Is it doable?

[scroller]

Dear all, as an owner of various JDM Subaru in the past (Legacy BP5 and DIT) I know some of the drawbacks. Unfortunately, the heart rules the head and I'm now very tempted by a nearly new Levorg STi. Converting the Legacys meant replacing the head units. Having one imported is straightforward (Prodrift) but conversion of the tech is the problem. Specifically the satnav and the speed display. Changing the language is easy but the rest a potentially expensive unknown. Both my local dealer and Subaru UK have not seen fit to reply to an enquiry for information. The current UK Outback has the same display as the JDM models. So .... does anyone know of an independent specialist who could give me realistic advice to help make a decision? Thanks in advance.

[Tidgy]

You wont hear back from the dealer or subaru UK, subaru UK dont care and the dealers are pretty much in wind down mode (may be some decent oens still out there mind you), will the importer not convert it for you?

it is possible from what i can tell,

https://www.torque-gt.co.uk/subaru-levorg-sti-100524.html

not used them myself but they may offer a conversion service? or maybe supply one ready to go.

 

[scroller]

Thanks, I've dealt with Prodrift from Kent in the past and he currently has an older STi for sale. He has doubts over wether the satnav/mph readout can be changed on the newer models and he has a lot of experience doing this. I foolishly thought that Subaru would be happy for one of their cars to be seen on UK roads but, from the lack of response, it seems not.

[Tidgy]

5 hours ago, scroller said:

Thanks, I've dealt with Prodrift from Kent in the past and he currently has an older STi for sale. He has doubts over wether the satnav/mph readout can be changed on the newer models and he has a lot of experience doing this. I foolishly thought that Subaru would be happy for one of their cars to be seen on UK roads but, from the lack of response, it seems not.

nope, subaru uk have always been anti imports and pretty much anti enthusiast in truth im afraid.

 

that said, i'd be surprised if it can't, they dont usual put in different equipment connections etc in between jdm and uk so should be a swap job

[scroller]

Yep, that's what I'm hoping. 

[RobsyukSti]

Any luck op?

[scroller]

Gave up I'm afraid, just too expensive and unpredictable 

[RobsyukSti]

That's a shame. It would be interesting to know if uk & japan use the same software, but chose just a different language option.

I did read on an American site about someone putting an American maps into a jdm car and it worked. It wasn't a subaru, and I wasn't prepared to try a £50 so card on a Wim.

[Hatchi]

I’m based in the UK and am soon to become the new owner of a 2017 JDM Levorg STI. I have been doing as much research as I can ref the likely possibility of having to upgrade the head unit and still retain all the relative switch functions. Having owned a couple of JDM toys over the years (Forester STI and Accord CW2 Type S wagon) this could be the first situation where an ICE upgrade maybe a necessity, so I would like to know what experiences UK owners have had or are having.

I realise there are very few Levorg owners over here and Levorg STI owners even less so, so I figured I might as well offer up a roundup of what I’ve gleaned so far.

I already see the IDOING unit seems popular, but I am unsure as to whether these have been fitted directly to JDM vehicles (like mine), or to import versions sold in the Australian or New Zealand market, which look to have a very similar set up as to those available on our UK spec Levorg’s. Maybe someone could enlighten me

My vehicle is a facelift with Eyesight and has the original JDM Apple car play/Android unit installed. This has the facia with silver edging along the top and sides and my top vents do not have silver surrounds. It also has the two-dial climate control unit. It has been confirmed to me by the importer that although the car’s multi-screens are easily converted to different languages, including English, the head unit is JDM mapping only with no way of changing the language.



Now, whilst the current head unit screen appears nice and big and does have Apple car Play and Android Auto, I am yet to experience how user friendly this will be long term. So, although the importer has not long had their auto electrician fit an aftermarket unit to another Levorg owner, it appears it wasn’t a simple ‘fix’, and I believe they ended up using UK XV parts to make it work. I don’t know the full spec and I’m not 100% sure if they are prepared to look at the inside of another Levorg again, so I’m looking at an alternative if I have to look elsewhere!

So, what type of facia does my 2017 car come with?

The facia from what I can tell, is this one, and although It's not clear if it has the silver edging, it does appear to have integrated top vents.



This one does have the silver edging and again appears to have the upper vent moulding incorporated. Maybe someone could clarify if that might be a separate piece, but just attached in the photos?



This facia set up also looks very similar to those found in late 6th gen UK Outback premiums.

From what I have researched so far (I haven’t got the vehicle yet so not inspected the components) it looks like I have a JDM specific HU fitted within a JDM specific Levorg facia, along with a JDM Levorg specific climate control unit.  So, if I can’t get any decent functionality out of it, I need to find out how can this be improved upon and upgraded.

Silly question time

Before looking at the steps required to get the best solution, and I’m sure it would have been mentioned already, as it would be the simplest fix, but does anyone with a VMG JDM Levorg know if the HU has mapping on an SD card? And, if it does, has anyone tried installing a UK mapped card into the JDM HU?

Presuming the answer to that is ‘wishful thinking’, its looking more likely that a chunk of money will have to be invested!

Before looking at these options lets first look into what existing upgrades there are already available, and here we have to turn to what folks have done down under, and what Australian and New Zealand audio suppliers already offer. Please correct me if I’m wrong but I concluded from the double din upgrades available in these markets that upgrades to Vorg STI’s are generally the same offered to WRX vehicles. These come with a full facia that covers both the upper vents and has a contoured cut out for the lower climate control unit. If the existing upper vents can still be used maybe someone could confirm if the three dial existing climate control unit will have to be replaced with the WRX type one?

Is this the sort of aftermarket double din upgrade facia commonly offered down under?




My preference and options:

The IDOING option would be a last resort, so I’d like a decent double din unit from a well-established manufacturer. I don’t need built in Satnav and it must have wireless Apple play and Android Auto. I would not be carrying out the work myself and would prefer to buy goods available domestically. The facia plate needs to look OE clean, and if it’s possible I’m not fussed if I have to retain both the JDM upper vent moulding (if it is indeed a separate piece) and the lower two dial climate control unit.

First up was to look at what upgrades are available in the UK, and the answer to that question appears to be ‘NOT A LOT’ The guys I may well trust to carry out the work reckon that pulling out and inspecting what’s already fitted would be a good first step, to take a look at what’s going on and to decipher if a compatible and fully working alternative is possible. Then we can look at what’s on offer.

If you have accomplished a successful double din HU upgrade (not the IDOING unit) into a JDM Levorg import into the UK I would love to know how you got on, as I am sure other UK owners would

Thanks

Los