CarPlay Head Unit for the Fiat 500 (2015-2020): How to Install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The facelifted Fiat 500 — the one with the ring-shaped light signature and the revised dashboard — is still one of the city cars with the most character on the road. It is also one of the ones that ages worst in a very specific area: the infotainment. Depending on the trim you may find anything from a radio with a single-line display to a 7" Uconnect, but on a huge number of cars sold in Spain Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are simply not there.

If you drive every day with your phone clipped to an air vent, there is a much cleaner alternative: a model-specific head unit for the Fiat 500 that replaces the original, fits the factory opening and brings CarPlay and Android Auto regardless of the trim the first owner chose.

Does the Fiat 500 have CarPlay as standard?

It depends on the year and, above all, on the equipment. Several configurations coexist in this generation:

• Basic radio with a small display: the entry-level unit. Bluetooth for calls, USB and little else. No CarPlay, no Android Auto.
• 5" Uconnect: a simple touchscreen with Bluetooth and sometimes TomTom navigation. On most cars, without smartphone integration.
• 7" Uconnect HD: the top system, which on the last series did include CarPlay and Android Auto, always wired.

The result is a car that looks modern on the outside and feels disconnected inside. There is an extra detail too: the Uconnect's TomTom maps age badly and updating them is expensive, whereas Google Maps and Waze are free and always current.

The solution: an Android head unit for the Fiat 500

This is a screen designed for the Fiat 500's opening, with a frame that respects the dashboard design and the car's own connectors. What it brings:

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wirelessly and over cable too.
• A large, sharp touchscreen, far above the original 5" unit in size and resolution.
• Full Android: install Google Maps, Waze, Spotify, YouTube Music or whichever radio app you use.
• Built-in GPS that works without mobile data.
• Bluetooth, FM/AM radio, USB and a reversing camera input so you can park without guessing.
• Working steering wheel controls thanks to the included CAN Bus module.
• Several memory configurations and a black or white finish, so the screen matches a dashboard painted in body colour.

Compatibility with the Fiat 500: supported versions

This unit is intended for the Fiat 500 in the 2015-2020 range, that is, the series after the dashboard facelift. It covers:

• Fiat 500 hatchback 1.2 8v, 0.9 TwinAir and 1.3 Multijet.
• Fiat 500C convertible, which shares the same console.
• Pop, Pop Star, Lounge, S, Collezione trims and special editions with the same radio opening.

Watch out for two common mix-ups: the earlier Fiat 500 (2007-2015) has a different dashboard and its own reference, as do the 500L and the 500X, which are different cars despite the name. If you are not sure which one yours is, send us a photo of your dashboard on WhatsApp and we will confirm it.

What is the installation like?

The swap is direct and requires no cutting of the car's wiring:

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal and wait a few minutes.
2. Remove the centre console trim using a plastic pry tool. It is held by clips: take your time so you don't mark the painted plastic.
3. Undo the original radio's screws and pull it straight out of the opening.
4. Unplug the factory connectors: power, speakers and aerial.
5. Connect the new unit's harness and the CAN Bus module. That module translates the car's signals so the steering wheel controls and system warnings keep working.
6. Place the GPS aerial at the base of the windscreen or under the dashboard, and connect the reversing camera if you are fitting one.
7. Test while everything is still accessible: sound, steering wheel controls, GPS, Bluetooth and CarPlay.
8. Slot the unit in and refit the trim.

A workshop does it in under an hour. It is a plug & play installation and completely reversible: if you sell the car one day, you can put the original radio back.

How much does it cost to add CarPlay to a Fiat 500?

Through official channels, the only way to get CarPlay in a 500 that left the factory without it is to fit the top-trim 7" Uconnect HD: the replacement part, the labour and, in many cases, extra wiring. That is hard to justify on a city car, and it still leaves you with wired CarPlay and no way to install apps.

The model-specific screen we sell costs considerably less, is bigger than the original Uconnect and adds wireless CarPlay, Android Auto, GPS and apps. You can check the current price and the memory and colour options on the product page, which is always up to date.

Frequently asked questions

Does the frame look odd next to the body-coloured dashboard?
No, because the unit is model-specific. You can also choose a black or white front so it matches your interior better.

Do I keep the steering wheel controls?
Yes. The included CAN Bus module keeps volume, track skip, phone and mute working.

What happens to the trip computer in the instrument cluster?
The instrument cluster is independent from the radio: it keeps showing consumption, range and warnings exactly as before.

Can I keep the TomTom navigation?
Replacing the unit removes the original navigation, but you move to Google Maps or Waze with live traffic and always-current maps, with no map subscriptions to pay.

Does it also fit the 500 Abarth?
Abarth versions based on this dashboard share the radio opening. If that is your case, send us a photo before buying and we will confirm it.

See the CarPlay head unit for the Fiat 500

You will find the photos, the available configurations and customer reviews on the product page for the CarPlay and Android Auto head unit for the Fiat 500 (2015-2020). And if you would rather be sure first, message us on WhatsApp with a photo of your dashboard and we will tell you which version you need.