depending on the complexity. You can buy trim pieces and mounting kits as well and chances are finding a YouTube how-to video for your stereo model and vehicle won't be too difficult.

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Installing an Apple CarPlay head unit yourself can be made easier with available mounting kits.

Alpine

If you don't have the time or energy to track everything down yourself, consider buying your Apple CarPlay stereo head unit from Crutchfield. Crutchfield's trademark is making installation dead simple for do-it-yourselfers. By including premade wiring harnesses, connectors, trim pieces and vehicle-specific installation instructions with every head unit and speaker, Crutchfield takes the intimidation out of upgrading your stereo yourself.

Best of all, DIYing doesn't mean you lose steering wheel audio controls, backup cameras or other factory creature comforts, either. That comes at a price, though. When you're drafting your upgrade budget, expect to set aside between $300 to $500 in addition to the cost of your head unit for the necessary harnesses and data controllers. Older vehicles make for cheaper installs, however. The Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX's install kit for a 2008 Ford Ranger lists for $56, for example, but it's currently discounted by $50. 

"You can 100% get a very modern [smartphone-connected] radio experience in your car," even if it's over a decade old, said Adam "J.R." Stoffel, a training manager who's been with Crutchfield since 1996.

Written for CNET Cars by Timothy Seppala.

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