VW CarPlay retrofit: RNS 510, MIB, MIB2 Discover Pro and Touareg RNS 850

Volkswagen made this easier than Audi did, but there is still one decision that decides everything: RNS 510 or MIB.

Those are two different eras of VW infotainment with nothing in common electrically. Get it right and the module is plug and play. Get it wrong and nothing fits.

Here is how to tell, chassis by chassis.

Quick answer

Your VW	Years	System	Module
Golf 7 / 7.5, Passat B8, Tiguan, Polo AW, T-Roc, Arteon, Touran 2, T-Cross	2014–2022	MIB / MIB2	MIB / MIB2 — €219
Touareg 7P	2010–2018	RNS 850	RNS 850 — €299
Golf 5 / 6, Passat B6 / B7, Tiguan 1, Touran 1, Jetta, Sharan, EOS	2008–2015	RNS 510	RNS 510 — €239

Golf 7 and Golf 7.5: the most common case

The Golf 7 is the most searched VW for CarPlay retrofit, and almost all of them are MIB.

VW fitted three head units across the Golf 7 range, and — usefully — all three are MIB:

• Composition Media — 6.5" or 8" touchscreen, no navigation
• Discover Media — 6.5" or 8" with navigation, SD card slot
• Discover Pro — 8" or 9.2", navigation, proximity sensor, sometimes gesture control

All three take the same MIB / MIB2 module (€219). That is unusual and it makes the Golf 7 one of the safest retrofits in the catalogue. For 2015–2020 cars specifically with Discover Pro or Discover Media there is also a dedicated MIB2 module (€259) with wireless Android Auto.

"But my Golf already has App-Connect." Correct, and that is precisely why people retrofit. Factory App-Connect is USB-cable only. The module makes CarPlay wireless — your phone stays in your pocket and connects automatically when you start the car. It also adds wireless Android Auto, which App-Connect does not do.

The Golf 7.5 (2017 facelift) behaves the same way.

RNS 510: the older Golf 5 / 6 and Passat B6 / B7

RNS 510 is VW's premium navigation unit from roughly 2008 to 2015. You will recognise it immediately: a 6.5" touchscreen with a CD/DVD slot directly above it, and a row of hard buttons down each side.

It appears in the Golf 5 and 6, Passat B6 and B7, Tiguan 1, Touran 1, Jetta, Sharan and EOS.

RNS 510 predates MIB entirely and needs a different module: the RNS 510 / Discover module (€239). If you are unsure whether your unit is an RNS 510, send us a photo of the head unit or your VIN at info@oemcarplay.com and we will confirm before you order.

Careful with the similarly named RCD 510 — smaller screen, no navigation, no CD/DVD slot above the display. It is a different unit and needs a different solution.

Touareg 7P: RNS 850

The Touareg went its own way. From 2010 to 2018 the 7P uses RNS 850, an 8" touchscreen built into the centre console — physically larger and electrically different from everything else in the VW range.

The RNS 850 module (€299) is made specifically for it and keeps the factory Area View 360° camera and parking sensors working. It also works alongside the Dynaudio system without any loss of quality.

If your Touareg has a smaller screen or a different unit, get in touch first.

VW Up: an honest note

The VW Up is one of the most searched cars in Germany for CarPlay retrofit. We want to be straightforward about it: we do not currently stock a module for the Up.

The Up uses a fundamentally different approach — for much of its production VW did not fit an integrated infotainment head unit at all, instead offering a removable smartphone cradle (maps + more). There is no factory screen to insert a module behind.

If your Up has the later integrated system, email us the VIN and we will check honestly whether anything exists for it. If it has the cradle setup, no retrofit module can help, and a portable CarPlay screen is the realistic option.

We would rather tell you this than sell you something that will not work.

Does this work on Škoda and SEAT?

Yes. Škoda and SEAT sit on the same MIB platform as VW.

The MIB / MIB2 module covers the Škoda Octavia, Superb, Kodiaq and Karoq, and the SEAT Leon, Ateca, Ibiza and Arona — anything running Bolero, Amundsen, Columbus, Media System Plus or Navi System.

The Škoda- and SEAT-badged versions of this module are not in our catalogue at the moment. If you drive one, email us at info@oemcarplay.com with your VIN and we will tell you what fits.

What stays and what changes

Kept: factory navigation, radio, DAB, Bluetooth, App-Connect, Active Info Display (digital cockpit), reversing camera, parking sensors, steering wheel buttons, Dynaudio or the factory sound system.

Added: wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, Google Maps and Waze on the factory screen, Spotify through the factory speakers.

No cable is cut. No VCDS or ODIS coding is required.

Common questions

Does CarPlay navigation show in the Active Info Display?
Yes. Google Maps and Waze mirror into the digital cockpit exactly as factory App-Connect does.

How do I tell Discover Media from Discover Pro?
Discover Pro is the larger unit (8" or 9.2") with a proximity sensor — the menu bar appears as your hand approaches. Discover Media is 6.5" or 8" with navigation and an SD slot. Composition Media has no navigation. All three are MIB and take the same module.

Can I fit it myself?
Yes. Removing a VW head unit takes 20–45 minutes with the release keys, which are included.

How long is the warranty?
24 months on every module.

Not sure which unit you have?

Send your VIN to info@oemcarplay.com and we will confirm in writing whether you have MIB, RNS 510 or RNS 850, and which module fits. Free, usually within 30 minutes.

Or use the vehicle check, or browse all Volkswagen CarPlay modules.