Kinivo Bluetooth Aux Review

My 2008 C30 has one major advantage over my old 2004 S40, and that is the auxiliary input.  But let's face it... It's 2015 and no one uses aux inputs anymore; it's all about bluetooth now.

Though bluetooth was not an option for my model year, there are solutions.  After a little bit of research, I pulled the trigger on a Kinivo Bluetooth Aux unit.

The small little orb plugs into the 12 volt socket and aux in, then automatically connects to my phone and plays music and phone calls through the car's speaker.

Kinivo unit mounted to the center air vent

Of course, my installation was a little more involved since I prefer to hide all of my wiring.  The power was run to my 3-way splitter, while the aux-in was removed from the center console and hidden beneath the dash.

Factory aux in disconnected

As with any aftermarket handsfree device, phone calls sound like I'm yelling in a closet.  But I bought this for the music and I could not be more pleased.  The sound quality is just as clear as a normal auxiliary cable.  Two little buttons on the top of the device make changing tracks and answering phone calls easy; my phone never has to leave my pocket.

I have yet to discover something I do not like about this device.  For the price, the Kinivo is a must have item for any car that lacks factory bluetooth.