Best Head Units: Can You Hear Me Now?

Top 8 Best Head Units

Several lifetimes ago, your author was the first person in his small town to install a good set of subwoofers, plunking them in the hatchback area of a rusting Ford. Aftermarket stereos had been around for ages, of course, but banging woofers? Not so much. All hands quickly followed suit, one-upping each other and generally infuriating the community’s rapidly aging populace.

Back then, it was easy to source an aftermarket head unit because all cars had either a DIN or Double DIN sized hole in the dash. Today’s interior styling choices have put a knee in the groin of this accessory segment but there are still a few machines into which one can swap a good receiver.

Popping the extra bit of cheddar for an installation kit is always a good idea, as it precludes the need for hacking into your car’s factory wiring with the élan of Edward Scissorhands by turning the affair into essentially a plug-n-play situation. Your author speaks from personal experience in this regard. Before the presence of such kits in the stores of his home province, many a wiring harness met with particularly graphic deaths by bludgeoning.

And, for the love of all that’s holy, use good wiring practices if you’re doing this install yourself. Simply stripping the ends, twisting stuff together, and shoving it all back into the dash isn’t good enough. Familiarize yourself with the wonders of heat-activated shrink wrap or, even better, improve your soldering skills.

Now, crank it up and annoy the neighbors.

Most new vehicles on the lot today come standard with Apple CarPlay, so why would you install an aftermarket head unit without that feature? That said, it's easy to see why this makes our list of the best head units.

This receiver from Pioneer measures double DIN size, meaning it has plenty of room for the bright day-glo graphics of Apple’s in car infotainment solution. This thing works with Spotify and Pandora, too. It also comes ready to link with SiriusXM satellite radio.

Real world feedback claims the unit is responsive to inputs, a feature which actually puts it ahead of most factory units if we’re being honest. Customers report installing it in everything from a Yaris to a Wrangler. It can play physical media if you still live in the 1990s.

Part of the burgeoning category of head units that offer a floating screen, this solution is great for people driving older rigs with a single-DIN space but wish an upgrade to That Screen Lyfe. This setup permits the chassis to live in the dash while broadcasting to the large display.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on board, along with Bluetooth audio and the capability to haul in SiriusXM satellite radio. It's ready for a rearview camera (sold separately, natch), and a bunch of pre-outs permits the addition of goodies like amplifiers.

This one is a slight retro throwback, though I’m sure JVC would not agree. Why? Its display is of the old-school LCD variety, the same type in which you used to spell BOOBIES upside-down on your calculator in grade school. It is a big display, though, one whose colors can be mixed up or customized to match whatever illumination is being hove off by your car’s stock gauge set.

Bluetooth tech allows you to answer calls with the “push of a button” and permits hands-free calling so the gendarmes have no reason to give you a roadside lecture. It plays all manner of music from physical media to AUX inputs. For a real throwback, it’ll even pick up MP3s, so be sure to fire up that old copy of Napster and download the latest Sum 41 album.

From Kenwood (fun fact: there really was a man from London with the name Ken Wood) features a 6.8” touchscreen with capacitive touch controls that can prevent fumbling for controls like a confused teenager on prom night. A backup camera is optional. Should you choose to install the thing, it’ll display a picture of what’s going on astern, complete with helpful parking guidelines.

The works of it weighs less than four pounds and, thanks to Amazon Prime, is readily available with free shipping. If your whip has a standard Double DIN hole carved in its dash for a radio, this thing will fit. Reports exist of a laggy touchscreen but it’s tough to tell if these are real issues or simply customers with unrealistic expectations.

In addition to handling all the duties one would expect of a sub-$80 head unit, this receiver from Sony can be controlled with a series of voice commands. Speak at this thing to get directions, messages, or music from your Android device. Those running Apple in their pockets can bring Siri along on their road trip as well.

Just like that blonde you met downtown, this Sony is willing to hook up with two at once. Wirelessly connect your first phone to play music, get directions, and communicate with contacts. Then, it is possible to add a second phone from which one can make hands-free calls only.

One of the newest products on this list, the unit you see here from Pioneer is similar in style to the Sony XAV mentioned at the beginning of our post. Pioneer's screen is slicker yet, devoid of physical buttons and bearing a very small bezel. Whether the former is a good thing is totally up to the buyer.

The Pioneer ad is also more blatant about the single-DIN aspect of this puzzle, making it clear one can plug that part of the unit into the radio space in their 1990 Econoline while placing the tablet-style screen somewhere totally different.

If all you're after is a quick-and-dirty replacement for a busted double-DIN audio unit, this could be the best option for you. With its seller advertising prices in the $30 range, it's difficult to justify selling a car sans head unit on Craigslist any more.

Reviews are as you'd expect for a $30 unit, with some customers railing against its quality (or lack thereof) and others simply reminding us all one gets what one pays for. Allegedly, a backup camera is included but your author's personal experience with those types of 'free' add-ons is less than positive

Here's a retro-looking unit that somehow manages to incorporate what looks like fake wood paneling on its faceplate. Round buttons and two dials stand out clearly, along with rectangle outlets ready to accept USB and SD media.

The price is right, and reviews are what one would expect for thirty bucks. A remote is included if you can't be bothered to outstrech your arm to change channels. Its LCD screen is a throwback to the '90s, making this a mash of eras.

From time to time, TTAC will highlight automotive products we think may be of interest to our community. Plus, posts like this help to keep the lights on around here. Learn more about how this works.

(Editor’s note: This post is meant to both help you be an informed shopper for automotive products but also to pay for our ‘90s sedan shopping habits operating expenses. Some of you don’t find these posts fun, but they help pay for Junkyard Finds, Rare Rides, Piston Slaps, and whatever else. Thanks for reading.)

[Main photo credit: Alexey Layeroff / ShutterStock.com. Product images provided by the manufacturer.]