Pioneer AVH W4500NEX Review – Are You Ready to Enjoy Your Commute With Perfect Sound?
Click Image to see Reviews and Latest Price
And make those speakers sing…
If you are like me, you have been thinking about upgrading your sound system. I’m an absolute novice about electrical stuff, so I went with the advice of an expert. He suggested getting some top of the line speakers a few subs and amps. Ok, but what about the car stereo? What about it? – that’s how he replied.
Then I started to research the internet on how to get the best sound quality in my car. I’m glad that I didn’t take his advice. Now I would be out of a lot of money.
This is why I’ve created this Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX Review. Read this post, and by the end, you will know if this is what you need.
This car stereo has it all from wireless Apple Carplay to HD radio (standard as well like FM stations and AM stations) and SiriusXM ready (compatible with SiriusXM SXV300 tuner). We shouldn’t forget the standard FM/AM radio and a DVD/CD player. It has two camera inputs (dash cam and backup cam). It also comes with dual rear USB ports, each dedicated to a particular phone.
Yes, it has flaws that I cover in the shortcomings chapter. Many people jump right there.
Do the pros outweigh the cons? Read this review until the end and you will find out.
Let’s get this Pioneer AVH- W4500NEX review started.
Who is the Pioneer AVH- W4500NEX for?
The Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX is for people who are tired plugging in their phones. Wireless connections hit the mainstream more than ten years ago. Why are car stereos still lagging?
Also, this head unit is perfect for people who want to be entertained while driving.
We shouldn’t forget all the safety features that come with it. You will have hands-free controls to take and make calls. Plus, you can listen to texts and reply to them thanks to the built-in Bluetooth.
This digital receiver comes with two video inputs. You can mount a dash cam and a backup camera. At the moment of writing this post the backup camera wasn’t included in the package. It is sold separately.
If you love the clean, crisp CD quality of the radio, you will enjoy the head unit. It comes with HD radio.
Last but not least, it’s SiriusXM ready. All you have to do is add your account, and you can listen to your favorite shows. Satellite radio is there for you to enjoy anywhere you’re traveling.
To summarize, you get great sound quality, tons of music options, and safety in one digital receiver.
What can the Pioneer AVH- W4500NEX do for you?
I’ve already touched based earlier on a few points. Now I will go more in-depth.
Can you imagine driving without wires?
No more keeping track if I have left a USB cable in the car or not. No more dangling it left and right. This is what the wireless connection gives you.
It still has built-in Bluetooth, and it has been around for a while. This is old-school tech you can use Apple Carplay Android Auto with it. If you want to enjoy your favorite assistant, you need a wireless connection.
Hey Siri… and that’s how I get things done while driving.
The unit comes with an HDMI connector for screen mirroring. Speaking of mirroring, you can just about mirror any phone screen.
It comes with a big resistive touchscreen display. And by big, I mean 6.94” screen size. Sadly it’s a wvga clear resistive touchscreen touch screen, not a capacitive one. Either way, it’s fast.
Do you like to customize your gadgets? Then I have news for you. You can change the background to any image you like to. Also, you can change the splash screen. You can add your car model or even your wedding photo to the startup. Now that’s what I call personalization at its best.
What about time alignment? Thanks to the Pioneer app, you can set how fast or slow the sound hits you from the speakers. The sound quality is simply amazing.
If you are looking for the best double din head unit for sound quality this might be the right choice.
How do you like what you hear about Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX?
Key Features:
- Built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming
- Hands-free calling and audio streaming; Dual phone connection
- Built-in amplifier (14 watts RMS/50 watts peak x 4 channels)
- 6.94″ wvga clear resistive touchscreen display; HDMI input
- Low and high-pass filters with adjustable crossover points; 13-band graphical EQ
Click Image to see Reviews and Latest Price
Pioneer AVH- W4500NEX shortcomings
The Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX isn’t a perfect car stereo. It has flaws, so let’s see if they are a deal-breaker for you.
I’m not happy with the dimming feature. It seems to be too bright at night. It can distract driving.
Wireless Android Auto works only on a few select phones. Shortly more phones will be able to use this app.
The connection to wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto is slow. You can expect to wait anywhere from 15s to 30s. That’s a lot of time waiting.
The manual is ultra-light. If you want extra info, hit up YouTube. Some dedicated people go into details talking about every feature.
It’s a big screen, which means it will be a magnet for dust and fingerprints. Consider buying a screen protector.
The navigation buttons on this car stereo are small, even tiny. They aren’t soft either. I like the softer buttons.
- Built-in Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming
- Works with wireless and wired Apple Car Play and Android Auto
- Works with SiriusXM SXV300 Tuner -- supports tune mix, traffic & weather now, and sports flash features
How To Get The Most Out Of Pioneer AVH- W4500NEX?
If you are familiar with my reviews, you know that I advocate for pro installs. For me, it’s a time saver.
Once that’s done, check it out if you need the two cameras. The stereo has two camera inputs. With a rear view camera, you can enjoy safe and fast parking. And you know dash cams always come handy on the road. These cameras are not included they are sold separately.
Did you know by installing this stereo you’re steering wheel controls will be lost? Now there’s a quick and easy solution for it. The device is called iDatalink Maestro. With this gadget you can keep your steering wheel controls. Plus it gives you vehicle data, engine performance and other factory features.
