Replacement Unit

[Dee Bee]

Hi everyone I tried tagging this on to the Apple Car Play thread but thought it may be better on its own? All of us with 2019 Rav4 know how pathetic the infotainment is, and that now Toyota have our money they are in no hurry to bring us Apple Car Play, Android Auto update. Does/has anybody found a replacement unit on the market that I can fit to my Rav so that I have current features and the Apple Car Play that my wife and I so dearly want? Obviously the Toyota unit is stand alone (not Android) so the options are probably limited but worth it rather that wait until Hell freezes over and Toyota finally update our units to what we thought we were getting (in my case anyway) Thanks 

[Teresap]

Hi I have already posted this. 
but it might be useful for you. 

Hi Teresa,

Nice to hear from you.

Yes I had a nice time away thank you.

Your Rav4 is still looking good for March registration and delivery.

Yes the Apple car play is being added to the 20.5 models, but this is going to reflect in a cost increase of around £500 we are being told by Toyota.

Your car will not have the Apple car play, however it will be available as a retro fit option of which again I am told will cost approx £500 thus not making any difference due to your car being cheaper.

 If you decide to fit later in the future then it will always be an option

The 20.5 models will not be available for delivery until at least summer if not September, as Toyota are still producing the current order bank they have.

[Teresap]

Even though I haven’t got my rav4 yet I would also be very interested in the possibility of a replacement unit 

[Rav4ster]

Something like this one, Android based
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000028811487.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.27516a7ebCxrnF&algo_pvid=492a603d-eaf0-4369-b3f1-b479d230df13&algo_expid=492a603d-eaf0-4369-b3f1-b479d230df13-0&btsid=212f249b-656d-4fdd-89f7-bd624035f867&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_2,searchweb201603_52

I did a lot of research for the similar model for the RAV4 MK4 and there are plenty of YouTube videos showing the benefits and how to install it (did not do it, as never got the RAV4 MK4).

• Most do not have DAB radio
• Need to makes sure it comes with the canbus adapter for plug and play connection, as it will keep car functions displayed, some might be missing from the head unit.
• Ability to add a USB mobile dongle and install cheap plan SIM card, that will connect the head unit to the internet, without pairing to the phone.
• Access to play store and option to install any navigation application (waze, google maps)
• Car play might need an additional adaptor for cable connection
• Needs an adaptor for car’s GPS antenna or use supplied one.
• Car’s handsfree microphone will more likely not work and the supplied one will need installing.

This is not for everyone, as it requires a bit of work and some functions will be lost and there are potential warranty issues.
My preferred solution is to have a built in smartphone support, but if Toyota will be charging £500 to retrofit it, I will pass and will use my phone for waze and spotify mounted on the dash and connected over BT.
I would suspect, that the second hand value of the cars without the retrofitted smartphone Integration will drop slightly, but I think Toyota is not really bothered.
They could have introduced smartphone Integration

in Europe from the release day, but looks like they had lots of old head units to shift.

 

Apart form the luck of smartphone Integration, car is very good and I enjoy it very much