If you’ve ever been inside a HiLux of just about any age, you’ll know its stereo is probably best described as cutting-edge tech for the 1990s.

Our 2019 model didn’t come equipped with satellite navigation, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, much in the way of Bluetooth functionality or anything too far beyond a radio and super-basic MP3 player. That’s not necessarily a problem if you’re only doing short drives, but on long days behind the wheel, covering big distances on the way to a remote destination, you want more from your in-vehicle entertainment.

That’s where our new Aerpro AMATO2 head unit (↗) comes in. The company offers a range of replacement touchscreen units with features including additional camera inputs, dashcam compatibility, a GPS antenna, a microphone for phone calls and full integration with your preferred smartphone operating system.

Boxed car head unit upgrade kit and several aftermarket displays laid out in a pickup truck bed, with Aerpro branding visible.
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Aerpro also supplied one of its fascia kits for the N80, along with a plug-and-play wiring harness that made installation about as straightforward as it gets.

The company also sent us one of its Thinkware U3000 Pro dashcams (↗) with a U3000 Pro LTE module (↗), so we’re protected – at least from an insurance standpoint – against below-average city drivers, while also being able to record our off-road adventures.

While we understand we haven’t gained much in terms of off-road capability, apart from now having access to GPS mapping through Apple CarPlay, the upgraded infotainment unit has made the cabin a much nicer place to spend a few hours at a time.

Dash cam mounted on the windshield inside a car, with the rearview mirror and blue sky visible through the windshield.
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With an external microphone, second camera input, GPS antenna, full compatibility with the steering-wheel controls and a much-improved 10-inch touchscreen, it’s one of those upgrades you appreciate every time you climb into the driver’s seat.

The AMATO2 head unit as fitted to our HiLux is available through retailers nationwide. To find out more visit the Aerpro website (↗) and enter your vehicle’s make and model.

Pricing info

MORE Follow our 2019 HiLux N80 build!