CarPlay Screen Radio for the Volkswagen Touran 1T3 (2010-2015): How to Install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

For years the Touran was the family MPV of choice: seven genuine seats, a huge boot and TDI engines that pass 300,000 kilometres without blinking. The 1T3 series, the one from the second facelift with the squarer front end, is still parked in thousands of driveways and remains one of the most sensible used buys around. The problem is always the same: the dashboard ages well, but the radio does not. A double DIN unit with a tiny display, or even a monochrome screen, falls badly short when the whole family wants music, navigation and calls. A model-specific screen radio for the Touran 1T3 brings the car up to date without spoiling the look of the interior.

Does the Volkswagen Touran 1T3 have CarPlay as standard?

No. No version of the Touran 1T3 left the factory with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, because Volkswagen’s App-Connect system arrived well after this generation went out of production. What the car came with was one of these units:

• RCD 210 or RCD 310: a double DIN radio with CD, a small monochrome display and, in some cases, Bluetooth.
• RCD 510: a colour touchscreen of around 6 inches with an SD card slot, but no navigation and no phone mirroring.
• RNS 310 or RNS 315: the versions with built-in navigation, whose maps have not been updated for years and which do not support CarPlay either.

In other words: even if your Touran has a factory touchscreen and navigation, there is no official Volkswagen update that adds Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. The only route is to replace the unit with a screen made for this model.

The solution: an Android screen radio for the Touran 1T3

The screen radio for the Touran 1T3 replaces the original unit with an HD touchscreen, using a frame and harness made to measure for this console, so it sits flush in the factory aperture with no gaps and no visible adapters. Here is what it adds:

• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: the phone connects by itself at start-up, with no cables across the dashboard.
• GPS navigation with its own aerial, compatible with Google Maps and Waze, and maps that are always up to date.
• Bluetooth with hands-free calling and music streaming.
• FM radio and playback over USB, Bluetooth and Spotify.
• A CAN Bus harness that keeps the steering wheel controls and the vehicle information on screen.
• A free reversing camera, which switches on by itself when you select reverse: in a 4.4 metre MPV with the rear seats occupied, that is a real help.
• Three memory configurations: 1 GB + 16 GB, 2 GB + 32 GB or 4 GB + 64 GB.

For a family car used every day we recommend the 2 GB or 4 GB RAM version: with navigation, music and the camera all working at once, the difference in smoothness is noticeable.

Touran 1T3 compatibility: supported versions

The kit fits the Volkswagen Touran of the 1T3 series (2010-2015), the final phase of the first generation. Compatibility is determined by the shape of the centre console and the radio connector, not by the engine, so it fits:

• TDI, TSI and natural gas versions, with manual or DSG gearboxes.
• Edition, Advance, Sport, Cross Touran and Highline trims.
• Cars with a factory RCD 210, RCD 310, RCD 510, RNS 310 or RNS 315.
• Both five-seat and seven-seat versions.

Important: if your Touran is from the earlier phase, with the rounder front end, the console is different and you need another kit; for that car we have the Touran 2003-2010 guide. If you are not sure which series yours is, send us a photo of your current radio on WhatsApp and we will confirm compatibility free of charge.

What is the installation like?

The Touran 1T3 is one of the most straightforward fits there is, because the radio aperture is roomy and very accessible. The radio comes with the model-specific harness and the CAN Bus built in, so nothing in the car’s wiring is cut or spliced:

1. Release the side trims of the centre console and undo the screws or rails holding the original radio.
2. Plug the harness of the new screen into the factory connector, with the CAN Bus module in line.
3. Connect the radio aerial, the GPS aerial, the USB ports and, if you fit it, the reversing camera cable run to the tailgate.
4. Seat the screen in its frame and fix it into the original aperture.
5. Check in the menu that the steering wheel controls respond, then pair the phone for CarPlay or Android Auto.

At an automotive electronics workshop the job takes one to two hours, a little longer if the camera cable is routed through the roof lining to the tailgate. The kit includes a manual, so it is also a realistic home job. If a steering wheel button does not respond afterwards, our guide on steering wheel controls with an Android radio explains how to set them up.

How much does it cost to add CarPlay to a Touran 1T3?

At the dealer the option simply does not exist: Volkswagen does not sell any original unit with CarPlay that fits this generation, so all they can offer is to swap a failed radio for another one from the same old catalogue. The other common alternative, a universal aftermarket head unit, means buying the frame, the steering wheel control adapter, the aerial lead and the camera separately, and the result almost never looks as integrated as the original.

The model-specific Touran 1T3 radio includes the frame, the CAN Bus harness, the GPS aerial and the reversing camera in the same box. You can check the current price of each memory configuration on the product page.

Frequently asked questions

My Touran has the RNS 315 navigation. Do I lose anything by changing it?
You lose the factory navigation, but you gain a far better one: Google Maps or Waze with live traffic and maps that update themselves. Most RNS owners consider it a clear step forward.

Do the steering wheel controls still work?
Yes. The harness includes CAN Bus, so volume, track skip and calls on the steering wheel all carry on as before.

And the parking sensors?
They keep beeping exactly as before, because they work independently of the radio. With the included reversing camera you also gain a picture when backing up.

Is it the same radio as the 2016 Touran?
No. The second-generation Touran has a completely different dashboard and uses another kit. Always check that your console matches the product photos.

Does it affect the warranty or leave marks on the dashboard?
No. The installation is plug & play and does not modify the original wiring, so the factory radio can be refitted at any time with no trace of the change.

If you have another model from the brand, our guide to CarPlay screens for Volkswagen covers them all. And if you need something even bigger, take a look at the Volkswagen Sharan and Seat Alhambra.

See the CarPlay radio for the Volkswagen Touran 1T3

If you want wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in your Touran, with a reversing camera included and everything needed to fit it, you can see the details and the available configurations of the CarPlay screen radio for the Volkswagen Touran 1T3 in our shop.