Overview
Brief History of Kiwi
The first Kiwi (Kiwi 1) comes in Bluetooth version only and not compatible with iOS devices. Kiwi 2 comes in two versions, Bluetooth (for Android and Windows) and Wifi (for iOS.) Kiwi 1 and Kiwi 2 Wifi have a cable that is eliminated in Kiwi 2 Bluetooth and later. The benefit of the cable has always been ??? unless you are using other accessories such as iMFD adapter and advanced sensor modules. I believe that the company didn’t have much success in sales of those accessories so they won’t produce OBD adapters with a cable anymore. Kiwi 2 Bluetooth looks ordinary OBD adapters. It’s small enough not to bother your driving when plugged in OBD port. Kiwi 2 transmits data up to 2 times faster than nearest competitors.
Improvement in Kiwi 3
Kiwi 3 is faster than Kiwi 2, up to 4 times faster than nearest competitors. The size became even smaller. It sticks out only 0.7″ from OBD ports while Kiwi 2 does 1.4″. Kiwi 3 comes in only Bluetooth version, and it’s compatible with not only Android or Windows devices but also iOS devices such as iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch. You can enjoy many apps like Torque, DashCommand, Harry’s Lap Timer, OBD Auto Doctor, and OBD Car Doctor. A feature called InstaConnect lets you skip Bluetooth pairing.
Pros
- Speed – 4 times faster than nearest competitor
- Small – measures 2.0″ x 1.3″ x 0.8″. Sticks out only 0.7″ from an OBD port.
- Cross Platform Compatible – Works with Android, Windows, and iOS devices.
- Many Apps – Compatible with many apps. You can choose a favorite app.
Cons
- Expensive – Regular price is around $100 USD.
- No exclusive features or apps – it doesn’t have unique features or apps such as Bluedriver’s enhanced diagnostics or OBDlink MX’s obdCANeX.
Conclusion
Kiwi 3 is one of the smallest adapters on the market. The speed is as fast as OBDlink MX. The biggest advantage is that it works with Android, Windows, and iOS devices and you can enjoy many apps. However, that’s all. For its relatively high price, it’s lacking an unique feature or exclusivity. For example, OBDlink MX works with obdCANeX or ScanXL Professional+Add-ons. Or BlueDriver is compatible with their app only, but they offer enhanced diagnostics for vehicles of some manufacturers. InstaConnect lets you skip Bluetooth pairing. This feature is exclusive on Kiwi 3, but it’s not really useful because Bluetooth pairing is necessary only once and not that bothersome in the first place.
Kiwi 3 is reliable and offers a secure Bluetooth connection to your mobile device. If you have many mobile devices from different operating systems (especially iOS) and plan to use them all, Kiwi 3 would be beneficial to you.