
Sometimes, owning a car comes with a lot of complexities. There are a lot of add-ons and extras you have to take into consideration.
For instance, your car has to smell better, which brings up the need for a car air freshener.
If you also want to regularly carry out a checkup for your car, then you would require an OBD2 Scanner.
In fact, there is a never-ending list of add-ons you need in your car. However, one crucial thing that everyone needs while riding is joy and happiness, which is where a car stereo comes into the picture.
The world has long moved on from the now obsolete car stereos with only radio and CD-playing abilities to the new, advanced models with navigating software like Google Maps and Waze.
With these modern car stereos, you don’t need to wait till you can afford the latest cars before you can enjoy new, innovative technologies in your old car.
But buying the right car stereo with Google Maps and Waze is not straightforward. Don’t worry though, because we are to save you from the intricacies.
How to choose the best car stereo with Android and Google Maps
Buying something as advanced and complicated as an android car stereo isn’t something you do without prior knowledge.
If you are looking to buy the right model for your car, then you must check the features we’ll list below.
Smartphone Integration
The android car stereo must allow for full integration with your smartphone, thereby enabling great features like Spotify and Pandora whilst enabling you to pick your calls without needing to touch your phone.
Since legislation prohibiting drivers from operating their phones whilst driving has been made recently, it is getting even more vital for the best car stereos to have full integration with your smartphone.

In addition, your car stereo with Google map and Waze should feature microphones that have noise-canceling technology to get rid of road noise.
Compatibility
You also need to ensure the car stereo is compatible with your smartphone and other gadgets.
While you might be using an Android device or iOS currently, you never know if you’ll jump ship tomorrow.
You also have to consider whether the car stereo is compatible with the phones of your other family members.
Most android car stereos work with both operating systems, and they can be connected to any kind of tablet or phone.
Others are compatible with only one of the operating systems, so you might want to check very well before purchasing them.
Display
Display features assume a big role in how user-friendly and stylish android car stereos are.
Top of the line car stereos usually have a high LED pixel count and are equipped with customizable features such as brightness and color so as to complement your home’s interior.
The display should also be glare-free, large and should display the information you need to see, like 2 or 3-dimensional map view, current street name, your time of arrival, distance to your next turn, and distance to your destination.
WiFi Antenna
Many possibilities open up with an android stereo that features a WiFi.
If you discover a WiFi network, you’ll be able to download new applications and you can upgrade your navigation system.

With the wireless network, you can also download different maps. While the maps are typically large, it will be accessible offline with no issues once you download the map of an area.
Equalizer
Android car stereos are probably the most recent models of car stereos, which makes them better than older similarly priced models.
If you wish to listen to high-quality music always, go for a car stereo that features an inbuilt equalizer.
It will enable you to make the adjustments necessary to make the music sound better.
Voice Commands Feature
Each time you utilize a device while you are driving, you need to ensure that it is safe to do it.
With a car stereo with a voice command feature, you’ll be able to use voice commands to control your smartphone.
This is an excellent feature, as it will enable you to keep your eyes on the road at all times when you want to engage in a call or change the song you are listening to.
Single or Double-Din
Avoid buying a car stereo with Google maps and Waze that will not fit in your car.
Double-din stereos are around four inches tall, while single-din options measure around two inches.
If you are not completely sure whether a particular model will fit in your car, read the owner’s manual or even contact your dealer before making your purchase.
Top 3 Car Stereos with Google Maps and Waze – Product Reviews
Nearly everything in the world has felt the impact of the recent advancement in technology, and car stereos are not left out.
However, the invention of advanced car stereos with Google Maps and Waze only means buying a car stereo has now become more difficult since there are so many features and specs to look through.
We have comprehensively reviewed our top recommendations below to help you through your confusion.
1. Sony XAV-AX100
All things considered, the Sony SAC-AX100 Car Stereo is one of the best car stereos out there.
Despite being fairly cheap compared to other models in its class, the unit is well-engineered, provides an effortless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, a user-friendly interface, and a highly-responsive touchscreen.
Display-wise, the device is made to fit in the regular Double-DIN dashboard that is commonly found on most vehicles out there, and its 6.4-inch LCD display is very responsive with no delays or lag.

