CarPlay head units for 4x4s and pick-ups: compatibility and installation guide

Off-roaders and pick-ups are the clearest case of a vehicle that ages well on the outside and badly on the inside. A Patrol Y61, a Pajero, a Land Cruiser or a Hilux can have hundreds of thousands of kilometres behind it and still be untouchable off road, while the dashboard still has a CD radio and, at best, a hands-free system you can barely hear. And these are precisely the vehicles where a screen makes the biggest difference: navigation on tracks, music on long trips, a reversing camera when you hitch up a trailer and hands-free that actually works.

In this guide we bring together which head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto fits each 4x4 and each pick-up in the catalogue, what is particular about the installation in these vehicles and what to look at before buying if you use the car off the tarmac.

Not sure whether there is a screen for your car? Check the compatibility table by make and model: the 521 models we cover, with their years and the type of solution each one needs.

Do off-roaders come with CarPlay as standard?

The most recent models do, at least in mid and high trims. But the real 4x4 fleet on the road is old: these vehicles are bought to last and replaced rarely, so most of the ones driving around today left the factory with no navigation and no CarPlay, with the manufacturer's basic radio. In the Japanese models of the nineties and two thousands the radio is usually a very simple single or double slot unit, perfect for replacing.

In those cars there is no option to "activate" CarPlay by software: the hardware is not there. What you do is replace the original unit with a model-specific Android head unit that uses the factory aperture and connector.

The solution: an Android head unit for 4x4s and pick-ups

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wired or wireless depending on the version, with your phone's navigation app full screen.
• Navigation with downloaded maps, which in the mountains or on a track is what saves you when there is no signal. We explain it in offline maps on an Android head unit.
• Rear camera input (and on many models a front one too), essential for manoeuvring with a trailer, with a spare wheel on the tailgate or with the pick-up bed loaded.
• External microphone and decent hands-free, which makes a big difference in a noisy diesel.
• Steering wheel controls kept with the specific harness, and outputs for an amplifier if you want to improve the sound.
• DAB radio, Bluetooth and USB, plus Android apps for music and podcasts.

Compatibility model by model

Toyota. The brand with the most 4x4s on the road. There are guides for the Hilux 2005-2015 and the Hilux 2015-2023, the Land Cruiser 120, the Land Cruiser 150 Prado 2009-2013, the Land Cruiser 150 2018-2023 and the RAV4 XA20.

Nissan. The Patrol Y61 GR is a classic still used every day, and the pick-ups are covered with the Navara D40 and the Navara NP300. For gentler off-road use, the X-Trail T30.

Mitsubishi. The whole Pajero family, also sold in some markets as the Montero: Pajero 2, Pajero 3, Pajero 4 and the L200 and Pajero Sport combination. There is also the full Mitsubishi hub.

Jeep. From the Cherokee 2001-2007 and the Grand Cherokee WJ to the Grand Cherokee WK2, the Cherokee KL and the Wrangler JK.

Suzuki and Daihatsu. The genuinely small ones: the Jimny 3 JB23 and JB43 and the Terios J200.

Subaru. All-wheel drive for the road and easy tracks: Forester SG, Forester SH and Impreza and Forester Mk4 and XV, with their brand hub.

Volkswagen. The European pick-up par excellence, the Amarok 2010-2020.

If your 4x4 is more van than off-roader (a working Land Cruiser, a Daily, a Transit 4x4), you will also want the guide for vans and campers.

What is the installation like?

1. Disconnect the battery and remove the centre console trim with plastic tools. In older 4x4s it is usually one large panel held by clips, with no visible screws.
2. Take out the original radio and unplug its connectors: power, speakers and aerial.
3. Connect the specific harness of the head unit to the factory connector. Nothing in the original wiring has to be cut or spliced.
4. Fit the decoder box if your model needs one for the steering wheel controls and the car's warning messages.
5. Run the camera cable to the tailgate or the pick-up bed if you are fitting one, inside the boot and through the rubber grommets.
6. Test before closing up: sound, controls, reverse, microphone and CarPlay. Then fit the fascia and tidy the wiring with cable ties — in an off-road vehicle everything vibrates far more.

What to look at if you use the car off road

In a 4x4 the screen suffers more than in a saloon: dust, vibration and high temperatures. Three practical tips. First, tighten the brackets properly and use the fascia for your model, because a unit that moves around ends up giving intermittent contacts. Second, download maps and music before you leave: on a track the signal disappears and wireless CarPlay without data is no use to you. And third, if you are going to tow or you carry a spare wheel on the tailgate, choose the camera with its height and angle in mind from the start; see the guide to choosing and fitting a reversing camera.

Frequently asked questions

Do I lose the 4x4 information, the low range or the differential lock?
No. Those systems are mechanical or run on their own control unit and do not depend on the radio. The warning lights stay in the instrument cluster.

What screen size should I choose for an off-roader?
It depends on the dashboard aperture, not on the size of the vehicle. Older double-slot consoles usually take 7 to 9 inch screens, and 10 inch units go in models with a specific aperture. We look at it in what screen size to choose.

Does it work with the 12 volt system of an old diesel?
Yes, these head units work with the vehicle's standard 12 V supply. In very old cars the only thing worth checking is the condition of the battery and the fuses.

Can I fit a front camera as well as the rear one?
On most models yes, and in a 4x4 it is especially useful for seeing the obstacle hidden under the bonnet. We explain it in front camera for your car.

And if my off-roader is not on the list?
Message us with the model, the year and a photo of the dashboard. Many 4x4s share the same aperture between generations and even between brands, and when there is no model-specific screen there is still the universal option with an adapter fascia.

See CarPlay head units for 4x4s and pick-ups

Choose the screen for your 4x4 on its product page: Toyota Hilux 2015-2023, Land Cruiser 150 Prado, Mitsubishi L200 and Pajero Sport, Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ or Subaru Forester SG. You can also browse the full Toyota, Jeep, Mitsubishi and Subaru collections, or the catalogue by brand. All our products include a warranty, after-sales support and free shipping throughout Europe; message us with the model and the year and we will confirm compatibility before you buy.