Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 Android Head Unit Review

Upgrade Your Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 Infotainment System

Many Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213 owners find the factory Android Auto system, while functional, can be a bit cumbersome. The primary frustration often stems from the lack of touch control, forcing drivers to rely solely on the rotary dial for navigation and app interaction. This can be distracting and less intuitive than modern smartphone interfaces. While aftermarket solutions like the Carlinkit Pro offer a full-screen experience, they often still lack touch functionality, leaving users wanting more. This review explores the 'Carlinkit Air Touch' upgrade, a solution designed to bring full touch control to your W213's infotainment system, enhancing usability and driving convenience. The goal is to transform the way you interact with your car's digital features, making navigation, media playback, and app usage as seamless as using your smartphone.

Carlinkit Air Touch: Bringing Touchscreen Functionality to Your W213

The Carlinkit Air Touch system addresses the core limitation of many existing Android Auto retrofits for the Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213: the absence of touch input. While the Carlinkit Pro provides a larger, full-screen display for Android Auto, it still requires the use of the original rotary controller. The Air Touch modification builds upon this by adding genuine touchscreen capabilities. This means you can directly tap icons, scroll through maps, and interact with apps like TMAP, Netflix, or Kakao Navi just as you would on your phone. This significantly reduces the cognitive load on the driver, allowing for quicker and more intuitive adjustments to navigation or entertainment. Importantly, this upgrade is designed to work alongside your existing factory backup camera, ensuring no loss of original functionality. The installation process, performed by specialists, typically takes around 3-4 hours and can usually be completed within a single day. The cost for this upgrade in Korea generally starts in the 300,000 KRW range (approximately $220 USD, though exchange rates vary), making it a relatively affordable infotainment upgrade.

Is the Carlinkit Air Touch Worth It for Your E-Class W213?

The decision to upgrade your Mercedes-Benz E-Class W213's infotainment system hinges on your priorities. If you frequently use navigation apps or streaming services and find the rotary dial interface frustrating, the Carlinkit Air Touch offers a compelling solution. It transforms the user experience from a potentially distracting necessity into a seamless extension of your digital life. The ability to directly touch your navigation screen, adjust music volume with a tap, or quickly switch between apps significantly enhances driving comfort and safety. For owners who have already invested in a Carlinkit Pro or similar full-screen solution but are disappointed by the lack of touch, this upgrade is particularly relevant. It provides the best of both worlds: a full-screen display with intuitive touch control, all while retaining essential factory features like the rear-view camera. Considering the relatively modest cost and the substantial improvement in daily usability, the Carlinkit Air Touch presents a strong case for being a worthwhile infotainment upgrade for the W213 E-Class.

Installation Process:

1. Initial system diagnostics and preparation of the W213's existing infotainment unit.
2. Integration of the Carlinkit Air Touch module, connecting it to the display and control interfaces.
3. Calibration of the touch-sensitive layer to ensure accurate input response.
4. Testing of all integrated functions, including touch controls, native apps, and the factory backup camera.
5. Final reassembly and a thorough system check to confirm seamless operation.