Carsifi wireless Android Auto review

I can no longer live without Android Auto. I’ve had it in my previous vehicle for several years through a Pioneer aftermarket addition and it was a “must have” option in the new car I bought last month. Unfortunately, Android Auto is pretty standard on modern cars, but most manufacturers still consider the fully wireless variant a premium option.

Fortunately, we are in the fun world of technology and multiple companies are filling this void in the market with aftermarket Android Auto wireless adapters. We’ve covered a few others, but the last one we spent time with is Carsifi. This new dongle offers everything we are used to, but also has a few surprises in store.

Plug and Play

You can’t get a setup much simpler than that. Like the competition we’ve used, the Carsifi Android Auto dongle is a breeze to get started in your car. Connect the supplied USB cable to the correct port in your car, connect to the dongle via Bluetooth settings and complete your onboarding via the car infotainment.

That is it. You should have the Carsifi ready in less than five minutes to enjoy your wireless interference.

The magic button

So what sets Carsifi apart from other Android Auto wireless adapters? It’s the magic button. The company has built a dongle that supports multiple connections. Whether you have a business phone and a personal phone with you, or the most common one, you and the significant other both have Android, then Carsifi can be the solution.

You can achieve this by setting up the secondary phone independently using the same steps as above. Then you can “hot swap” devices in the car by double clicking the magic button. The device uses the last known connection by default, but easily switches between owners with just a tap of this button.

Performance

The Carsifi dongle has performed exceptionally well in my time when installed. When installed for the first time, it is truly plug and play as if it were any other Bluetooth audio unit. After that, your car should remember and preset the connection.

My only complaint is that the Magic Button occasionally didn’t switch devices on the first try. Usually a second double click was sufficient. Otherwise you should have no problems getting the Carsifi to work in your vehicle.

What also stands out is the battery life of the connected Android phone. It’s not great, but so is any other option to add wireless Auto as well. Using the combination of WiFi and Bluetooth at the same time is taxing on the endurance of the connected phone.

An added bonus is that Carsifi has a companion app. This allows for basic software tweaks and, more importantly, software updates. This makes it comparable to the AAWireless and a step ahead of Moto MA1. Being able to fix bugs as soon as they occur with little consumer input is a huge plus.

Conclusion

Carsifi is another excellent way to add wireless Android Auto to a car that doesn’t have it from the factory. With a USB cable and high-speed Bluetooth connection, you can add it to any car with wired Android Auto.

The last selling feature is that Carsifit doesn’t break the bank. At $100, this puts it firmly in the same range as its competition. Honestly, of the three Android Auto wireless options I tested, Carsifi is my favorite.

I can’t put my finger on it, but it just seems to start and perform a little better than both AAWireless and the Moto. Add in the multi-device support with the Magic Button, and I think you’ve got the most complete aftermarket wireless adapter Android Auto users should be looking at.