We first saw Kenwood’s aftermarket Android Auto units at CES in January, and the company has now announced pricing as the two models start shipping to dealers. The catchily-named DDX9702S and DDX9902S retail at $900 and $950 respectively (but on Amazon for $750), and support Apple’s CarPlay as well as Android Auto. Only the 9702S was on Kenwood’s website at the time of writing.
The two double-DIN DDX units are designed to be the center of a vehicle’s entertainment and information system. A large, 6.95-inch resistive touch display puts navigation, back-up camera view (camera required, sold separately), and a wealth of audio / video entertainment options at the driver’s fingertips. Each is equipped with Bluetooth technology to enable handsfree phone conversations as well as playback of streaming media from a Bluetooth-enabled phone or media device.
You also get built-in HD radio, HDMI input, DVD playback and support for Sirius satellite radio …
The units have a 6.95-inch VGA display with touch-panel control with variable key lighting. If you have an iPhone user in the household, Kenwood says both units allow seamless switching between Android Auto and CarPlay without having to change any settings or reset the unit.
While 28 car manufacturers have announced that they will be offering Android Auto units in new models, none have yet hit the market, meaning demand for aftermarket units is likely to be high. Pioneer also offers an aftermarket unit which we tried in January before it went on sale in March.
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