Our customer just picked up this base model Volkswagen Jetta which came equipped with a lackluster AM/FM/CD player. He recently moved to Canada and wanted something with navigation but given the price of receivers that have offline/built-in maps, we opted for a deck that supported Apple CarPlay instead. Apple CarPlay offers Waze, Apple Maps, and Google Maps as navigation options. Many drivers find these work better than built-in navigation and factory navigation apps as the mobile interface on CarPlay or Android Auto is constantly updated and optimized for smartphone users. The Sony XAV-AX1000 we installed in this Jetta only offers Apple CarPlay connectivity so it's not an ideal choice if the user wants to switch to an Android device down the road.
In addition to the Apple CarPlay receiver, our customer also wanted to add a backup camera for easier parking. We used a license plate bracket style camera which is great as it keeps the image centered. We relocated the factory license plate bracket about an inch lower as this allows a bit more clearance between the camera and the trunk release handle. We used the iDatalink Maestro RR with VW1 (Car-specific harness) to replace the factory radio. This kit is great for professional shops and DIY installers alike as it provides all the outputs (reverse, parking brake, illumination, vehicle speed), and manages the factory amp, steering wheel controls, and more.
Install Pictures
