CarPlay Head Unit for Subaru: compatibility and installation guide, model by model

If you drive a Subaru you already know how the brand works: boxer engines, symmetrical all-wheel drive and bodies that put up with anything. The one thing that never ages well is the infotainment. A Forester or an Impreza with 150,000 km still pulls like it did on day one, but the factory stereo is stuck on CDs, a USB port that only reads MP3s and, if you are lucky, Bluetooth that drops calls. No decent navigation, no Spotify, no WhatsApp read out loud.

The good news is that you do not need a new car to get a modern dashboard. In this guide we go model by model through which Apple CarPlay and Android Auto head unit fits each Subaru, what to keep in mind during the installation and what to check before you buy.

Not sure whether there is a screen for your car? Check the compatibility table by make and model: the 521 models we cover, with their years and the type of solution each one needs.

Do Subarus come with CarPlay as standard?

It depends on the generation. The most recent versions with Subaru Starlink do include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto from the factory. The problem is everything before that: the Forester, Impreza, XV, Legacy and Outback generations from the 2000s and early 2010s shipped with double-DIN stereos or small proprietary navigation screens that never got CarPlay and are no longer updated.

In those cars you really only have two options. The first is to connect your phone over Bluetooth and settle for average audio and hands-free quality. The second is to replace the original unit with an Android head unit made specifically for your Subaru: same slot, same trim, same connectors, but with CarPlay, Android Auto, GPS and a modern touchscreen.

The solution: an Android head unit for Subaru

A Subaru-specific head unit is not a universal radio forced into the dashboard. It comes with the trim and the connector for your model, so it drops into the original slot without cutting plastics or leaving visible gaps. What you get:

• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wired or wireless depending on the version you choose.
• Real navigation: Google Maps, Waze or Apple Maps on a big screen, with live traffic from your phone.
• Music and podcasts from Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music or whichever app you use.
• Hands-free calls and messages read out and dictated by voice, without touching your phone.
• Reversing camera: the video input is already there, so you can add one now or later.
• Steering wheel controls kept in most installations thanks to the CAN Bus wiring.
• FM radio, USB, Bluetooth and, on the models that allow it, an amplifier output.

Subaru compatibility: model by model

These are the Subarus we have a specific head unit for. Each link goes to the detailed model guide, with its installation and its quirks:

• Subaru Forester Mk2 SG (2002-2008): the classic boxy Forester. See the Forester SG guide.
• Subaru Forester SH and Impreza Mk3 (2007-2013): they share a platform and a radio slot, so the same screen fits both. See the Forester SH and Impreza guide.
• Subaru Forester Mk4, Impreza and XV / Crosstrek (2012-2018): the generation with the most modern dashboard, where a large screen looks especially good. See the Forester Mk4, Impreza and XV guide.
• Subaru Legacy and Outback Mk4 BL/BP (2003-2009): the estate and the rugged one of the family, both very popular used. See the Legacy and Outback guide.

If your Subaru belongs to an in-between generation or you cannot find it on the list, write to us with the exact model and year: many units share the same slot across generations and in almost every case there is a solution, either a model-specific screen or a universal one with its adapter frame.

What is the installation like?

A Subaru is one of the easier cars to work on, because the centre console is wide and accessible. The typical process:

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal before you start.
2. Remove the centre console trim. On the Forester and Impreza it is clipped in place: a plastic pry tool gets it out without marks.
3. Undo the screws holding the original radio and pull the unit out, taking care not to tug on the harness.
4. Unplug the main connector, the aerial and, if fitted, the camera or charger cable.
5. Connect the CAN Bus wiring supplied with the screen: that is what translates the car's signals so the steering wheel controls and warnings keep working.
6. Plug the car's connector into the adapter, fit the screen with its trim and screw it in.
7. Reconnect the battery, start the car and check audio, controls, CarPlay and the camera if you have one.

It is a plug & play job: no cutting or splicing of the car's wiring. With basic tools and no rush, anyone reasonably handy finishes in one or two hours. If you would rather not touch anything, any car electronics workshop will fit it in a single short visit.

How much does it cost to add CarPlay to a Subaru?

At the dealer the answer is usually that it cannot be done, and when it can it means replacing the whole infotainment system, labour included: an invoice that rarely comes in under several hundred euros. A model-specific head unit costs a fraction of that, arrives with the trim and wiring it needs, and you can fit it yourself or have a technician do it, which is where the real saving is.

You can see the current price of each model on its product page. All our products include a warranty, after-sales support and free shipping across Europe.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose all-wheel drive or any of the car's systems?
No. The head unit is audio and navigation equipment: it does not touch the engine, the transmission or the symmetrical AWD system. The only thing that changes is the multimedia unit in the dashboard.

Do the steering wheel controls still work?
On most Subarus yes, through the CAN Bus wiring included. On some units you have to assign the buttons once from the screen's menu, and the setting is saved.

What about the air conditioning and the warning lights?
The climate controls are physical and independent of the radio on all these models, so they stay exactly as they are. The dashboard warnings are not affected either.

Can I keep the original reversing camera?
If your Subaru already had a factory camera, in many cases it can be reused by connecting it to the screen's video input. If it did not have one, you can add a new camera at any time.

Wired or wireless CarPlay?
Both options are available depending on the version. Wireless is more convenient for short trips; with a cable your phone charges and the connection is more stable on long journeys.

See CarPlay head units for Subaru

Browse the Subaru head unit collection and pick the one for your model, or go straight to your car's page: Forester Mk2 SG (2002-2008), Forester SH and Impreza Mk3 (2007-2013), Forester Mk4, Impreza XV and Crosstrek or Legacy and Outback Mk4 (2003-2009). If you are not sure which one fits your car, send us the model and year and we will confirm it before you buy.