CarPlay Radio Screen for Mercedes R-Class W251 (2005-2017): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The Mercedes R-Class W251 is one of those cars that ages well. Almost five and a half metres of bodywork, six genuine seats with individual chairs, 4MATIC all-wheel drive on most units and a diesel drivetrain that piles on the miles without complaining. As a long-distance family car it is still hard to beat.

What has aged badly is its multimedia system. The R-Class Comand ran on DVD maps, rotary controls and a screen that looks tiny today. And if you are the one driving the family car, you know what that means: no Waze on the screen, no Spotify for the people in the back and Bluetooth calls you can only half understand. An Android head unit with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto made specifically for the W251 solves all of that at once.

Does the Mercedes R-Class have CarPlay as standard?

No. No R-Class left the factory with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. Mercedes did not add those functions until later generations of its NTG system, and the W251 missed out. What your car may have is:

• Audio 20: CD radio, small monochrome or colour screen and Bluetooth for calls only, using old profiles.
• Comand APS NTG 2 / NTG 2.5: DVD navigation, a hard drive on some versions and a low-resolution colour screen. The maps stopped being updated a long time ago.
• Comand NTG 4.5 on the last units, somewhat more modern but still without CarPlay.

The practical result is always the same: you navigate with your phone in a holder, you listen to music through the handset speaker or a noisy AUX adapter, and the car's system — which once cost a fortune as an option — only gets used for FM radio.

The solution: an Android head unit for the Mercedes R-Class W251

The model-specific Android head unit for the R-Class replaces the original unit in the same console slot. Because it is designed for this car, the fascia and connectors fit without odd workarounds and the finish looks integrated, not added on.

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wired and wireless depending on configuration.
• HD touchscreen far larger and sharper than the original Comand display.
• Always up-to-date navigation with Google Maps, Waze or Coyote and live traffic.
• Spotify, YouTube Music, podcasts and online radio without relying on adapters.
• Hands-free calling with modern Bluetooth and an external microphone — key in such a large cabin.
• Reversing camera input, almost mandatory in a car this size.
• RCA outputs for an amplifier and subwoofer.
• WiFi, USB, built-in GPS and compatibility with the steering wheel controls.
• Split screen to see the map and the music at the same time on long trips.

For a car used mainly on family journeys, the change is very noticeable: navigation stops being a problem, the kids can put on their own playlist and calls are actually intelligible.

R-Class fitment: supported versions

This unit is designed for the Mercedes R-Class W251 throughout its commercial life, including the original model and the later facelift. It fits:

• R 280 CDI and R 300 CDI — the entry-level V6 diesels.
• R 320 CDI and R 350 CDI — the best-selling diesel versions in Spain.
• R 350 and R 500 — V6 and V8 petrol.
• R 63 AMG — the performance variant.
• Short and long wheelbase bodies, with rear-wheel drive or 4MATIC.

It is also valid if your R-Class shares its electronics platform with the ML W164 and GL X164 from the same family. If your car has the Harman Kardon Logic7 sound system it is still compatible: the amplifier has to be kept powered with the right adapter. If in doubt, send us a photo of your centre console and we will confirm the exact model.

What is the installation like?

It is a plug & play fit: the car's original connectors are used and no factory wire is cut. That means the job is fully reversible if one day you want the Comand back.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal. On the W251 the battery sits under the passenger seat or in the boot depending on the version.
2. Remove the console trim. It is clipped in place; with plastic pry tools it comes off cleanly, without marking the wood or aluminium.
3. Pull out the Comand or Audio 20 unit by undoing its mounting screws.
4. Connect the supplied model-specific harness. This is where the CAN Bus module comes in, translating the car's signals for the new radio: steering wheel controls, automatic lighting, reverse gear signal and vehicle alerts.
5. Position the microphone and GPS aerial. Microphone next to the interior mirror; GPS aerial on the dashboard.
6. Check everything before closing up: sound across all six seats, touch response, steering wheel controls, CarPlay pairing and the camera if you fit one.
7. Fit the unit and refit the trim.

The usual time is around an hour. The trickiest part is not the electronics but removing the trim pieces without damaging them: patience and plastic tools.

At a specialist workshop or a dealer, adding CarPlay to an R-Class is usually approached with high-end aftermarket units and quotes that easily reach -1,000 between parts and labour. On top of that, many official service centres simply do not offer this solution for a discontinued model.

At PantallasPremium, the head unit made for the R-Class W251 starts at with 1 GB RAM + 16 GB, moves to for the 2 GB + 32 GB version — the one we recommend for most people — and reaches with 4 GB + 64 GB, the fastest for wireless CarPlay and heavy use. Every option includes the model-specific harness, the CAN Bus module, microphone and GPS aerial, with a 3-year warranty and shipping throughout Spain.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose the Harman Kardon sound in my R-Class?
No. The Logic7 amplifier keeps working; it just needs to be powered correctly through the corresponding adapter. With the Android head unit's equaliser you can tune the sound for all three rows of seats.

Do the W251 steering wheel controls still work?
Yes, thanks to the CAN Bus module fitted during installation. Volume, track change, calls and mute respond just as they did with the original system, and you can reassign buttons from the menu.

My R-Class has Comand with DVD navigation. Is it worth changing?
Very much so. That navigation no longer receives updates and searching for a new destination is a lottery. With Google Maps or Waze you get current maps, live traffic and speed camera alerts.

Does it affect the trip computer or the instrument cluster warnings?
No. The instrument cluster and its warnings are independent from the radio and keep working exactly the same. The head unit only reads the information it needs from the CAN Bus.

Can I add a reversing camera and sensors?
Yes. The unit has a camera input and switches over automatically when you select reverse. In a car almost five and a half metres long with a high rear window, it is an upgrade you appreciate every day.

See the CarPlay head unit for the Mercedes R-Class W251

You will find every configuration, installation photos and availability on the product page for the CarPlay Radio Screen for Mercedes-Benz R-Class (2005-2017). If you do not know which system your car has, send us a photo of the console and we will tell you exactly which one you need.