Sony XAV-AX8500, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay without buying a new car

Since 2014, cars have been equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and I still remember how angry I was because it was the year I bought my last car, because as a technology enthusiast, having a CD stereo and bringing a library of MP3s via USB was not enough. However, some cars at the time, including mine, would recognize the iPhone or iPod through the USB port, but only to access the song library.

Just this year, 2024, I wanted to change my car, and I was somewhat inclined to have this type of technology, so I started looking for it, but the investment is considerable. The desire also disappeared when I talked to one of the mechanics of the workshop where I take my car to do the corresponding service, he told me “your car is complete, you do not need to change it”. This comment led me to look for alternatives, first I tried the screens with both operating systems that are sold in some online stores, but the fact that they are glued with suction cups and that the wires are exposed, in addition to the overall quality, led me to return them. That’s when I found the Sony XAV-AX8500, a device that allowed me to give my car that “jump”, even with features that even the most expensive cars don’t have.

It is important to emphasize that although the investment may seem considerable, when you see what it offers, it is not so much. Firstly, because this multimedia receiver allows you to access Android Auto and Apple CarPlay without having to connect your device with a cable. This seemingly simple and even obvious feature is one that few cars have, even the $50,000+ cars I have had the opportunity to test, either for work or just out of curiosity when looking for a new car. At best, they offer Bluetooth connectivity only for hands-free and music access, which seems absurd considering the price of some of these cars.

Installation

When installing the Sony XAV-AX8500 in my car, I opted for a medium investment in speakers. In this case, it was two pairs of Audison AK 6.5 C2 with 300 watts of power to enjoy some of the power of the unit without the need for an amplifier. I also had to invest in an antenna adapter and a place to place the receiver, because being a decade old car, both are necessary to adapt the system well. Finally, I decided to add a rear view camera, also to take advantage of the full potential and features.

Sony XAV-AX8500 Technical Specifications

Turning my car into a Smart Car

One of the things that stands out the most is the audio. With LDAC, if you have a high-resolution service like Tidal, you can enjoy music at the highest level. In fact, with the speaker setup we did, we achieved a sound experience that was far superior to many of today’s top-of-the-line cars.

Best of all, the settings allow you to choose your listening position, which integrates different profiles to give you the best experience. You can also adjust the balance and position of the sound center. Its 14-band equalizer includes presets for R&B, rock, pop, dance, and more, or you can simply customize it to your liking. You can also adjust the bass to your taste or simply turn it off.

If you have a compatible steering wheel, you can configure each button for the perfect experience, adjusting media volume, call volume, call tone, voice recognition, and navigation volume.

On the other hand, you can customize the wallpaper color, set up 6 speed dials, and register more than 2 phones, even with different operating systems, as long as they are Android or iOS.

The Android Auto and Apple CarPlay experience

This is by far the area that shines the brightest, as it is literally fluid, all you have to do is turn on the car and it will automatically connect to the smartphone of your choice, giving you access to compatible applications such as Maps, Tidal, WhatsApp and even the assistants themselves as Siri or Gemini. In fact, we were able to test switching between systems on the fly, and you can switch from one phone to another wirelessly without any hiccups.

If you do run out of battery, you can plug in your device via USB-C and it will sync as well as provide power.

What we found amazing was that we were able to configure the rear camera, which is one of the main features of the new generation of cars.

Design

The screen is the perfect size for viewing maps, even in split-screen mode, and for controlling the music. It does, however, have tilt and swivel adjustment, something not usually available even in newer cars.

Extras

Another feature that we liked very much is that we can enjoy multimedia content, such as videos or movies. This feature is very useful when there are children in the car, you can even give them the remote control so they can control their own content and avoid distracting the driver.

Score: 9.5