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Pioneer AVH-4100NEX multimedia receiver review: Does offering less make this Android Auto, Apple CarPlay receiver the best?

With all of the features we want and none we don't need, Pioneer entry-level AVH-4100NEX is literally one Car Tech editor's choice for adding Android Auto or Apple CarPlay to their ride.

Antuan Goodwin Reviews Editor / Cars
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Expertise Reviewing cars and car technology since 2008 focusing on electrification, driver assistance and infotainment Credentials
  • North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
Antuan Goodwin
8 min read

As the saying goes, "you get what you pay for," meaning that sometimes it's worth paying a little extra to get a more acceptable level of quality. According to that logic, a $1,400 car multimedia receiver should be twice as good as a $700 one. But as I learned during my test of Pioneer Electronics' flagship AVIC-8100NEX -- an amazing powerhouse of headunit -- sometimes paying more leaves you with more product than you can reasonably use.

9.0

Pioneer AVH-4100NEX multimedia receiver

The Good

The Pioneer AVH-4100NEX offers Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink and more in one box that can be added to nearly any car. The digital media receiver boasts an impressive list of onboard audio and video sources and connections. The 4100NEX is the only NEX model to feature detachable faceplate security.

The Bad

The NEX receiver is oddly finicky about its two USB ports and what cables are used with them. The multitouch, resistive touchscreen is almost as smooth as a capacitive unit, but not quite.

The Bottom Line

With all of the features we want and none of the duplicates, Pioneer's AVH-4100NEX is the simplest, most cost-effective option for drivers who just want to add Android Auto or Apple CarPlay to their ride.

This is where the AVH-4100NEX comes in. No, it's not the flagship to Pioneer's NEX series of multimedia receivers; it's technically the entry model. It boasts a more modest list of features when compared to its AVIC-prefixed siblings, most obviously being its lack of onboard GPS hardware and navigation software. But in many ways, the 4100NEX's more conservative approach to its feature set that makes it the best buy in the line.

You see, the NEX series' claim to fame -- the reason that I think most users will be interested in these models -- is the inclusion of Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and MirrorLink compatibility in one box. When connected to a compatible phone, the $700 4100NEX instantly becomes as functional as the $1,400 8100NEX, but with fewer redundancies in the feature list and a lot of extra money left in the buyer's wallet.

For our UK and Australian readers, Pioneer offers the identical AVH-X8700BT and AVH-X8750BT receivers, respectively. There doesn't appear to be any difference between these three units beyond their model names. The X8700BT costs £699.99 in the UK, while the Aussie X8750BT runs AU$1,149.

Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, MirrorLink and more

When connected via USB to an Android device that's running software version Lollipop 5.x, the receiver triggers the Android Auto software to start on the host phone. After an initial setup on the phone that installs the Android Auto app as well as Google Maps, Google Music and Google Voice Search if they're not already installed on the device, there's a quick walk-through on the NEX receiver's screen before the driver is presented with the Android Auto overview screen.

When connected to a compatible mobile device, the 4100NEX can make use of the Android Auto and Apple CarPlay interfaces. Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Boasting both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay makes the NEX models ideal for cross-platform households. When connected to an iPhone running iOS version 8 or better, the 4100NEX boasts features identical in scope and operation to what we saw recently on the AVIC-8100NEX. Being able to experience the two systems side-by-side on the same hardware, I noticed that CarPlay seemed just a hair smoother in operation than Android Auto, particularly during the pairing phase. I suspect that has more to do with the phones' operating systems than Pioneer's hardware; Apple's version of this tech just seems to be more plug-and-play.

Being a Nexus 5 user, the bulk of my testing was done in Android Auto mode, but I've been over the pros and cons of both smartphone protocols and find that they're fairly evenly matched where overall feature sets are concerned. There are differences in interface organization and available apps for audio streaming and messaging, but both are analogous enough to their host smartphone OSes to feel familiar to their respective users. What I like best is that both systems make heavy use of voice command for destination selection, hands-free calling initiation and song selection. Both will also read incoming text messages aloud and allow the driver to compose or reply to messages with voice recognition. Though the screen is important to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay voice command is even more crucial and I like that it is possible to perform many functions without even looking at the receiver.

Users can jump back and forth between CarPlay and Android Auto by plugging in either phone to one of the AVIC-4100NEX's two USB ports. However, the transition between the two protocols isn't exactly seamless, requiring a trip into the Options menu to toggle between "Apple CarPlay" and "Other" USB connection modes. To its credit, the NEX is smart enough to notice that I've plugged in an Android phone when in Apple mode (and vice versa) and prompts me with a pop-up shortcut to the appropriate menu where the toggle can be made, minimizing the amount of tapping needed to get going.

Pioneer's 4100NEX can also multitask to a degree. I was able to run Android Auto's Maps app with one of its USB ports while listening to music from a paired iPhone using the iPod-mode functionality of its second USB port. Likewise, the receiver can listen to CD audio or HD Radio while running Google or Apple's navigation software.

Rounding out the smartphone connectivity list is compatibility with MirrorLink devices and apps and the inclusion of Pioneer's own AppRadio Mode for legacy iPhone and Android devices when used with appropriate adapters. Finally, there's standalone Pandora and Aha Radio app support when connected to a phone running one of these apps.

