CarPlay Screen for Mercedes A-Class W176, CLA and GLA (2012-2018): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The Mercedes A-Class W176 completely changed the brand's image: it stopped being the tall MPV of previous generations and became a low, sporty compact with an interior that still surprises today. From that same platform came the CLA C117, with its four-door coupe silhouette, and the GLA X156, the raised version. All three share a dashboard, and all three share the same problem.

That problem is the floating screen on top of the console. It still looks modern, but inside it runs the Audio 20 or Comand Online system of its time: menus driven by the rotary controller, navigation on an SD card you have to pay to update, and phone connectivity limited to Bluetooth for calls and little else. Without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto there is no Google Maps with live traffic, no Spotify with your playlists and no voice-dictated messages. An Android head unit made specifically for the W176, the C117 and the X156 fixes exactly that without touching the rest of the car.

Does the Mercedes A-Class W176 have CarPlay as standard?

No. Units from these years were delivered with two multimedia systems and neither includes Apple CarPlay or Android Auto:

• Audio 20 CD, the entry setup: 5.8" or 7" screen, radio, Bluetooth for hands-free and basic streaming, and no built-in navigation.
• Comand Online, the higher-end unit: 7" or 8" screen, hard-drive or SD-card navigation, online services and a rotary controller with touchpad.

Mercedes only started offering CarPlay on this family of models through the optional Smartphone Integration package, and only on the last production runs after the facelift. In other words: the vast majority of units on the road do not have it and cannot get it through software.

The solution: Android head unit for A-Class, CLA and GLA

The sensible alternative is to fit an Android screen developed specifically for this family of models. It sits in the position of the original floating screen, with the same shape and the same mounting points, so the dashboard keeps its factory look and only what is inside changes.

• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: your phone connects on its own when you start the car, with no cables or menus.
• Larger HD touchscreen than the original, with far better brightness and viewing angles.
• Google Maps and Waze in real time, with traffic, speed cameras and alternative routes, so you can forget about buying map updates.
• Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, podcasts and online radio installed directly.
• WiFi, Bluetooth and a SIM slot, or data shared from your phone.
• Rear and front camera inputs, with dynamic guide lines when you engage reverse.
• Steering wheel controls and rotary controller still working thanks to the included CAN Bus decoder.
• Compatible with the standard sound system and with Harman Kardon, respecting the amplifier.
• Split screen so you can see navigation and music at the same time.

An important detail on these Mercedes: the screen keeps the vehicle information menus and comfort settings, so you lose nothing you already handled with the console controller.

Compatibility with A-Class, CLA and GLA: supported versions

• Mercedes A-Class W176 throughout its production, before and after the facelift.
• Mercedes CLA C117 saloon and CLA Shooting Brake X117.
• Mercedes GLA X156 in all its versions.
• A 160, A 180, A 200, A 220 and A 250 engines plus the CDI and d diesel variants, as well as the AMG versions.
• Style, Urban, AMG Line and Night Edition trims, with front-wheel drive or 4MATIC.
• Units fitted with Audio 20 CD or with Comand Online, with a 5.8", 7" or 8" screen.

Before buying, check the size of the original screen and whether you have a touchpad above the rotary controller. If in doubt, send us a photo of the console with the screen switched on and we will confirm the exact reference.

What is the installation like?

Fitting is plug & play: it uses the car's original connectors and there is no need to cut or splice any wiring. At home, taking your time, it takes a little over an hour.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal before you start.
2. Using a plastic trim tool, release the bezel around the floating screen so you do not mark the dashboard.
3. Remove the retaining screws of the original screen and pull it out carefully; the connector releases with a tab at the back.
4. Locate the radio unit in the console and disconnect the video cable that runs up to the screen.
5. Connect the harness and the CAN Bus decoder to the new screen: this is the part that translates the car's signals so the steering wheel controls, the rotary controller, the warnings and the automatic power-on keep working.
6. Plug the assembly into the vehicle connectors and, if you are fitting a camera, run the video cable to the tailgate along the side trim of the boot.
7. Reconnect the battery and check sound, steering wheel controls, Bluetooth and CarPlay before closing anything up.
8. Fit the screen into its frame, screw it down and refit the bezel.

If you would rather not do it yourself, any car electronics workshop will fit it in an hour to an hour and a half.

• Mercedes dealer: activating Smartphone Integration where the hardware allows it is around for the code alone; if the head unit has to be replaced, the quote goes beyond 0 and you still have the small screen.
• Updating the Comand maps: between and each time, with no real-time traffic and no apps.
• PantallasPremium: the Android screen made specifically for the A-Class W176, CLA C117 and GLA X156 starts from , with higher-memory versions up to .

The difference between versions is RAM and storage. If you are going to use wireless CarPlay every day alongside navigation and music, the higher-memory option is noticeably smoother when switching apps.

Frequently asked questions

Does the console rotary controller still work?
Yes. The CAN Bus decoder keeps the rotary controller, the touchpad if you have one and the steering wheel buttons working so you can move through the new screen's menus.

Does the screen look odd in the dashboard?
No. The unit is designed with the same floating shape as the original and mounts on the same points, so at a glance it looks factory-fitted, only bigger and sharper.

My GLA has a Harman Kardon system, do I lose sound quality?
No. The screen respects the factory amplifier and speakers. It also includes its own equaliser so you can tune the sound to your taste.

Does CarPlay work without cables?
Yes. You can pair your iPhone over WiFi so it connects on its own when you start the car, or use USB if you prefer to charge at the same time. Android Auto supports both.

Can I refit the original screen?
Yes. As no wiring is cut, the process is fully reversible: unplug the harness and refit the original unit, which is worth keeping in mind if you plan to sell the car.

See the CarPlay screen for Mercedes A-Class, CLA and GLA

You can see all versions, real fitting photos and the memory options on the product page for the CarPlay and Android Auto screen for Mercedes A-Class W176, CLA C117 and GLA X156. If you are not sure whether your car has Audio 20 or Comand Online, send us a photo of the screen switched on and we will confirm compatibility.