CarPlay Head Unit for Honda FR-V BE (2004-2009): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The Honda FR-V was one of the most original MPVs ever sold in Spain: six seats split across two rows of three, with the centre front seat set slightly further back. A truly unusual layout that, in practice, makes it an extremely useful family car with the mechanical reliability typical of Honda. That is why so many are still on the road, especially the 1.7 and 1.8 petrol versions and the 2.2 i-CTDi diesel.

What has not aged as well is the multimedia side. The FR-V was designed when the phone was not yet the centre of the car, so there is no CarPlay, no Android Auto and no navigation you can keep up to date. A head unit made specifically for the BE chassis brings the dashboard up to date with no bodywork required: a custom-fit frame, a connection to the original wiring and a 9-inch touchscreen where a small radio used to be.

Does the Honda FR-V come with CarPlay as standard?

No. No Honda FR-V left the factory with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto; the model is considerably older than those systems. Depending on the trim the first owner chose, the car could have:

• CD radio with steering wheel controls, the most common set-up in Spain.
• CD changer and upgraded audio system on the higher trims.
• Optional factory navigation with DVD map discs, impossible to keep current today.
• Bluetooth hands-free only on very specific units or fitted later by the owner.

In other words: music from your phone gets in however it can (an aux cable if you are lucky), navigation depends on a mount stuck to the windscreen and calls are taken with the phone in your hand. In a car built to carry people, that really shows.

The solution: Android head unit for the Honda FR-V

The head unit for the FR-V BE comes with a model-specific adapter frame, so it slots into the original opening with no cutting and no silicone. Here is what it brings:

• 9-inch IPS touchscreen, far bigger and sharper than the original radio.
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: your phone connects on its own when you start the car.
• Built-in GPS navigation, and compatible with Google Maps and Waze from your phone.
• Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming, with better call quality thanks to the external microphone.
• Android system with WiFi: Spotify, YouTube Music, podcasts or whichever radio app you use.
• FM/AM radio with RDS and DSP to tune the sound to the car's speakers.
• Working steering wheel controls (SWC), so you keep volume and track control.
• Built-in cooling fan, which extends the life of the unit in summer.

Honda FR-V compatibility: supported versions

The kit is made for the model's only generation, the BE chassis:

• Honda FR-V 1.7 i-VTEC (BE1).
• Honda FR-V 1.8 i-VTEC (BE5), the most common petrol version.
• Honda FR-V 2.0 i-VTEC.
• Honda FR-V 2.2 i-CTDi diesel, the favourite for high-mileage drivers.
• Also the Honda Edix, which is the same car under the name Honda used in Japan.

Trim level and gearbox make no difference: what matters is the dashboard, which is shared across the whole range (2004-2009). Before buying, compare your centre console with the photos on the product page. If your Honda is a different model, our guide to CarPlay screens for Honda covers the rest of the range, from the Civic to the CR-V.

What is the installation like?

It is a straightforward install, the kind you can do in a morning with basic tools and without cutting anything on the car.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal before you start.
2. Remove the centre console trim with plastic pry tools, without levering against the soft plastics.
3. Undo the screws holding the original radio and pull it out carefully.
4. Unplug the original connectors and the aerial, then connect the kit harness along with the steering wheel control adapter.
5. Position the GPS aerial under the dashboard and the microphone near the rear-view mirror.
6. Run the reversing camera cable along the side of the cabin to the tailgate, if you are fitting one.
7. Fit the screen into the adapter frame and secure it in the radio opening.
8. Reconnect the battery and test everything: CarPlay, Android Auto, radio, steering wheel controls, microphone and camera.

Since all the wiring is plug and play, the process is reversible: the original unit goes straight back in if you ever want the car exactly as it was.

How much does it cost to fit CarPlay in a Honda FR-V?

There is no official solution at the dealer: Honda does not offer any update that adds CarPlay or Android Auto to an FR-V, and the original navigation cannot even be updated any more. The only route is an aftermarket screen.

The difference lies in buying a generic unit and then hunting separately for a frame, an ISO adapter and a steering wheel module —with the risk that some part will not fit— or using a kit already prepared for the BE chassis, which arrives with the model-specific frame and the wiring ready to go. You will find the memory configurations and the current price on the product page.

Frequently asked questions

Does it also fit the Honda Edix?
Yes. The Edix is the same car sold in Japan, with an identical dashboard, so the kit works.

Do I keep my steering wheel controls?
Yes. The included adapter keeps the volume, track and call controls on the steering wheel (SWC).

What happens to the original DVD navigation?
It stops being used. All navigation moves to the new screen, with maps that are always up to date from your phone or from the built-in navigation.

Are CarPlay and Android Auto wireless?
Yes, both of them. After the first pairing your phone connects on its own when you start the car; you can also use the cable if you prefer to charge as you go.

Does the 9-inch screen fit without cutting the dashboard?
Yes. The FR-V-specific adapter frame is designed for exactly that: the screen sits in front of the original opening, with nothing on the car modified.

See the CarPlay head unit for the Honda FR-V

You can see all the photos, specifications and memory options on the product page for the CarPlay and Android Auto head unit for the Honda FR-V BE (2004-2009). If you are unsure about your car, send us a photo of the dashboard and the year and we will confirm compatibility before you buy.