CarPlay Head Unit for Alfa Romeo: compatibility and installation guide

Buying an Alfa Romeo is almost never a rational decision: you buy it for the way the engine sounds, for the way it turns into a corner and for a design that ages better than just about any rival's. What is a rational decision is wanting to use Google Maps, Spotify or WhatsApp by voice without your phone stuck to the windscreen on a suction cup.

And that is exactly where many Alfas fall short: the Mito, the 159, the Brera and a good share of Giuliettas were sold without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. This guide goes through what each model comes with from the factory, which head unit matches it and what the installation involves, so you can choose without getting it wrong.

Do Alfa Romeos come with CarPlay as standard?

It depends on the model and, above all, on the year. The most recent Alfas with the latest Uconnect do have it, but the ones people buy used today — which make up most of the cars on the road in Spain — usually do not:

• Alfa Romeo Mito: Blue&Me radio with Bluetooth and USB, plus a small monochrome display in the instrument cluster. No CarPlay or Android Auto.
• Alfa Romeo 159, Brera and Spider: audio system with optional Bluetooth and factory navigation on the higher trims, with disc-based maps that are long out of date.
• Alfa Romeo Giulietta: Blue&Me first, then Uconnect with a 5 or 6.5 inch touchscreen. Phone integration only arrived on the last series, and not on every trim level.

In all of those cases the experience is the same: Bluetooth calls yes, music from USB as well, but no way to see your phone's apps on the car's screen.

The solution: an Android head unit made for your Alfa

The most direct way to get CarPlay and Android Auto into an Alfa Romeo is to replace the original radio with a model-specific screen, with a tailor-made fascia and a connection to the car's own wiring. What these units bring:

• Large touchscreen built into the dashboard, with a factory-fit look.
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: the phone connects on its own as soon as you start the car.
• Built-in GPS and compatibility with Google Maps and Waze.
• Hands-free Bluetooth with an external microphone, for far clearer calls.
• Android with WiFi: Spotify, YouTube Music, podcasts or radio apps.
• Working steering wheel controls thanks to the CAN Bus adapter in the kit.
• Reversing camera input, which many sporty Alfas appreciate for visibility.
• Plug and play installation that is fully reversible, with no original wiring cut.

Alfa Romeo models with a CarPlay head unit available

These are the Alfas we have a specific kit for, along with their detailed guide:

• Alfa Romeo Giulietta (940), the brand's best-selling compact in Spain: guide to the CarPlay head unit for the Giulietta · view product.
• Alfa Romeo Mito, the sporty city car: guide to the CarPlay screen for the Mito · view product.
• Alfa Romeo 159, Brera, Spider and Sportwagon, which share the same dashboard: guide to the CarPlay screen for the 159 and Brera · view product.

If your Alfa is a Giulia or a Stelvio with the large Uconnect, the approach changes: on those cars the usual route is not replacing the radio, but fitting an interface that makes use of the original screen. Write to us and we will tell you what fits your particular case.

What is the installation like on an Alfa Romeo?

The procedure is similar across the three models, with the particularity that Alfas usually have the Blue&Me or Uconnect module built into the wiring.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal and wait a few minutes before you start.
2. Remove the centre console trims with plastic pry tools, starting from the lower area.
3. Take out the original radio and release the ISO connectors, the aerial and the connector for the Blue&Me or Uconnect module if there is one.
4. Connect the model-specific harness and the CAN Bus adapter from the kit, which is what keeps the steering wheel controls and the car's signals working.
5. Position the GPS aerial under the dashboard and the microphone near the rear-view mirror.
6. Run the reversing camera cable back to the tailgate if you are going to fit one.
7. Fit the screen into its fascia and reconnect the battery.
8. Test CarPlay, Android Auto, radio, microphone, camera and steering wheel controls before you clip all the trim panels back on.

On a car with Blue&Me it is worth checking during the fitting which functions you want to keep, because some of its features (calls, voice commands) move over to the new screen.

How much does it cost to add CarPlay to an Alfa Romeo?

Through official channels, an Alfa that did not leave the factory prepared for it cannot be updated: there is no CarPlay retrofit for a Mito, a 159 or an early-series Giulietta, and the factory navigation of that era does not even accept new maps.

The aftermarket option is to swap the radio for a model-specific screen. Compared with a generic double-DIN radio, the specific kit arrives with a tailor-made fascia, wiring and a steering wheel adapter ready to go, which avoids the classic problem of the screen not fitting the Alfa's console. Up-to-date prices and memory options are on each product page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I lose Blue&Me when I fit the screen?
The functions you were using (calls, Bluetooth music, voice commands) move over to the new screen, which handles them better and with CarPlay. In some installations the original module stays connected for vehicle functions.

Do I keep the steering wheel controls?
Yes. Every kit includes the CAN Bus adapter needed to keep volume, track change and calls working.

Does the screen look properly integrated or can you tell it is aftermarket?
Each kit comes with a model-specific fascia, so the whole assembly lines up with the console. The product pages have photos of the result in the dashboard.

Does CarPlay work without a cable?
Yes, both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work wirelessly after the first pairing; you can also connect the phone by USB to charge it.

Can I fit it myself?
Yes, if you are comfortable removing trim panels: it is a plug and play installation, with no cables cut. Anyone who would rather not bother can take it to any car audio workshop, where it usually takes a couple of hours.

See CarPlay head units for Alfa Romeo

You can see the three options available on the pages for the CarPlay head unit for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta 940, the CarPlay head unit for the Alfa Romeo Mito and the CarPlay head unit for the Alfa Romeo 159, Brera, Spider and Sportwagon. If you cannot find your model or you are not sure which system your car has, write to us with the year and a photo of the dashboard and we will tell you which kit suits you; you can also take a look at the full catalogue.