If you drive an older car without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you don’t necessarily need a new head unit (or a new car) to get modern smartphone connectivity. The Car and Driver Intellidash Pro X10 is essentially a shortcut, adding a large touchscreen with wireless capabilities to almost anything with a 12-volt outlet.
Right now during Prime Big Deal Days, the Intellidash X10 is 20 percent off. It’s normally $180, and right now you can pick it up for just $144.
That’s especially appealing as automakers continue to rethink how our phones interact with our cars. Apple is gradually expanding its more deeply integrated CarPlay Ultra, while some automakers are putting more emphasis on their own native infotainment systems. The Intellidash takes a much simpler approach: Bring the familiar phone-based interface to the car you already own.
We tested the Intellidash Pro X10 earlier this year in a 1997 Porsche Boxster, which is exactly the kind of car where a product like this makes sense. Installation doesn’t require tearing apart the dashboard or messing with factory wiring. Plug the unit into a 12-volt outlet, mount the screen, connect your phone, and you’re basically ready to go. Setup took only a few minutes, and wireless CarPlay consistently reconnected after startup during my testing.
The display isn’t the sharpest or most fluid we’ve tested in this category, but it gets the important stuff right. It’s bright enough for most driving conditions, touch inputs are responsive, and navigation, music, calls, and messages are easy to access. More important, the interface doesn’t feel like one of the countless cheap aftermarket screens that can turn something as simple as changing a song into an exercise in frustration.
Audio integration is similarly straightforward. The Intellidash has a built-in speaker, but you’ll get a much better experience by routing sound through your car’s existing stereo via Bluetooth or AUX.
The Intellidash Pro X10 is appealing because it doesn’t try to do too much. It gives an older vehicle the connectivity most drivers now expect without requiring a permanent modification.
If you’ve got a beloved older sports car, truck, or daily driver that predates modern infotainment, the Intellidash is an easy quality-of-life upgrade. And at 20 percent off for Amazon’s Fall Prime Day, it’s exactly the kind of accessory worth grabbing.
A passion for fast times and good vibes. She loves nothing more than being near a racetrack, admiring a vintage Alfa Romeo, or a strong cup of coffee. With ten years of editorial experience, she brings a unique perspective to Road & Track. Her bylines have appeared in Men’s Journal, PC Mag, Robb Report, and many more. And no, she will not apologize for the Fernando Alonso praise.
Source: www.roadandtrack.com
