Considering that Verna, Alcazar, Creta & Seltos all basically have the same infotainment unit, if the adapter could work on a Alcazar, it would work on a Seltos & Creta also
BHPian Desi Dybuk recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Kia Seltos: Wireless Android Auto
So, as we all well know, one of the biggest drawbacks of the Kia Seltos’ infotainment system has been the absence of the Wireless Android Auto & Wireless CarPlay. While there had been rumours of there being a software update to enable these on the existing infotainment units, all have proven to be false starts. This has been the case for all of Hyundai & Kia’s flagships; be it Hyundai Verna, Kia Seltos or the mighty Hyundai Creta. Interesting thing is that the lower variants of these models do have Wireless Android Auto & CarPlay but the top-of-the-line variants miss out on it.
There have been aftermarket solutions in the form of wireless adapters available for this issue for sure. But with no-name Chinese brands, the reliability, the looks & longevity of these solutions have always been questionable. An OEM backed solution would always bring a measure of trust in the form of warranty support.
So, recently Hyundai-Mobis introduced a Hyundai branded Wireless Android Auto & CarPlay for the Hyundai Alcazar model. In fact, these days Hyundai is including this Hyundai branded adapter in it’s Verna & Alcazar models. Considering that Verna, Alcazar, Creta & Seltos all basically have the same infotainment unit, if the adapter could work on a Alcazar, it would work on a Seltos & Creta also.
So, after a bit of a struggle, I managed to purchase the Hyundai Wireless adapter from a local Hyundai dealership. Due to the popularity of this adapter with Creta & Verna customers, these have been hard to come by but I managed to snag one.
The device itself is Hyundai branded & the outer casing is very well made. The outer casing is not some cheap plastic but solid anodised aluminium & feels hefty and durable in hand. Much better than the cheaper plastic casings like those available on Amazon.
Plugged into the USB-A port of my Seltos, it fits well & looks stock. Once plugged in, a screen pops up with instructions on how to connect to it via Bluetooth. Pair it with your phone & voila! Android Auto/CarPlay appears.
I took it on a decent short drive & it worked flawlessly. No lag, no disconnections at all. Music, phone calls all work as intended.
My phone is a Pixel 9 Pro XL & Wireless Android Auto didn’t heat it up much either. (I have experience of using Wireless Android Auto on another of my cars; a Hyundai Verna with a Pioneer DMH-Z6350BT aftermarket infotainment unit & performance and heating was similar.) If you use an older Android phone, you might experience a little more heating up than the more recent phone models.
Mind you, using Wireless Android Auto/CarPlay & Wireless charger is not recommended for longer drives (not just in Kia/Hyundai but on any cars from any other brand) as the phones would generate heat. Use Wireless CarPlay/Android Auto on Wireless charger for shorter commutes only. For longer trips, you are better off using the in-built navigation (from Map My India, which I found good for my use) or use a wired connection.
So, in short, for approximately Rs 4499, this Hyundai adapter is an excellent option to add Wireless Android Auto & CarPlay to your Seltos which looks & feels OEM and with OEM 1-year warranty.
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