2014-2018 Toyota Rav4 Hamilton Upgrade Kit for CarPlay® and Android Auto™

The entire team at Hamilton, from the moment we pushed the button and purchased this unit for my daughter‘s 2017 RAV4 until it was installed and running flawlessly, was fantastic. I’ve done projects before here and there and I do know my limits and after watching the video and reviews online, I went ahead and ordered this. Literally, the morning of install I was actually dreading my decision because I knew somehow someway this would end up like many other projects and be an absolute headache with my daughter ending up with a giant hole in her dashboard. My wife and I watched this video online of the install step-by-step and actually install the stereo just like the video said when it was done it looked like it was factory installed and more importantly operated like just like that I can’t say enough good things about the Hamilton team and especially their in country. Non-bot customer service. If you have a question, there will be somebody who picks up the phone and can answer it and you will be right back on your way with the project. That is something I thought I would never see you again. Thank you to everybody at Hamilton for providing not only a wonderful product but wonderful service to go along with that product.

Installed it on my daughters 2018 Toyota Rav4. works AWESOME!!! The help videos were on the money! Ver satisfied.

I installed this in a 2018 RAV4. The unit was pretty easy to install and seems to work well. The installation video provided clear instructions. I had to double check the proper dip switch settings. The video said to use 7 and 8. The box came with switches 6, 7, and 8 on. According to Hamilton’s website, I turned on 2, 6, 7, and 8. I also opted not to reinstall the Sirius box as I don’t subscribe to Sirius radio and the fit inside the dash was tight. I did save it in case a future owner wants to reinstall it.

Big thanks to Micha and the team! I had a 2018 Toyota RAV4 and bought a Toyota upgrade kit. I was having some trouble installing it myself, so I called them, and they helped me a ton. The product is really good too; I was thinking of getting a new car soon, but with this, I'm definitely keeping it longer. It's super useful, and everything's working perfectly, no changes needed. Thanks, Hamilton Motor Company, I'm so glad I found you guys! Other manufacturers don't offer service like you do, and they don't have products that can run all the factory systems like yours.

Perfect fit just what I was looking for I wanted something that looked like it came originally with the car and this is exactly what this dose.Gives apple carplay to the factory screen without having to add a screen that looks out of place.

Before reading any of this I want to say this is an excellent product with great build quality. I would 100% recommend this to anyone who wants to keep the factory appearance but with updated features. This is a daily driver. I don't want anyone taking a second look at it assuming there is anything of value in it. Everything below is just an honest review.

The packaging is high quality. It's impressive and speaks volumes IMHO. Hamilton wants you to know they care about this product and how it's presented to you. They also want it to arrive in the same shape as it left their factory. It's packaged very well and with care.

The literature is high quality print but could be improved upon. There is a quick start guide and QR code links. There are some minor errors in the literature. The QR codes link to their website. Navigating the site does not always yield what you are expecting. A solid PDF manual would be nice.

This was installed in a 2017 RAV4 XLE. Installation was simple but I elected to remove the XM module. I didn't want it clanking around behind the dash. There is no good way to mount this due to the OEM cable being so short. I would recommend a longer cable be included. I don't use XM radio so it didn't matter.

If I did use XM radio and the cable was longer. I would have secured it behind the HVAC controls or somewhere similar with some industrial Velcro. I've done this with gauge controllers and other devices without issue. Again the OEM cable is too short to allow for this...I guess you could extend it yourself if you can solder. I also ran the USB cord to my glove box so that it's hidden and easily accessible.

The dip switches are preset from the factory. They are different from what is recommended in the video so just leave them alone. I found this out from customer support which was very quick in responding to my inquiry. This was awesome! US customer service FTW!

The system works as advertised. It's a shame Toyota was so stubborn years ago in not adopting CP&AA. The OEM screen displays AA remarkably well though. The touch screen being OEM and predating modern designs means it isn't the best experience. Once you calibrate the screen it's much better. This should be included in the quick start guide in the future.

The system uses the AUX mode so there is a little bit of knowledge that is necessary to easily navigate between the Toyota system and the Hamilton system. If you share a car with a family member take this into consideration. Especially with non-tech people. They will need to be made familiar with the AUX mode and the limitations while listening to the factory radio.

I am happy with the setup. I've seen other systems that appear to work similarly. The Hamilton upgrade is so well integrated into the factory system that I felt comfortable giving Hamilton a chance. I was not disappointed. Being an American company I hope Hamilton continues to do well and produce more innovative products.

Keeping all the stock functions including the Toyota energy management screen for my hybrid while enjoying Android Auto has just been awesome.

There were some technical issues for installation with the wrong dip switches being used, but support knocked that out of the park.

Wish more company's went the route of upgrade and enhance vs replace entirely and lose functions.

Maybe on the pricey side... but that's the price of quality. Very well engineered system with no flaws.
Integrates perfectly, great instruction videos.
I've been looking at this system for some time now, and I do not regret making this purchase.
Highly recommended.

