P2.1 Wired Carplay and Wired Android Auto

Had it for about a week now on my 2014 mazda 3. Upgraded my software prior to installation from 31 to 70 and then 74. Found the software of a couple of YouTube videos. Follow directions to upgrade software from YouTube videos as well as a print out that was provided with the software. Installation wasn't terribly complicated. Took me about an hour and im not expert. Definitely need a long ratchet to remove the radio. But once thats done everything else is just as shown on many YouTube videos. I have the wired version. Sometimes I have to unplug and replug but works almost immediately. Now my car is android auto as well as apple car play compatible. Worth the buy. All controls work seamlessly. Steering wheel as well as knob.

It works. Great customer support - replies to emails within a few hours every time. More challenging to install than I expected. You not only have to replace the little box in the center console (fairly simple) you have to replace and route 2 cables from that box to the actual radio head in the dash (much more challenging).

Easy install after running the new wires, seems to work well!!

I'm very happy with my purchase. I wish there were more USB-C fast ports available for passengers to change devices without being connected, and I'd prefer to use the touchscreen instead of the center console sometimes, but it won't let me. The installation was straightforward, though it did take some time.Overall, I have no regrets and find it to be a much better experience than using Google Maps on my phone when driving. Just a heads-up, you'll need to make sure the car's software is up to date for it to function correctly.

Less than a year later, USB Type C port no longer works. Other ports work fine, but after 6 months the Type C port no longer works. The power flickers on and off every 5-10 seconds. So my iPhone goes Charging, not charging, charging, not charging. I’ve only used the Type C port twice so this isn’t due to me excessively unplugging and replugging into the port, nor is it the cable itself.

This is perfect, works as it should and I am very happy with the results.

Brought my 2017 CX5 into the CarPlay world. I was torn between usb and usb-c and have no regrets with this one. There are plenty of videos to explain how to wire this up, but the best one avoids taking the center console apart. Removing the dash panels looks worse than it is. This is not a difficult job. Update 12/29/25. We have been experiencing intermittent connection to CarPlay when connecting a phone to the dock. Approximately every third time for multiple phones, the connection is not recognized, despite showing the phone is charging/connected. I have filed for a replacement and will report back. Updating feedback rating.

Works great! Lots of instructions on YouTube. Intimidating at first but was able to cheat the way and drill the clips out through the old unit to not remove the entire dash/center console. Saved hours of time that way. Plus is Mazda has a recall on the infotainment system already so they will do the firmware update for free if you bring it to them. After the firmware upgrade, install this and you get CarPlay and android auto for negligible price compared to what they chatge to install!

2 weeks of use… Bluetooth CarPlay works 85% of the time. Other reviews mention the same. It must be a timing issue with Mazda and the 3rd party module. If you toggle to disable Bluetooth it seems to work fine, but the point to pay more for this unit is the Bluetooth feature. A shame, I liked the Bluetooth feature but not reliable when the car turns on. For this reason, I return and purchase the wired unit. ——————————————————— So happy with this product. My 2018 Mazda CX5 did come with CarPlay (actually late 2018 they began to introduce them). The mod worked perfectly. MAKE SURE OS VERSION is at LEAST 70.XXX.XXX.. Just watch some YouTube tutorials to how to install. Be ready to remove panels. The pics don’t look as bad as it was.

I own a 2018 Mazda3 hatchback with manual transmission and I am in Canada. I successfully installed this today and it is working. I plan to update this review if the unit ever fails. I decided to do this update because my OEM Mazda navigation SD card was beginning to fail and causing bootloops, and was *very* sluggish to load especially in cold weather, rendering the infotainment system unusable most of the time. I debated simply buying a new SD card from Amazon (approx $50), or upgrading the hub to Android Auto. This choice ended up winning out and in my opinion, it is the better choice overall. First, please note that you cannot use the touchscreen while using Android Auto, even if the car is parked. This is a Mazda feature and is not specific to this kit. Andoid Auto touch is disabled in ALL Mazda vehicles. However, if you exit out of Android Auto, you can still use your touchscreen in the Mazda Connect software normally. The box contains the full kit to upgrade to Android Auto which comes with the hub with USB-C, zipties, an instruction manual, the necessary cables, foam stickers to cushion the wires. Using some videos on YouTube I was able to install this hub with minimal difficulty in approximately 1.5 hours. You will need a trim removal tool and a 10mm socket. I would strongly recommend a pair of needlenose pliers and a flathead screwdriver to help remove the old Mazda USB hub. I'm very happy with the result. Android Auto operates seamlessly and you can set it to turn on automatically when you plug the phone into the vehicle. There is no lag. The connection is stable. Voice commands work using the button on the steering wheel without issue. Most normal buttons around the circular dial are integrated for use with Android Auto as well. I am most pleased that I now have navigation that will never get outdated, and without an SD card which after a number of years in the cold begins acting up and requiring a new card to be purchased. Overall this is a significant quality-of-life update that I'm happy I did. In my region, the cost of a dealer doing it would be $500, whereas I only spent $100 on this kit. The alternative would have been to buy a new navigation SD card which I believe runs you about $50 from Amazon, however that will die in about 5 years at best and will also get outdated. Thus, in my opinion this is the far better upgrade.

So far it works flawlessly on my 2017 Mazda CX-5. The install was much easier than I anticipated based on the reviews. The toughest part was updating the firmware which took some digging online.

For my specific Mazda 3 (2017 GX model no cd player) it was impossible to take out the old head unit from the glove box side or from the top so I had to pull apart my entire center console to get to it. It was very time consuming, and scary at times (I cracked some of my trim but the damage is minor). Putting it back together was 100x times easier than pulling it apart and plugging everything in was quite straightforward. After putting everything back together it worked nearly seamlessly. Wireless pairing was simple and the screen latency is super low using the center console controls. Waze didnt work at first by after driving the car around and turning it off and on once, Waze eventually worked as well. I will update this review if there are any glitches or if it bricks. If you want to save some money installing CarPlay yourself this is totally worth it!

Complete junk. Android Auto/Carplay do not show up consistently under "applications" in Mazda's infotainment. Very rarely fixes itself after the car is restarted but 9/10 times it DOES NOT work. I am on the latest software 74.00.324 and I'm 100% certain the hub is installed correctly. I believe the hub unit sent to me is defective but the support team refuses to send me a replacement which is completely unacceptable. Do not purchase this product unless you want to have a product that won't work and a support team that refuses to provide replacements.