There’s one more annoying thing with the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX you can’t watch movies while driving. This is mandated by the law. Still, settings options like EQ are only allowed when you’re stationary. That’s just dumb.
Anyways there’s a hack for it. You can bypass the parking brake system.
You know many car stereos suffer from the same issue, which is glare. If the light hits at the right angle, there’s glare. The Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX has an adjustable screen. It has five positions to choose from.
Last but not least, I want to talk about the faceplate. It’s removable, so thieves won’t break into your car.
Here’s the bird’s eye view for this in-dash receiver.
- Finally a wireless Carplay and Android soon to come
- You can have your custom background and splash screen
- Sensitive radio picks up a lot of stations
- Takes time for Apple Carplay and Android Auto to start
- The buttons are tiny they are not soft
Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX Review Conclusion
What can I say the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX is a well-rounded car stereo. It delivers on multiple fronts. It’s fast and gives an amazing sound quality. You can be entertained by multiple music sources.
Siri Eyes Free and Android are there to take your commands.
It comes with bugs as well, which hopefully will be fixed with the next firmware update.
We have reached the end of my review of this DVD receiver. I hope you got many useful tips about this head unit. Are you ready to get it installed?
Do you have this unit? I’m keen to hear your experiences do share them below. As always, hit me up if you have ideas and tips.
Catch you next time.
Does it fit in my car? Click Here to Check
Click Here to Check
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
Does this Pioneer DVD receiver comes with advanced sound retriever tech?
Yes the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX DVD receiver has advanced sound retriever enabled. You only have wired connection for Android Auto
Does this multimedia receiver have a built-in Bluetooth connection?
Yes with this Pioneer head unit you will get a built-in Bluetooth. This allows you to make hands-free calling and audio streaming.
What can the iDatalink Maestro unit do for this Pioneer?
The iDatalink Maestro helps you keep your stock steering wheel controls. Without steering wheel buttons you don’t have hands-free control. Also with the iDatalink Maestro you will get vehicle diagnostic information.
Do you want to use the Pioneer avic-u280 add-on navigation?
With the AVH-W4500NEX it’s compatible. The satellite tuner work with Tune Mix Weather now and Sports flash.
How many camera inputs does this Pioneer unit have?
This stereo comes with two camera inputs. The cameras are not included in the package they are sold separately.
Can I use wireless Android Auto with this car audio deck?
Make sure you have the latest OS installed. At the moment wireless Android Auto only works with a select few Google phones like the Pixel 3. On the other hand you can use both wireless and wired Apple Carplay. You see Android devices suffer from a major problem. Google is rolling out updates few and far between. This is why not all smartphone features are available. Voice commands work great with wireless and wired Apple Carplay. Make sure you plug in your android for
Can I use Android Auto Weblink with iPhone and Android?
At the moment the Weblink app is buggy. I would stay away from it if i would be you. You can still use wired connection with Android Auto and wired and wireless Apple Carplay. With the latest update you are getting wireless Android Auto. Also you can fully utilize the HDMI input. Since it supports Apple Carplay you can play around with Siri Eyes Free. We shouldn’t forget the auto connection function.
What are the main highlights of this head unit?
Well it fits most dash openings. You can play flac files. You can display selectable parking assist guidelines. Since it has two video dvd slots you can mount two backup cameras. Of course you can make phone calls. There’s no audio distortion. The customer reviews are green across the board.
Is there a remote control for the head unit?
Yes, matter of fact this receiver has a remote control in the package. If for some reason this remote control is not for your liking you can buy your own separately.
Is the faceplate removable with this multimedia receiver?
Yes the CD receiver comes with a detachable faceplate. Since it’s a thief deterrent you can enjoy your HD radio.
How many USB inputs does it have?
This DVD player comes with dual rear USB ports. Besides the connection it allows to battery charge two phones at the same time. Each phone type has it’s own dedicated usb port for usb connection.
How big is the display?
The head unit has a receiver with 6.94 inch screen size. The tech behind it is wvga clear resistive touchscreen display. There are two types of screens resistive and capacitive. The later one is the newest tech on the market. Even though it’s based on an older tech the LCD is fast. You can enjoy the snappy wvga clear resistive touchscreen display. Here’s the list of things it can display: song titles, album art, lane guidance, nav apps, text messages. If you connect Google maps and Apple maps you can use it as nav.
Do these have devices wi-fi certified miracast?
Yes they do. They enable you to have seamless display between devices.
What are the specs for the built in amp?
14 watts RMS/50 watts peak x 4 channels.
Do I need the iDatalink Maestro with this car audio receiver?
It’s a must if you steering wheel audio controls.
What about the output?
6-channel preamp outputs (4-volt front, rear, subwoofer); composite video output. It supports both audio video input and output. The audio video features you can mount a backup camera and dash cam as well for safe driving.
Is the Pioneer AVH-2550NEX a good alternative for the Pioneer AVH-W4500NEX?
One of the best alternatives is Pioneer AVH-2550NEX. The Pioneer AVH-2550NEX review will explain it detailed.
Last Updated on November 2, 2023 by Brian Beasley