This unit fits into existing factory unit abd works every time. For my other cars I had those Chinese head unit replacements with carplay but they never work flawlessly. This works flawlessly with no sound or mic issues with carplay and is a very high quality built. I highly recommend it.

The only thing keeping this from a 5 star review is that the DIP switches were set wrong and I had to pull the dash apart twice. Outside from that the install was smooth as silk.

With no experience working with car stereos, I was able to install this unit in about an hour and a half. It's easy if you work slowly and follow the tutorial video. I ran into a snag (caused by user error) and was helped by a customer service rep, and got my unit set up perfectly. Thanks, John!

The CarPlay UI loads automatically and very quickly. My vehicle has the 360 cameras that toggle on and off depending on my speed. I was worried the new system would mess with that, but the camera system works exactly as it did before installing the Hamilton unit.

Great product, greatest customer support! Nick followed up with phone call less than 24 hours after I submitted a ticket about an install question. Hunter also was very responsive with email response as well. My experience was so good with the product and support, I bought another CarPlay for my 2013 GS and the conversion kit is excellent! Great job Hamilton!

All works very well just as promised
I especially appreciate not only the new car play but that our factory features are all there at the touch of a button
Thank you!

Install was straightforward, no problems with attaching the unit to the radio. The DIP switches weren't set as stated in the install video, so I adjusted them to match the video. Unit powered up, but there were screen color and touch control issues. Customer Service responded to my email within an hour, gave me a link to the proper DIP settings, and all was good.
Well worth the money.

Experience overall was very good. Hamilton was responsive to questions prior to andcafter purchase.
Had been looking for a while to upgrade the head in our 2018 RAV4. Use the SXM feature in the car and did not want to discard it in order to use many of the upgrades on the market.
The integration of the Hanilton box with the current head as well as maintaining all steering wheel features, backup camera and SXM from the OEM head was an excellent choice.
Install went ok. Had to finagle the SXM box slightly so the head would seat, but this was minor.
The support folks were excellent in helping me resolve a color inversion issue by changing a DIP switch.
Overall impressed and woukld recommend this upgrade. If you are thinking about it, viewing the install movie to see if you are up to it or have someone install for you.

Overall, the quality of the unit is good, the exception being the OEM screen having slow responses, but that has nothing to do with Hamilton‘s unit. There is difficulty switching between two iPhones for CarPlay mode. That seems to be the only frustration for my wife.

It took me a few times to learn how to use my new screen but now that I’ve got it down I absolutely love it.

Perfect fit and addition to the car without adding a new system. Great product so far. Love the step by step utube instructions. Thanks guys.

The instruction video made the installation process so simple. Pause the video...back up... start again ...... Hamilton made this process so simple. Their telephone support was outstanding.

The install of this is incredibly easy. I ran into 1 issue and contacted Customer support and got a response within an hour with the answer. Their service was incredibly easy and helpful as well. Super happy with every aspect of the purchase!

I purchased this for my daughter's car. I hated that she couldn't use CarPlay for her Waze and music apps. I did some research and looked at the little USB carplay adapters, and had mixed reviews on them. Then I came across Hamilton Motor Company. I read their reviews and enjoyed that the existing features on the Rav4 tied in nicely with their kit. Hamlton provided step-by-step instructions to install their kit, making it easy to install. I would recommend them to everyone who needs CarPlay on any Toyota that doesn't have CarPlay. Let's not forget that its made in the USA!

Exactly what I was hoping for. I have a 2016 RAV4 that I plan on keeping for a while. A lot of the upgrade options are basically tablets that seem to have a lot of issues longterm (overheating, electronics failing, screen not dimming with interior lighting, etc).

I was primarily looking for something that would add voice control and enable high quality audio via a USB connection, but otherwise keeps everything stock. This does just that while retaining my steering wheel controls and rear camera. You can also switch back to your original setup in 2 seconds. No installation headaches or extra cost for harnesses, everything you need is included in the price.

The installation was very straight forward. The most difficult part was removing some screws that were easily stripped and machine tightened, but that's Toyota's fault. It's nice seeing the album art of the song I'm playing. You can also jump to different points of a song directly on the screen.

If I'm being picky, I have a couple of wishlist items I'd add for their OS, but those are all things 80% of people wouldn't care about. I personally use Android Auto and I've had no issues at all.

Bought my wife’s RAV4 and CarPlay showed up next year. Have been looking for simple solutions and nothing was acceptable. This was a simple installation and the set up was a breeze. Customer service is also excellent.

The upgrade kit works exactly as I expected and has been a great addition to my Rav4. The setup and functionality are smooth, and it really enhances the driving experience. My only small suggestion would be to add an option to block incoming messages from appearing on the screen, which would make it even better. Overall, I’m very satisfied with this purchase.

Very fast shipping, install was smooth, the attention to detail for every component in the kit was very impressive. Hamilton cares about their product, and it shows.

The installation process was quick and easy. The video really breaks it down. Theres a bit of a learning curve to get it connected and going but works great. Really enjoy still having the factory head unit as opposed to an aftermarket one. This really helped us overcome the hurdles with the outdated Toyota entune system.

Highly recommend!