Honda Amaze, Brio, and City Owners: Why Your Factory Head Unit Is Costing You More Than You Think in 2025
You paid anywhere between ₹7 lakh and ₹12 lakh for your Honda. And tucked into that dashboard is a head unit that Honda likely sourced for a few hundred rupees — one that hasn't meaningfully changed in capability since the car rolled off the assembly line. No wireless CarPlay. No real-time GPS. A Bluetooth stack that struggles to stay connected. If you've been quietly tolerating it, you're not alone. But you might be more frustrated than you realise once you see what a proper Honda Amaze Android car stereo upgrade actually delivers.
What Honda Actually Gives You at the Factory Level
Honda builds excellent engines, reliable suspension geometry, and some of the best fuel economy numbers in their respective segments. The infotainment, however, is a different story.
The factory head units across the Amaze, Brio, and older City variants typically ship with:
- Basic Bluetooth that supports audio streaming and calls, but not AVRCP properly in many cases
- No built-in GPS navigation — you're expected to use your phone, often without proper mount or integration
- Low-resolution displays with resistive touchscreens that feel unresponsive by 2025 standards
- No wireless mirroring — if you want Android Auto or CarPlay at all, you need adapters and cables
- Limited audio tuning — flat equalizer options with no ability to time-align or tune for your specific cabin acoustics
None of this is a flaw in Honda's engineering talent. It's a deliberate cost decision. The company knows that a large percentage of buyers either upgrade the head unit themselves or simply live with it. Either way, Honda doesn't lose the sale.
The real cost to you isn't monetary — it's the daily friction of using a system that makes driving feel dated in a world where your phone does everything better.
The Hidden Functionality Gap That Grows Every Year
Here's an angle most buyers miss: the gap between factory infotainment and aftermarket Android units is not static. It widens every year.
Factory units are frozen in time. The software version they shipped with is generally what you get for the life of the car, unless you're driving a high-end variant with over-the-air update capability — which no Amaze or Brio offers.
Aftermarket Android stereos, by contrast, run on the Android operating system. That means app updates, Google Maps improvements, and new features from Spotify, YouTube Music, or Waze reach your dashboard the same way they reach your phone. The system you install today stays relevant two or three years from now in a way your factory head unit simply cannot.
This is especially significant for navigation. Google Maps in 2025 has real-time traffic rerouting, fuel stop suggestions, lane guidance overlays, and improved toll calculations for Indian highways. None of that is available on a factory Honda unit from 2016–2020.
What a Proper Honda Amaze Android Car Stereo Upgrade Looks Like
The SoundTech Honda Amaze Android Stereo 4GB/64GB with Wireless CarPlay & GPS is purpose-built for the Amaze platform and addresses the core limitations of the factory unit directly.
At ₹6,800–₹7,900, this is genuinely mid-range pricing for what you get:
- 4GB RAM / 64GB storage running on a multicore processor — this is not a sluggish budget unit. The processing headroom means maps, music, and calls run simultaneously without lag.
- Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto — no cable, no adapter. You pick up your phone and it connects. The variant without CarPlay and Android Auto is also available if you prefer a lower starting price.
- Built-in GPS — you no longer depend on your phone's GPS chip or data connection for basic navigation.
- Rated 4.64 out of 5 across 44 verified reviews — real buyers on real Amaze installations.
The difference in daily usability is substantial. Pulling out of a busy parking lot in Bengaluru or navigating an unfamiliar industrial area in Pune with full Google Maps on a large touchscreen versus squinting at a phone clipped to your air vent — these are not equivalent experiences.
For the Honda Amaze Android car stereo upgrade to look truly factory-fitted rather than an aftermarket add-on, the frame matters as much as the unit itself.
Why the Dashboard Frame Is Not an Optional Extra
Most buyers think about the stereo unit and forget the installation context entirely. This is a mistake that leads to installations that look aftermarket in the worst possible way — gaps around the screen, mismatched finishes, and a general sense that someone jammed a tablet into your dashboard.
The Honda Amaze 2016-18 9-Inch Gloss Black Android Double DIN Dashboard Frame solves this at ₹1,200.
