CarPlay Screen Radio for Mercedes C-Class W205 and GLC (2014-2018): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The Mercedes C-Class W205 and its SUV sibling, the GLC, were a huge step up from the previous generation: a miniature S-Class interior, excellent materials and that floating screen above the dashboard that defined the brand's style for years. The problem is what lives inside that screen.

Most units sold second-hand today come with Audio 20 without navigation and without CarPlay, with a 7-inch display operated by the rotary controller on the tunnel. It works, but it feels dated every time you want to open Google Maps or Spotify. The answer is to replace the whole assembly with a large-format Android screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which looks far closer to a current Mercedes.

Does the Mercedes C-Class W205 have CarPlay as standard?

It depends on the car, and in Spain most of them do not. Mercedes offered CarPlay as part of a paid optional package, not as standard, and many fleet, leasing and entry-level cars left without it. These are the systems you can come across:

• Audio 20 USB: radio with Bluetooth and USB, no navigation and, almost always, no CarPlay.
• Audio 20 CD with Garmin Map Pilot: navigation via SD card, with maps that are now paid for separately and still fall behind Waze.
• COMAND Online (NTG5): the range topper, with hard drive and built-in navigation. Very complete in its day, but still a closed system.

The other point: even on cars that do have CarPlay, it works via cable only and on a 7-inch widescreen display with the lower half wasted. And adding CarPlay afterwards through the official route means replacing the head unit at the dealership: between the part, the coding and the labour, it is a quote that rarely makes sense on a car of this age.

The solution: Android radio for the Mercedes C-Class W205 and GLC

This CarPlay screen for the Mercedes W205 and GLC replaces the original assembly with a large vertical unit, integrated above the console in the position of the factory screen. What you gain:

• Wireless Apple CarPlay: the iPhone connects on its own at start-up, with no cable on the console.
• Wireless Android Auto, with Waze or Google Maps filling the whole screen.
• Android with the Play Store: Spotify, YouTube, podcasts, parking and traffic apps.
• A large, vertical screen: far more usable surface than the original 7 inches, with navigation on top and music below at the same time.
• Built-in GPS with maps of Spain and Europe that work without data.
• Working steering wheel controls and tunnel rotary controller thanks to the specific CAN-Bus box.
• DSP with multi-band equalisation, compatible with the car's audio installation, including the Burmester system.
• Free reversing camera that switches on automatically when you select reverse.
• Bluetooth hands-free, USB, OTA updates and quick start-up with the ignition.

Compatibility with the Mercedes W205 and GLC: supported versions

The unit is designed for the harness and data bus of this model family. It covers:

• C-Class W205 (2014-2018) in saloon, S205 Estate, C205 Coupé and A205 Cabriolet.
• GLC X253 and GLC Coupé C253, which share their interior architecture with the C-Class.
• V-Class and Vito W447, with the same type of multimedia installation.
• C180, C200, C220 d, C250, C300 and GLC 220 d / 250 d engines, plus the AMG Line versions.
• Cars with Audio 20, Audio 20 with Garmin Map Pilot or COMAND Online NTG5.

Important warning: with the later facelift Mercedes moved to bigger screens and to the MBUX generation, with different head unit electronics. If your car is near the end of the year range, send us a photo of the full dashboard and another of your screen switched on via WhatsApp: we will confirm free of charge within minutes whether this unit fits your car. One minute of work that avoids a return.

What is the installation like?

Plug & play installation on the original connectors, 60 to 120 minutes:

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal and wait a few minutes for the modules to discharge.
2. Using a plastic trim tool, remove the console trim and the central air vents, which are clipped in.
3. Undo the screws of the original screen and head unit, and pull it straight out without forcing the mounts.
4. Unplug the main connector and connect it to the Mercedes-specific harness of the new screen. That harness carries the CAN-Bus box, which is what keeps the steering wheel controls, the rotary controller and the cluster warnings alive.
5. Run the reversing camera cable along the side of the cabin to the tailgate if you are fitting it.
6. Fix the new screen bracket to the original mounting points and fit the assembly.
7. Reconnect the battery, start the car and pair your phone over Bluetooth just once. After that CarPlay comes on by itself every time you get in.

None of this is irreversible: no vehicle wiring is cut, so you can go back to the original equipment whenever you want — useful if you sell the car one day.

At PantallasPremium this unit costs with 4 GB of RAM + 64 GB, with 8 GB + 128 GB and with 8 GB + 256 GB. It includes the screen, the Mercedes harness with CAN-Bus, a model-specific bracket and a free reversing camera, with free shipping and a 3-year warranty.

Yes, it costs more than a screen for an older car, and there is a reason: here you are not replacing a 2-DIN radio but the entire floating screen assembly, with the electronics needed to talk to the CAN-Bus of a modern Mercedes. Compared with the official alternative — replacing the head unit at the dealership to add CarPlay, which usually runs into four figures between part and coding — it remains the sensible option, and you also get a bigger screen, full Android and a camera.

Frequently asked questions

Do I lose the rotary controller on the centre tunnel?
No. It keeps working to move through the menus thanks to the CAN-Bus box, and you also get a touchscreen, which is how you will use it 90% of the time.

My car has Burmester sound, is it preserved?
Yes. The screen integrates with the car's amplifier. Tell us on WhatsApp when ordering so we can confirm the harness configuration for your specific car.

Can I still see the car menus, such as settings or tyre pressure?
The vehicle data remains accessible from the instrument cluster using the steering wheel buttons, which is where it is normally consulted on this model.

Does wireless CarPlay work with any iPhone?
Yes, with any iPhone running an up-to-date iOS. The first time it pairs over Bluetooth and from then on the connection is automatic.

Is it obvious that it is not factory fitted?
It is a larger screen mounted in the same position as the original, in black and with a matching frame. Opening the door feels like getting into a more modern Mercedes, not like looking at an add-on.

See the CarPlay radio for the Mercedes C-Class W205 and GLC

Here it is: CarPlay Screen Radio for Mercedes-Benz W205, GLC and V-Class W447, from with a reversing camera included and free shipping. Send us a photo of your dashboard on WhatsApp and we will confirm free of charge whether this is the unit that fits your car.