Unlike some other stereos on the market, this unit has a customary knob for controlling the volume, which makes it much easier to utilize while you are driving than units with touchscreen-only controls.
Apart from the inbuilt Sony’s voice command system, the stereo also features Siri Eyes Free which allows iPhone users to utilize Siri for switching radio stations and controlling their favorite features with voice commands.
Like most modern car stereos, the Sony XAV-AX100 is equipped with varieties of advanced features – Bluetooth connectivity for wireless music streaming and hands-free calling, several radio-station presets, different audio-shaping controls for optimizing your car’s acoustics, and preamp outputs to expand the audio system.
Besides, there is also a USB input at the back and a rear camera input to connect a rear camera.
The Sony XAV-AX100 Car Stereo is one of the least expensive apply carplay stereos, and it provides the most effective combination of cutting-edge features, sleek design, and performance, without costing more for unnecessary extras you may never use.
Pros
- Convenient manual controls
- Fifty-five watts maximum output
- 55 watts peak output
- Small profile
- Great sound
- Thoughtful design
- High-quality build
Cons
- Comes with no HD Radio.
- The stereo has two pre-outs only.
2. ATOTO A6 Double Din Android Car Navigation Stereo
If you are buying a car stereo for navigation purposes specifically, the ATOTO A6 Double Din Android Car Navigation Stereo might be your most suitable option.
The unit features a GPS receiver component along with an outer GPS antenna.
While Google maps has been set already as the default map, you can download an offline map always if you need a map for a specific area.

Moreover, the ATOTO head unit runs on the recent Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system, which supports a wide range of languages including French, Russian, German, Spanish, English, and Arabic.
Furthermore, you have to know that this is an extremely optimized android car stereo.
The unit is equipped with several advanced features that your car might require for a long time – backup camera and dash-camera, radio, steering wheel key control, Bluetooth connectivity, and several more.
Users will also quickly fall in love with the brilliant quick-boot performance of this unit.
It gets booted in only 2 seconds, which makes it probably the fastest-booting device on this list.
You don’t need to waste any time waiting – just switch it on and start enjoying its wide range of features immediately.
Apart from the fact that the faster boot-time provides convenience for users, it can also in some way keep the battery of the unit from draining out.
Coupled with that, the device also allows you to run third-party applications efficiently with no glitches.
Pros
- Microphone sounds clear and loud.
- It is user-friendly.
- The subwoofer sounds powerful.
- Has Bluetooth connectivity.
- Backup camera and dash camera.
Cons
- The screen gestures are inaccurate sometimes.
3. Pioneer AVH-2300NEX
With its efficient combination of advanced features with a beautiful design, the Pioneer AVH-2300NEX is widely considered to be one of the best car stereos on the market.
With a 7-inch TFT LCD Touchscreen, this device is capable of providing you with all the information you need and still maintaining that modern appearance.

There is a motor-powered flip-down face with 5 angle settings on the display of the device.
While the unit’s screen resolution isn’t high definition, it does a fairly decent job with the 800 x 480 pixels.
As far as the size is concerned, this unit measures 6 inches in height, 9.5 inches in depth, and 11 inches in width.
It also comes with multiple inputs that allow for greater versatility.
With the multiple inputs the unit is equipped with, it can be used for a wide variety of functions, apart from its primary function.
Furthermore, the Pioneer AVH-2300 NEX has full integration with Apple Car Play and Android Auto which should make pairing it with your smartphone a lot easier.
This feature is useful since you can utilize the GPS navigation on your smartphone such as Waze, Apple Maps, and Google maps which are superior to regular auto navigations and offer real-time traffic alerts.
Moreover, the Pioneer AVH-2300 NEX has great power outputs, as it averages 50 watts on every channel with 17-watt RMS power.
Apart from being preinstalled with Spotify and Pandora apps, the Pioneer AVH-2300 NEX also includes an FM and AM tuner with up to 24 memory stations.
Also, the DVD player built-in has up to 13 EQ presets, with several custom options.
In general, this is a great unit that is totally worth its weight in gold. If you are looking for the ideal car stereo for your needs, this is one of the options you should be looking at.
Pros
- User-friendly interface.
- Easy to install.
- Bluetooth connectivity.
- Beautiful design.
- Smartphone integration.
- Several custom options.
- Excellent sound quality.
Cons
- A bit expensive.
Conclusion
While modern cars come with a lot of advanced features such as GPS navigation, wireless music streaming, and WiFi connectivity, don’t beat yourself up too much if your car doesn’t come with these mouth-watering features.
With the aid of an android car stereo, you can easily use all these features and even more in your car.
If you’re looking for a car stereo with Google Maps and Waze, the information we have included in this guide should be enough to help you buy the right model.
Just make sure you follow our tips and read our product reviews, we assure you that you’ll be fine.
Steve says
With the of the wireless network, you can also download different maps.
Found an error in your copy thought you might like to know.
Enjoying article and look forward to reading it later.