Designed specifically for the 2016–2018 Honda Amaze, it creates a clean, factory-style finish around the 9-inch head unit. The gloss black finish is shockproof, scratch-resistant, and UV-resistant — relevant if you park outdoors regularly in Indian summers where dashboard temperatures can spike significantly.
With a 4.70 out of 5 rating across 44 reviews, it performs exactly as buyers expect: clean fitment, no modification to the original dashboard structure, and a finished look that doesn't announce itself as an aftermarket job.
The combined cost of the stereo and the frame — roughly ₹8,000–₹9,100 depending on the variant you choose — is a meaningful but practical upgrade that changes how you interact with your car every single day.
Does This Apply to Brio and City Owners Too?
The Honda Amaze Android car stereo upgrade conversation applies directly to Brio and older City owners with some important context.
The Honda Brio shares significant platform DNA with the Amaze and uses a similar DIN slot configuration. The infotainment limitations are comparable, and many of the same aftermarket solutions fit with appropriate adapter frames.
For Honda City owners on older generations (pre-2020), the situation is similar. The City was positioned as a premium sedan, but the factory audio in mid and base variants frequently shipped without navigation and with similarly basic Bluetooth implementations.
If you own a Brio or an older City, browsing the Car Specific Stereos collection is a logical starting point. Fitment matters, and using a stereo and frame designed for your specific model year avoids the modifications that can void trim warranties or leave unsightly gaps.
What to Check Before You Buy
Before committing to any Honda Amaze Android car stereo upgrade, verify three things:
- Your Amaze model year — the 2016–2018 and post-facelift versions have slightly different dash configurations. The frame linked above is specifically rated for 2016–2018.
- Whether you want wireless or wired CarPlay — the SoundTech unit offers wireless, which is the more convenient option, but confirm your phone's CarPlay compatibility if you're on a non-Apple device and planning to use Android Auto specifically.
- Your steering wheel control integration — many Android stereos support CAN bus adapters that preserve your Honda's steering-mounted controls. Ask at the time of purchase or installation.
These aren't reasons to hesitate. They're reasons to buy the right thing on the first attempt.
FAQ
Q: Will a Honda Amaze Android car stereo upgrade affect my car's warranty? A: Replacing a factory head unit typically does not affect your engine or mechanical warranty. However, if you're within the standard dealer warranty period, confirm with your service centre before installation to avoid any dispute around electrical components.
Q: Is the SoundTech Honda Amaze stereo compatible with both pre-facelift and post-facelift Amaze models? A: The SoundTech 4GB/64GB unit is designed for Honda Amaze applications. The 9-inch dashboard frame listed is specifically rated for 2016–2018 models. For other model years, check the car-specific stereos collection or contact Sahiba Car directly for fitment confirmation.
Q: What is the difference between the CarPlay variant and the variant without CarPlay? A: The SoundTech Honda Amaze stereo is available in two variants: one with Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, and one without. If you use an iPhone and want native CarPlay mirroring wirelessly, choose the CarPlay variant. If you primarily stream through Spotify or use the built-in Android apps directly, the standard variant functions well at a lower price point.
Q: Do I need a professional installer or can I do this myself? A: The installation involves disconnecting the factory unit, connecting the new harness, and fitting the frame — tasks that a competent DIY installer can manage. That said, if you're unfamiliar with automotive wiring, a professional install from a car audio workshop is recommended to ensure clean wiring and proper steering wheel control integration.
The Upgrade That Makes Your Honda Feel New Again
Honda built you a reliable, well-engineered car. The factory head unit was never meant to be the reason you enjoy driving it. For under ₹9,100 — combining the SoundTech Android Stereo with the 9-inch Gloss Black Dashboard Frame — you get wireless CarPlay, built-in GPS, 4GB of RAM, and a clean factory-fit finish that makes the cabin feel genuinely modern.
That's not a small thing. It's what you interact with every time you sit in the driver's seat.
Browse the full range of car-specific stereos, Android frames, and audio accessories at Sahiba Car and find the right fit for your Honda model and year.