Best Car Mounts for Android Tablets

Mounting a tablet in your car provides navigation, music, and passenger entertainment on a screen larger than any factory system.

How We Selected: We surveyed options using hands-on testing, benchmark data, and real-world usage. Key factors included stylus responsiveness, processor benchmarks, display quality, build quality. No sponsorship or affiliate relationship influenced our selections.

iKross Headrest Mount

Attaches to headrest posts for rear passengers. Adjustable arm rotates 360 degrees. Spring-loaded clamp holds tablets from 7 to 12 inches. At around $15, headrest mounts keep kids entertained during road trips. Pair with downloaded content for areas without coverage.

RAM X-Grip

The professional standard for vehicle mounting. Suction cup base with ball-and-socket arm for infinite adjustment. X-Grip cradle holds tablets up to 10 inches. At $50 to $80 for a complete kit, RAM mounts are used by police and commercial fleets.

CD Slot Mounts

Insert into the unused CD player slot. Small form factor that does not block the windshield. At $15 to $25, CD slot mounts are a clean option for vehicles with unused CD players.

Safety

Never mount where it obstructs the driver view. Use voice commands for navigation. For a complete car entertainment setup, configure the tablet before driving.

Arkon Tablet Mount with Suction Cup

The Arkon mount uses a heavy-duty suction cup for windshield or dashboard mounting. The pedestal-style arm extends and adjusts to position tablets from 7 to 11 inches at a comfortable viewing angle. The clamp mechanism holds tablets securely even on rough roads. At around $30, the Arkon provides a more versatile front-seat mounting option than headrest mounts. The suction cup reactivates by cleaning with rubbing alcohol when it loses grip over time.

Dashboard Tablet Integration

Some users mount a tablet permanently in their car to replace the factory infotainment system. This requires a custom dash mount kit or 3D-printed bracket specific to your vehicle model. Connect a fast charger to the vehicle USB port or cigarette lighter for permanent power. Set the tablet to auto-launch a car mode app like AutoMate when it connects to the car Bluetooth. This setup provides Google Maps navigation, Spotify, hands-free calling, and a reversing camera display on a screen larger and more responsive than most factory systems. The investment in a proper mounting solution transforms a spare tablet into a powerful car computer.

Rear-Seat Entertainment Setup

For families with children, a rear-seat tablet setup makes long drives manageable. Mount headrest holders on both front seats for rear passengers. Download content from streaming apps before the trip since cellular coverage is unreliable on highways. Pair a portable charger to extend battery life beyond the drive duration. Invest in kid-friendly Bluetooth headphones with volume limiters so children can watch independently without disturbing the driver. A rugged case protects against the inevitable drops that occur in car environments. Set up parental controls before handing the tablet to children, and pre-load a selection of age-appropriate content so they can browse without accessing the full internet during the drive.

Legal Considerations

Tablet mounting laws vary by jurisdiction. Most areas prohibit mounting anything on the windshield in the driver direct line of sight. Dashboard mounts positioned below the line of sight are generally legal. Some jurisdictions restrict tablet use to navigation-only functions while driving. Never interact with a mounted tablet while driving: program your destination, start your music, and configure settings before putting the car in gear. Voice commands through Google Assistant handle navigation changes, music selection, and messaging hands-free. Passengers can safely operate a mounted tablet, but the driver should treat it as a display-only device while the vehicle is in motion.

Temperature Considerations in Vehicles

Cars experience extreme temperatures that affect tablets. Summer heat inside a parked car can exceed 70 degrees Celsius, hot enough to damage the battery and display. Never leave your tablet mounted in a parked car in direct sunlight. In winter, cold temperatures temporarily reduce battery performance and touch sensitivity. Allow the tablet to warm to room temperature before extensive use after cold weather exposure.