Behind the motorized display hide slots for DVD optical media and SD cards. Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Onboard audio and video sources

Though I predict that much of CNET's tech-savvy users will see the 4100NEX as little more than a smartphone hub, but the receiver boasts a very respectable set of audio and video sources beyond the one in your pocket. For example, it features built-in HD Radio tuning using the antenna that's already in your car now. There's a hidden optical drive that supports CD, DVD and Video-CD playback.

Got an old iPod? Plug it in and listen. How about a USB drive or DVD full of digital media? The receiver supports MP3, WAV, and AAC audio on USB or optical media and a wide range of video formats to include DivX and MPEG-4 codecs.

There's also Bluetooth audio streaming and hands-free calling, an HDMI video input, and a 3.5mm analog auxiliary input for connecting legacy devices.

If that's not enough, the AVH-4100NEX is also upgradable to support Sirius XM satellite radio with the $70 SiriusXM SXV200 Connect Vehicle Tuner and a subscription. You can also add the optional $400 AVIC-U260 GPS and traffic module should you decide down the line that you do, in fact, want onboard mapping.

Detachable color touch screen

Mounted in the dashboard, the AVH-4100NEX looks identical to the top-tier 8100NEX. The 4100NEX presents the user with a sharp, 7-inch touchscreen that, if you didn't tell me, I may have never guessed uses resistive touch sensing as opposed to the more smartphone-esque capacitive technology. The resistive screen was, according to Pioneer, chosen and developed in concert with Google's input for use with Android Auto. The screen supports multitouch pinching and zooming and is fairly smooth in operation. If I've one nit to pick, it's that sometimes scrolling through long lists of options can be finicky. Fortunately there aren't many places in the interface where you'll have to do so.

The 4100NEX is the only model in the NEX line to feature detachable faceplate security. Antuan Goodwin/CNET

On its motorized mounts, the screen is able to tilt a few degrees to customize the viewing angle and will rotate out of the way at the touch of a button (or two) to expose the DVD and SD card slots and a small mic input for use with Pioneer's optional Auto EQ tuning microphone.

The 4100NEX is also the only unit in the lineup to feature a detachable faceplate. Touch the eject button and then tap a "remove" icon and the entire 7-inch screen can be pulled off of the chassis with one hand. This theft-deterrent feature comes in handy if you have to park in a shady neighborhood or drive a Mazda Miata.

Inputs and connections

You'll only see the rear panel before and during installation, but it's no surprise that the bank of inputs, wire harnesses, and cooling fans looks familiar to the rest of the NEX series.

The most important bits back here are, of course, the standard wire harness for power and speaker connections and the pair of USB ports. Port 1 is for use with iPhone devices and port 2 is for Android Auto and MirrorLink connectivity. Port choice is crucial and specific, so don't mix these up during installation. The NEX receivers are also extremely picky about the USB cables you use for Android Auto connectivity. Use the wrong cable (maybe it's too long or unshielded or whatever) and the interface may periodically freeze and stutter. After a lot of frustration and a bit of trial and error, I found a random Anker-branded cable that worked for me. To save yourself a lot of trouble, Pioneer offers a first-party cord that works flawlessly.

The included microphone is crucial for hands-free calling and voice commanding Android Auto or Carplay. Other noteworthy connections on the rear panel are the two full-range RCA audio outputs, the set of RCA subwoofer outputs, the rear-camera video input and reverse-gear sensor, and a dedicated set of rear A/V outputs for running rear-seat entertainment from the AVH's interface.

One major difference between the AVH-4100NEX and the AVIC models that I've already touched on is the lack of a GPS receiver port or a GPS antenna. This is, of course, due to a lack of onboard navigation software, but one small side effect is that the AVH receiver has to make do with the host phone's A-GPS positioning when using Google or Apple Maps. AVIC models can use their onboard GPS antennas to augment the phone's, providing the potential for better accuracy. During my testing, I found that my phone's GPS seemed good enough.

Interestingly, this entire generation of AVIC/AVH receivers lacks a set of RCA video inputs for connecting external sources. Instead, they rely on an optional RCA-to-3.5mm mini jack adapter that's sold separately, sacrificing the audio auxiliary input in the process. Personally, I think the receivers' standard HDMI input is a good trade, but some users will be caught off-guard by this change of standards.

I choose to run the 4100NEX in my personal car; recommendations hardly come more highly than that. Antuan Goodwin/CNET

You get what you need

At the time this was written, the Pioneer AVH-4100NEX is the receiver that I run in my personal car. It is quite literally this editor's choice, and I don't think that recommendations come any more highly than that.

The AVH-4100NEX doesn't boast as long a feature set as the AVIC-8100NEX, but it also doesn't have as many redundancies. That's not a knock against the flagship -- the 8100NEX crams a mind-boggling amount of tech into a very small space, and for users who like the safety net of onboard navigation, it's an excellent option.

However, for users who are really only looking at the NEX series for Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, or MirrorLink (yes, MirrorLink), the idea of paying hundreds of extra dollars for features that they'll likely never use is a bit silly. This -- along with the unique detachable faceplate security -- is the 4100NEX's biggest advantage over its more expensive siblings: it's doesn't have the massive price tag. At $700 MSRP, (before the discounts that are common in the car audio world), the 4100NEX the most cost-effective way to easily add Android Auto and CarPlay to almost any car on the road.

You get what you pay for, but in this case it may be better to just get what you need.

9.0

Pioneer AVH-4100NEX multimedia receiver

Score Breakdown

Design 8Features 9Performance 10