To help give me the full NEX experience, Pioneer arranged for an installer to do a complete installation of the W8500NEX in my 2012 Toyota Sienna, which was equipped from the factory with a relatively basic audio system that had started to flake out a bit on me.
Installing a new car audio system can be a do-it-yourself job, but the more connections you need to make like steering wheel controls and backup cameras, the more complex the job and the more likely it will be worth your while to have a professional do it. And depending on any other integration like steering wheel controls and backup camera connections, you may need a few more things. Anytime you’re swapping out the radio system on your vehicle, you’ll need a few other accessories like an appropriate wiring harness and dashboard trim plate for your specific vehicle.
You can generally save hundreds of dollars by buying through Amazon sellers and other sources, but many of these are not authorized Pioneer dealers so you do want to be careful about where your unit is coming from.Īnd the unit itself is not the only item you’ll need in order to add this receiver to your car. Several months ago, Pioneer offered me the opportunity to try out the top of the line AVIC-W8500NEX, which offers a nearly 7-inch capacitive touchscreen display with onboard HERE navigation, wired and wireless CarPlay support, a DVD/CD player, and more.Īs the top-end model in the lineup, the AVIC-W8500NEX carries a list price of $1200, so it’s not necessarily for the budget-conscious customer. Pioneer has long been one of the biggest names in aftermarket car audio, and the company’s lineup of NEX receivers offers a terrific option for adding CarPlay and other enhanced functionality to older cars or entry-level models that lack some of the latest technology.Pioneer’s 2019 NEX lineup includes models at a range of price points offering varying feature sets.