Mazda is the one make where the factory has an answer
Most manufacturers left CarPlay retrofits to the aftermarket. Mazda did not: for cars with MZD Connect — the 7-inch screen with the rotary commander on the tunnel, fitted from about 2014 — there is a genuine Mazda upgrade that adds CarPlay and Android Auto through a new USB hub and a software update. Afterwards the car behaves as though it shipped with the feature: the tile appears in the factory menu, the commander wheel drives it, and nothing on the dashboard changes.
That covers Mazda 3, Mazda 6, CX-3, CX-5, CX-30 and MX-5 of that generation. Everything older — Mazda 3 BL, Mazda 6 GH, RX-8, RX-7 — and Japanese imports with the Japanese-language unit take the other route: a car-specific Android screen with wireless CarPlay, Android Auto and, on imports, English menus and the Irish FM band.
Mazda models we work on
| Model | Years | What we fit |
|---|---|---|
| Mazda 2 DJ / Demio (import) | 2014–2021 | English Android screen — see the install |
| Mazda 3 BL | 2009–2013 | Android screen with the Mazda 3 fascia |
| Mazda 3 BM / BP | 2014 on | MZD Connect retrofit — factory CarPlay tile — see our Mazda 3 install |
| Mazda 6 GH | 2007–2012 | Android screen with the Mazda 6 fascia |
| Mazda 6 GJ | 2013 on | MZD Connect retrofit |
| CX-3 | 2015 on | MZD Connect retrofit |
| CX-5 KE / KF | 2012 on | MZD Connect retrofit |
| CX-30 | 2019 on | MZD Connect retrofit, or factory CarPlay |
| MX-5 ND | 2015 on | MZD Connect retrofit |
| RX-7 | 1994–2002 | Android screen for RX-7 — see the install |
| Axela, Atenza (import) | 2010–2019 | English Android screen with the import fascia |
What changes on the dash
With the MZD Connect retrofit, nothing at all: the screen, the commander, the Bose system, the reverse camera and every Mazda menu stay, and a CarPlay tile simply appears. The only physical change is the USB hub in the console, which looks like the one that was there. With an Android screen the unit is replaced behind a Mazda-shaped fascia, the steering-wheel buttons keep working through a CAN adapter, and on imports the new tuner covers 87.5–108 MHz so the Irish dial works from the first drive.
Prices
- MZD Connect retrofit — quoted from the reg once we confirm the software version; usually the same day.
- RX-7 Android screen — €220 supply-only.
- Mazda 2 Demio English screen — €310 supply-only.
- Other models — quoted from the year and the unit fitted; fitting booked at checkout.
Why Radio King
Mazda is a make where the cheapest answer and the right answer are often the same one, and we will tell you when the factory kit beats anything we could sell you. Seven years at Rosemount Business Park, Dublin 11, one-year warranty on the work, 4.8 stars on Google.
