CarPlay head units for classic and older cars: compatibility and installation guide

There is one kind of car that gets on extremely well with a modern screen: the one that already has a few years behind it. A Peugeot 406, an Audi A6 C5, a Mercedes W203, a Corolla E120 or a Ford Mondeo Mk3 can be mechanically spotless and still cover plenty of miles, but their multimedia equipment stopped at the cassette radio, the CD changer in the boot and, at best, a Bluetooth system that only works for calls.

The good news is that in these cars fitting a head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is simpler and cheaper than in a new one: there are no integrated systems to respect, the radio aperture is standard and the electronics are simple. In this guide we explain which options there are for your car, how it is installed and what details to watch when the vehicle already has many years on it.

Not sure whether there is a screen for your car? Check the compatibility table by make and model: the 521 models we cover, with their years and the type of solution each one needs.

Can you fit CarPlay in an older car?

Yes, and the result is usually better than people expect. In a car from the nineties or the early two thousands the radio is a standalone unit, with a standard single or double aperture (what is known as 1 DIN and 2 DIN) and ISO connectors. There is no factory screen depending on the radio, no integrated car menus and in many cases no CAN network to interpret either.

That means three things: the installation is more direct, there are more screens that fit and the result is completely reversible. If you want to understand when a decoder box is needed and when it is not, you have it in what the CAN Bus is and when you need a decoder box: in older cars, very often it is not needed.

What you gain in a car with some years on it

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wired or wireless depending on the model, with your phone's navigation on a big screen instead of a suction mount on the windscreen.
• Navigation that stays up to date for good, with no dependence on map DVDs that are no longer sold.
• Proper hands-free calling, with a well-placed external microphone, which makes a huge difference in cars with more road noise.
• Rear camera input, the accessory that changes life the most in cars that never had one.
• Bluetooth, USB and music streaming, replacing the CD changer and the cassette adapter.
• Better sound by making use of the equaliser and, if you want, an amplifier: we look at it in how to improve the sound of an Android head unit.

Compatibility model by model

German cars. There is a product page or a guide for the Audi A6 C5, the Audi A4 B6 and B7, the Audi A3 8P, the Mercedes C-Class W203 and CLK and the Mercedes S-Class W220.

French cars. The Peugeot 406, the Peugeot 206, 206 CC and 206 SW, the Citroën Xsara Picasso and the Renault Twingo.

Japanese cars. This is where the choice is widest: Toyota Corolla E120, Corolla and Auris E150, Avensis 2002-2008, Yaris 2005-2012, Prius 2 XW20, RAV4 XA20, Honda Jazz Mk1, Nissan X-Trail T30 and Kia Rio Mk2.

American, Nordic and off-road. The Chrysler 300C, the Volvo S80 Mk1, the Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ, the Mitsubishi Pajero 2 and the Suzuki Jimny 3. If your car is used off road, you will also want the guide for 4x4s and pick-ups.

British cars and early-2000s small cars. The Ford Fiesta Mk4 and Focus Mk1, the Mondeo Mk3 and the Opel Agila B and Suzuki Splash.

If there is no model-specific screen for your car

In very old or rarely sold cars there may be no screen built for that dashboard. That is not a problem: it is the perfect scenario for a universal one. A double-slot head unit plus a universal fascia adjusts the aperture, and if your car only has one slot there are 1 DIN screens made exactly for that. We explain it in 2 DIN head unit with CarPlay: how to choose and fit it and in model-specific vs universal screen.

When it comes to size, in these cars the aperture almost always decides and not your taste: we look at it in what screen size to choose.

What is the installation like?

1. Disconnect the battery and take out the original radio. In many cars of this era it comes out with two U-shaped metal keys; in others you first have to remove the trim with plastic tools.
2. Identify the connectors: normally an ISO power plug, an ISO speaker plug and the aerial. With the right adapter, the screen connects without cutting anything.
3. Place the screen in its fascia or in the universal fascia, checking the depth of the aperture first: older dashboards sometimes have a brace behind that forces you to reroute cables.
4. Connect the aerial. If the radio does not pick up stations afterwards, it is almost always the aerial adapter; you have it in the Android head unit does not pick up stations.
5. Test everything before closing up: sound in all four speakers, microphone, CarPlay and the camera if you fit one.
6. Keep the original radio in its box. In a classic it is part of the car's value.

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep the original look of the dashboard?
With the fascia for your model, the unit sits flush and with the same finish. And if you want to keep the standard look completely, the alternative is a retractable or detachable screen that disappears when you switch it off.

My speakers are the originals from twenty years ago. Is it worth it?
Yes, because the big step comes from the source. An Android head unit with a good equaliser improves things noticeably even with old speakers, and if you later change the speakers, the system is already prepared.

Will the battery go flat if the car is parked for weeks?
In older cars the standby current draw is very low, but a tired battery notices everything. We look at it in does an Android head unit drain the battery?.

Do I keep the steering wheel controls?
If the car had them from the factory, on most models yes, with the right harness. We explain it in steering wheel controls with an Android head unit.

And if my car is not on the list?
Message us with the make, the model, the year and a photo of the dashboard and the original radio. Many cars of this era share the same aperture across brands, and if there is no model-specific option we will tell you which universal one fits.

See CarPlay head units for classic and older cars

If your car has a model-specific screen, look for it in the catalogue by brand. And if it does not, the universal route is the right one: 2 DIN CarPlay and Android Auto head unit with its universal 2 DIN fascia, or a 1 DIN CarPlay head unit for dashboards with a single slot. You have them all together in the universal models collection. All our products include a warranty, after-sales support and free shipping throughout Europe; send us a photo of the dashboard and we will confirm what fits before you buy.