Vevavi Wireless CarPlay Adapter: I’m obsessed

Apple CarPlay is one of my favorite features on my SUV. Besides completing my affinity for the Apple ecosystem, CarPlay makes everything from navigation to listening to audiobooks simpler while driving. There’s only one problem: I hate plugging in my phone every time I get in my car, which means I often just skip out on CarPlay entirely for shorter trips. Enter the Vevavi Wireless CarPlay Adapter (2024 version).

The Vevavi Wireless CarPlay Adapter uses Wi-Fi to connect your iPhone to the vehicle’s infotainment system, enabling CarPlay without the cords. The adapter saves me the extra steps of plugging in my phone every time I get in the car. Plus, recharging your phone when your battery isn’t low can impact battery health in the long term. With the Vevavi Wireless CarPlay dongle, I get all the perks of CarPlay automatically each time I get in the car.

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Vevavi Wireless CarPlay Adapter (2024)

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I no longer have to pause and plug in my iPhone when I get in my SUV, thanks to the Vevavi Wireless CarPlay Adapter. After a short set-up, my iPhone now automatically connects without cords every time I get in the car. The dongle has taken away most of the annoyances of CarPlay. Users should note, however, a slight audio lag when passengers are watching videos.

Pros

• Simple, short set up
• Automatic connection after initial setup
• Easy to use

Cons

• Slight sound lag on videos
• Occupies your phone’s Wi-Fi

Price, specs, and availability

The Vevavi Wireless CarPlay Adapter is available on Amazon and other online retailers for around $80 at the list price. The dongle plugs into the USB CarPlay port on the vehicle, uses Bluetooth for the initial connection, and then sends data to the infotainment system using Wi-Fi. It also includes a USB-C adapter in the box for vehicles with the smaller port.

The adapter is compatible with vehicles that support wired CarPlay — it won’t add CarPlay to an older vehicle that doesn’t support the feature.

What I like about the Vevavi Wireless Carplay Adapter

After a one-time setup, just hop in and drive

While subsequent trips needed no forethought or meddling, the first time I used the dongle, I went through a brief and simple setup process. First, plug the dongle into the USB port that supports CarPlay. Once the Vevavi’s icons appeared on the infotainment system, I had to go into my Bluetooth settings on my iPhone, select the adapter, and type in the on-screen code. The adapter then switches over from Bluetooth to Wi-Fi. The actual setup probably only took a minute, but I did need to read through the instructions, so I spent maybe five minutes total getting the adapter ready to go.

Once I set up the Vevavi Wireless CarPlay Adapter, my phone always automatically connects to my infotainment system every time I get in the car. The dongle connects quickly, bringing the app array up on the screen before I’ve even left my driveway. I don’t have to follow any extra steps — I can just get in my car, bring my iPhone with me, and connect automatically. I no longer use CarPlay just for longer trips, but short ones, too.

Outside of making the connection faster and simpler, wireless CarPlay has few differences from a wired connection. I could take calls, talk to Siri, stream music, and get driving directions with no problems. The buttons on my SUV that control the wired connection also worked when using the adapter, as well. The adapter also had a range large enough to extend to my Explorer’s third-row seating, which means I can still control CarPlay while giving my phone to a backseat passenger.

With the Vevavi adapter, the things I didn’t love about CarPlay disappeared. I no longer had to take a few extra seconds to find and plug in the cord, I could just drive and connect automatically. I also don’t have to worry about the extraneous charging impacting the health of my iPhone’s battery, either.

What I didn’t like about the Vevavi Wireless Carplay Adapter

You can’t connect to a different Wi-Fi network while using

I had very few complaints using the Vevavi adapter and the few issues that I saw were only for specific use cases that don’t impact most users.

First, there is a slight delay between what’s on the iPhone screen and what’s playing through the speakers. The actors’ lips in a movie don’t quite sync up to the sound coming through my speakers. This isn’t an issue for me since I’m driving and not looking at my phone screen, but, it may be slightly annoying for passengers trying to watch a movie. Then again, I can’t use CarPlay at all if I want to hand YouTube over to the backseat unless I buy a really long cord, so I don’t consider this much of an emerging issue.

The other slight annoyance to note is how the adapter hogs your iPhone’s Wi-Fi, so you can’t connect to a different Wi-Fi network while using it. This isn’t exactly a flaw, but just part of how the wireless connection works.

But, there are a few scenarios where the dongle’s use of your phone’s Wi-Fi might negate some of the simplicity of having the wireless ability in the first place. Your phone will use data while connected to the dongle, so it won’t use your vehicle hotspot if you have one. If you need to connect to your home Wi-Fi network to use a smart home accessory, like a garage door opener, you may also love it a little less. You’d either need to open your iPhone’s Wi-Fi settings to switch to your home network, or unplug the dongle every time you need to connect to your home network. That process may negate the convenience for some users who need to connect to another Wi-Fi network before leaving the vehicle.

Is the Vevavi Wireless CarPlay Adapter worth it?

Yes — and it would make a good gift, too

I liked CarPlay before, but using the Vevavi adapter made me fall in love with it. The dongle means I don’t have to spend any extra time plugging in my phone for every drive or worry about the constant cord connection reducing my iPhone’s battery life. I can just get in the car, get going, and the Vevavi connects before I’ve even left the driveway.

While I would readily buy the Vevavi, there are a few scenarios that may impact the accessory’s convenience. Because it works using Wi-Fi, your phone can’t connect to your home network or vehicle hotspot while in use. That’s not an issue for most, but it can be if you need your phone to connect to your home network before you’ve turned your car off. Passengers may also notice a slight lag between the video on the iPhone screen and the audio playing through the car’s speakers.

For most CarPlay users, the plug-and-play Vevavi adapter is an excellent way to eliminate the cord and just climb into your car and start driving.

Recommended

Vevavi Wireless CarPlay Adapter (2024)

$50 $80 Save $30