CarPlay Head Unit for the Kia Picanto (2016-2023): How to Install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The third-generation Kia Picanto is one of the best-selling city cars in Spain: cheap to run, easy to park and with a reliability record it has earned the hard way. But if yours is an entry-level trim, you will have found a small radio with a monochrome display or a 5" touchscreen, no navigation and no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. For a car that lives in the city, where navigation and live traffic make all the difference, that gap shows every single day.

The answer is not to change car or to fight with phone holders that block the air vents. There is a dedicated head unit for the Picanto that fits the original dashboard opening, plugs into the factory connectors and comes with CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.

Does the Kia Picanto have CarPlay as standard?

Only on part of the range. Kia split connectivity across trim levels, so three very different situations coexist:

• Entry trims: radio with a monochrome or 5" touchscreen, Bluetooth for calls and USB. No CarPlay, no Android Auto, no navigation.
• Mid and high trims: 7" touchscreen with CarPlay and Android Auto, but always wired and with a modest resolution.
• Imported or ex-fleet cars: in many cases with the system in a language that is not yours and without maps.

There is another detail: the original 7" screen is small for the dashboard opening and its processor struggles when you ask it for maps and music at the same time. Replacing it with a dedicated Android unit is by far the most rewarding upgrade this car can get.

The solution: an Android head unit for the Kia Picanto

It is a screen designed specifically for the third-generation Picanto dashboard: the frame follows the car's lines and the connectors are the ones the vehicle already has. This is what it includes:

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wirelessly and over cable too.
• High-resolution touchscreen, much larger and sharper than the original, responding instantly to your finger.
• Full Android system: you can install Google Maps, Waze, Spotify, YouTube Music or the radio apps you use daily.
• Built-in GPS that works even without mobile data.
• Bluetooth, FM/AM radio, USB and a reversing camera input.
• Steering wheel controls: the original volume, phone and track buttons keep working exactly as before.
• Several memory configurations (RAM and storage) so you can choose between the most affordable and the fastest option.

Compatibility with the Kia Picanto: supported versions

This unit is built for the third-generation Kia Picanto (JA), also sold as the Kia Morning 3 in other markets, in the 2016-2023 range. It covers:

• Picanto 1.0 MPi and 1.2 MPi petrol.
• Picanto 1.0 T-GDi.
• LPG/bi-fuel versions with the same dashboard.
• Concept, Drive, Tech and X-Line trims, both those with the 7" screen and those with the basic radio.

If your Picanto is from the previous generation (2011-2016), the dashboard is different and you need another reference; we have that one in the catalogue too. When in doubt, the quickest route is to send us a photo of your dashboard on WhatsApp: we will check it before you order.

What is the installation like?

It is one of the simplest installations out there, precisely because the unit is model-specific rather than universal:

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal before you start.
2. Remove the console trim with a plastic pry tool, starting from the bottom. It is held by clips, with no visible screws.
3. Take out the original radio by undoing the four screws holding it to the frame.
4. Unplug the factory connectors: power, speakers and aerial. Nothing needs cutting or splicing.
5. Connect the new unit's harness, including the CAN Bus module, which keeps the steering wheel controls and the car information alive.
6. Connect the GPS aerial and, if you are fitting one, the reversing camera.
7. Test before closing up: sound from all four speakers, steering wheel buttons, GPS and phone pairing.
8. Slot the screen into the opening and refit the trim.

It is a plug & play job: between 45 minutes and an hour in a workshop, and perfectly doable at home if you are handy with tools. And it is reversible: keep the original radio and you can put the car back to standard whenever you want.

How much does it cost to add CarPlay to a Kia Picanto?

At the dealer, the official route is to swap the multimedia unit for the higher-trim one, which on top of the part means labour and, in some cases, wiring adaptations. That is a figure that is hard to justify on a city car.

The model-specific screen we sell costs a fraction of that, gives you a bigger display than the top factory trim and adds wireless CarPlay, apps and GPS. Check the current price and the available configurations on the product page, where they are always up to date.

Frequently asked questions

Do I lose the steering wheel controls?
No. The included CAN Bus module keeps them working: volume, track skip, phone and mute all behave as before.

Does it work with the reversing camera my Picanto already has?
Yes, if your car already had a camera it connects to the video input on the new screen. If you don't have one, you can add it and use the same input.

Is CarPlay wireless or wired?
Both. You can pair your iPhone over Bluetooth so it connects on its own at start-up, or plug it in over USB if you prefer it to charge.

Does it fit properly or does it look like an improvised frame?
It fits the original opening: this is a model-specific unit, not a universal radio with adapters.

Do I have to remove the original 7" screen if my trim already has one?
Yes, this unit replaces it. In exchange you gain size, resolution, speed and the ability to install apps.

See the CarPlay head unit for the Kia Picanto

All the photos, memory options and customer reviews are on the product page for the CarPlay and Android Auto head unit for the Kia Picanto (Morning 3) 2016-2023. If you would like us to confirm compatibility with your car, send us a photo of your dashboard on WhatsApp and we will reply straight away.