Wireless CarPlay for Mercedes: MBUX & COMAND Guide

Mercedes was one of the first German brands to adopt Apple CarPlay — it appeared on the C-Class back in 2015 and spread across the range the following year. But for most of the decade since, Mercedes CarPlay has meant one thing: a cable. Here's which Mercedes models have wireless CarPlay built in, which are wired-only, and how to go wireless in the ones that aren't.

The three Mercedes CarPlay eras

2015–2018: COMAND and Audio 20 (wired only, often optional). CarPlay arrived with the 2015 C-Class and expanded to the A-Class, B-Class, CLA, GLA, E-Class and GLE for the 2016 model year. On these NTG 5.0/5.5-era systems, CarPlay runs exclusively over USB — there is no wireless option. Just as important: CarPlay was frequently part of an optional Smartphone Integration Package rather than standard equipment, so two otherwise identical cars from this era can differ. If you're buying used, confirm CarPlay is actually fitted before assuming anything.

2018–2021: first-generation MBUX (usually still wired). MBUX debuted on the 2018 A-Class (W177) and Mercedes announced wireless CarPlay support for the new system at launch. In practice, though, most European first-generation MBUX cars — A-Class, B-Class, CLA, GLA, GLB and the facelifted GLC of this period — shipped with CarPlay running over the USB-C ports, and on many trims it still sat inside the optional smartphone integration package. Specs varied by market, year and options, so treat this era as "probably wired" and verify your own car.

2020 onwards: second-generation MBUX (wireless built in). With the second-generation system — S-Class (W223), then the 2021-on C-Class (W206), GLC (X254, 2023-on) and E-Class (W214, 2024-on) — wireless CarPlay became part of the standard fit on most configurations. If you drive one of these, you likely don't need an adapter at all.

The 60-second self-test

Trim and software variation makes blanket claims risky, so test your own car: pair your iPhone over Bluetooth and see if CarPlay starts without a cable. If it does, you have wireless built in. If CarPlay only launches when you plug into the USB port, your Mercedes has wired CarPlay — and that's exactly the situation a wireless adapter solves. If CarPlay doesn't appear even with a cable, your car doesn't have CarPlay enabled, and an adapter won't add it.

Going wireless in a wired Mercedes

If your Mercedes passed the cable test, the HexaCharge Complete Kit converts it to wireless: the adapter plugs into the same USB port your cable uses, your iPhone connects to the adapter automatically, and the MagSafe mount holds and charges the phone — no more fishing for a cable every time you get in. It handles wireless Android Auto the same way. The full walkthrough is in our guide to adding wireless CarPlay to a wired-only car.

Two Mercedes-specific notes. First, check your USB port type: pre-2018 COMAND cars generally use USB-A (sometimes via a Media Interface port in the armrest), while MBUX cars moved to USB-C — the adapter connects either way, but it's worth knowing which cable end you need. Second, make sure the port you use is a data port (usually in the centre console or armrest), not a charge-only socket. If wired CarPlay works from that port today, the adapter will work from it too.

If your iPhone lives in a case, the HexaRing magnetic booster ring restores a firm magnetic hold on the mount — useful at motorway speeds, where a weak magnetic hold shows up fast.

Which Mercedes should skip the adapter?

Second-generation MBUX cars with factory wireless CarPlay don't need one — there the HexaCharge kit's value is the magnetic charging mount rather than the adapter. And cars without any CarPlay (many pre-2016 models, or this-era cars sold without the smartphone package) need a head-unit retrofit first, which is a different job. Not sure where your car falls? Run it through our compatibility checker — it takes under a minute.

Curious how Mercedes compares with its neighbour in the premium segment? We've covered which BMW years have wireless CarPlay built in too — BMW went wireless earlier, but the wired-era story is remarkably similar.

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