CarPlay Head Unit for the Toyota Land Cruiser 150 / Prado (2009-2013): How to Install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The Toyota Land Cruiser 150 (the J150 chassis, known outside Europe as the Prado) is one of those cars people buy to keep. Bulletproof mechanics, a real low-range transfer case, three- and five-door bodies and an interior built to put up with mud, towing and endless miles. The trouble starts when you look at the infotainment: the console of the early J150 units was designed when phones were still just for calling, and today it shows.

If you own a Land Cruiser from this series, the good news is that you don't need a new car to get live traffic navigation, Spotify, dictated messages and a reversing camera on a big screen. With a vehicle-specific head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the dashboard still looks factory and you get back everything it was missing.

Does the Land Cruiser 150 have CarPlay as standard?

No. Depending on trim and market, these units left the factory with a CD radio and a monochrome display, with the Toyota Touch system or with the small-screen Touch & Go navigation. None of the three supports Apple CarPlay or Android Auto: Toyota only started fitting those systems in far later infotainment generations, and no software update adds them to a unit of this era.

In practice that means:

• Bluetooth, if fitted, handles calls and at best audio, but never mirrors your phone on screen.
• The factory navigation works with DVD or card maps that nobody updates any more.
• There is no Google Maps, no Waze, no speed camera alerts and no live traffic.
• If you want a reversing camera, there is nowhere to display it.

The solution: an Android head unit for the Land Cruiser 150

The vehicle-specific head unit for the Land Cruiser 150 (2009-2013) replaces the original unit using the car's own opening and connectors. It is a complete Android system, not just a media player:

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wired or wireless depending on the version you choose.
• High-resolution touchscreen built into the console, with a frame shaped for the J150 dashboard.
• Navigation with Google Maps, Waze or offline apps installed straight onto the unit.
• Working steering wheel controls, thanks to the CAN Bus box included in the kit.
• Reversing camera input (and a front camera input in several configurations), triggered automatically when you select reverse.
• Bluetooth, USB, FM radio and RCA outputs for an amplifier or subwoofer.
• WiFi and mobile data depending on version, so you can update apps without pulling the unit out.

Screen size and RAM are chosen in the drop-down menus on the product page: it is worth checking what your console looks like first, because not every trim leaves the same space free.

Land Cruiser 150 compatibility: supported versions

This unit is designed for the Land Cruiser J150 built in the 2009-2013 period, before the major centre console restyling:

• Three- and five-door bodies.
• Trims with and without factory navigation.
• 3.0 D-4D and 2.8 D-4D diesels as well as petrol engines: the drivetrain makes no difference to the fitting.
• Cars with physical climate control knobs (they keep working exactly as before; the unit does not replace them).

If your car belongs to the later run, with the redesigned console, you need a different unit: you will find it in our guide to the CarPlay head unit for the Land Cruiser 150 (2018-2023). And if your Land Cruiser has a factory amplifier or some unusual option, send us the VIN before ordering: an extra adapter is sometimes needed.

What is the installation like?

It is a plug & play job: it connects to the car's original wiring, with no cutting or splicing.

1. Remove the centre console trims with a plastic tool, without levering against the dashboard.
2. Slide the original unit out of its rails and unplug the rear connectors and the aerial.
3. Connect the vehicle-specific harness and the CAN Bus box to the new unit: that is what keeps the steering wheel controls and the car's signals alive.
4. Run the reversing camera cable, if you are fitting one, along the side trim to the tailgate.
5. Slot the unit in, test audio, GPS, CarPlay and the wheel controls before closing everything up, and refit the trims.

An installer gets it done in one or two hours. With a bit of patience it is a realistic home job: the key points are not forcing the console clips and testing everything while the unit is still out of its slot.

How much does it cost to add CarPlay to a Land Cruiser 150?

At the dealer the answer is usually that nothing can be done: there is no official part with CarPlay for this generation, so the alternative is replacing the whole unit with an aftermarket one anyway. Compared with that, a vehicle-specific unit costs far less than an original navigation system and does considerably more.

Up-to-date prices are on the product page, along with the available sizes and configurations. Your order includes the vehicle-specific harness, the CAN Bus box and the frame, which is exactly what makes an installation expensive when bought separately.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose the Land Cruiser's steering wheel controls?
No. The CAN Bus box supplied with the kit keeps them working: volume, track change, phone and, depending on trim, voice recognition too.

Do I still see the car's own information?
Everything the J150 shows in the instrument cluster (trip computer, warnings, 4x4) stays the same, because it does not depend on the radio. Physical climate control knobs are left untouched as well.

Can I keep the camera I already have fitted?
If it is an aftermarket camera with an analogue video output, usually yes: it plugs into the unit's camera input. If it is an original camera built into a closed system, send us a photo of the connector and we will confirm it.

Does CarPlay work wirelessly?
That depends on the version you choose. Some configurations offer wireless CarPlay and Android Auto and others are wired; it is stated in the product drop-downs.

Is it reversible?
Yes. Since no wire is cut, you can refit the original unit whenever you like: just unplug the harness and put the factory radio back in its slot.

See the CarPlay head unit for the Toyota Land Cruiser 150 (2009-2013)

You will find the complete unit, with harness, CAN Bus box and frame included, on the page for the CarPlay and Android Auto head unit for the Toyota Land Cruiser 150 (2009-2013). Worldwide shipping, a 3-year warranty and, if you are unsure about your trim, advice before you buy: send us the VIN and a photo of the console and we will tell you exactly which version fits.