Yeah I'm sure there are higher resolutions screens out there. Did you look at the base 2019 HU or the Nav+HK system HU? I find the larger, capacitive screen has a bit better resolution, but I have not tech specs to back that up.

Good question... I think it was a Limited, but I don't remember.

I saw this site on Ramsey Subaru saying they can retrofit Apple Carplay on the 205-2018 WRXs. Now just need to figure out if its direct plug and play and if anything else is needed for the HK option.

https://www.ramseysubaru.net/apple-carplay.htm

^^^Interesting. I'm curious, I may just fill out the inquiry, just to see how much they charge.

I just called Ramsey subaru, and, it's about 1400.00. They can do it on the hk systems in the Rex, sti, and brz. An outside vendor comes in and does it for them.

so an aftermarket unit then???

lmao! Dude... no. I'm tempted to travel to this place just to laugh in their face.

Thanks for calling Ramsey. Yes, that price is too steep and I'm guessing that means the unit costs $1200 without the install but I'll check with the local dealer as well.

The image from the site doesn't match the 2019 so maybe its not OEM.

If I am correct I believe you also need a new USB hub as it has to be certified for CarPlay.
People have to do that on the 2016 Mustangs.

While I have hope, I've pretty much forgotten about the idea and put a 10" tablet up over my screen. Only thing I mess is the back up cam. *shrug*

I spoke with a dealership yesterday, and the salesman I spoke with is One Of Us.

He says that the new AA/CP headunits absolutely are plug and play into the 2016-2018 WRXs. However, it's not a firmware flash, but a new HU. And it's $1300.

Ouch. However, that's the cost.

For that price ($1300) you'd be better off buying an aftermarket radio with better sound quality/features. I don't see why Subaru can't just update our radios to have Apple carplay/Android Auto.

Because they're not the same HU. Outwardly it may look the same, but I'm willing to bet that there were upgrades (like 5V/1.5A charging on the USB ports to support AA/CP) internally that while harness connections may very well be the same, internal components may not be.

And yes, for $1300 you might as well go aftermarket. Just like you might as well go aftermarket instead of spending almost $500 on the Kicker powered sub, almost $200 for Kicker dash tweeters, and $300 for kicker door speakers.

The Harmon Kardon system in the Limited is probably worth it, since for the $2100 package, you get the GPS Nav system, blind spot detection, rear object detection, and the HK audio system (which is no slouch at all).

But the Kicker speaker upgrade is absolutely not worth it.

On Crutchfield, you can get:

Kicker Key180.4 (45W RMS x 4): $200 (it does digital time alignment, etc all on its own so you don't have to, and it's a compact amp too able to take inputs from your factory speaker level outputs OR pre-amp outputs)
Rockford Fosgate R1675-S (40W RMS component speakers for the front doors and dash): $70
Memphis Audio 15-SRX62 (2-way speakers for the rear doors): $40
Total: $310, which is only $10 more than just the kicker door speaker upgrade from Subaru.

And you can find a good 8" shallow mount sub and compact enclosure and a decent amp there as well for a combined < $500 of the kicker powered sub.

I just checked out the dealership here in Vegas and saw the 19 model year WRXs in the back fresh off the truck. The doors were locked so I couldn't take a decent picture inside it but it "looks" like the same dimensions as the 17, 18 MY. This doesn't look like a Fujitsu model at all so likely its Clarion or Harmon. The parts department wasn't sure if the 19 MY would work as they haven't seen it either. I am going to call SOA and see if they can work out something with me and hopefully everyone else interested. They know Forester, WRX, Legacy owners have the same headache (I have the 17 Limited and I bought it two years ago on this this day) I really don't need to pay another $1400 or whatever the cost is to upgrade. Maybe a trade in of the old unit to the new one and I pay the difference, or maybe they'll be fair and say hey we screwed up with that awful unit take this one on us or heck even a SW/Firmware update. As others have mentioned, if SOA gets a massive influx of concerns/complaints from 16, 17, 18 MY owners they can't just keep saying "No plans" or do nothing. Ive used twitter before they said call SOA. Emails are easy for them to copy and paste generic messages. Wishful thinking they'll do something. I'll post back with an update.

The price is steep, but people will pay it if it's truly plug and play; myself included. Especially when there are a number of dealers selling parts at a 20% discount. Saving $250 (assuming 20% discount on OEM and $750 for aftermarket headunit, harnesses, Scosche thing, Maestro RR, etc) isn't worth the hassle of trying to get an aftermarket headunit to work with an HK audio equipped car.



Factory fit and finish (the Scosche things look cheap and terrible to me), not having to splice and solder a bunch of wires/harnesses to get it working, not having to buy and fiddle with auxiliary devices (Maestro RR) for steering wheel controls, and being able to reuse all the original equipment like the HK amp, microphone, USB ports, are all reasons I'd rather stay OEM if possible.

I totally understand the plug and play aspect and wanting to stay OEM. If that's what people want go for it. But at $1300 the sound quality better be good or better then what we have now.

Have a 2019 here.. usb ports are labeled as 2.5 amps.. seems to charge my galaxy s9 fine while running AA. Someone above commented saying the 2019 wrx AA interface was crap.. im confused there since its the same interface on all devices and my 2019 limted has a high resolution screen. It looks fine. Sound quality with HK system is fine.. weak in the punch but not too boomy. Plenty loud without distortion compared to aftermarket HUs.(maybe louder). Unfortunately no latency adjustment like many aftermarket HUs.
Id pay the usual subaru part discounted price of ~$1000 for it if I had HK setup... aftermarket wont get you a 7.5" screen and the fit kits are gross looking. Plus you'll pay for all those adapters and accessories so the total isnt that far off aftermarket.

Plus it has wifi, so hopefully I am just an update away from having wireless AA.

I really don’t mind the HK system either... it’s sounds pretty good. The car has so much tire and road noise that any high quality aftermarket system is wasted, for me anyway. Any other features they have I also will never use.

And that’s exactly why I don’t want aftermarket. Harnesses, splicing, other accessory units, and that HU surround blanks that looks so out of place (imo). I’ll pay OEM price for plug and play and made-to-fit in the dash. Those part numbers are sure taking their sweet time to show up though.

2.5A is great, actually!

And actually there is an aftermarket that is better than 7.5". Alpine has one that is 9".

Also, with idatalink Maestro RR and the install kit, you can get an AA aftermarket HU with wireless AA for well south of $1k (with install kit included) and iDatalink for appropriate HUs will give you lots of vehicle information and additional gauges you'd otherwise need an AP for.

I'd say that makes it way better than stock HU.

if its truly plug and play.....i wouldnt be against it for my own vehicle..... just saying...lol

Unless it comes with line level pre-outs as well and the AA interface doesn't look like a$$, I wouldn't drop $1k on it.

i have processors that will take care of the preouts....lol

Well, in that case...

Some of us don't have excess car audio equipment laying about :P.

comes with my job..... lol and hoarding **** for 28 years in this industry

id still want to measure it thought someday just to see what it looks like though