MMI 3G Basic, High or Plus: which CarPlay kit fits

One kit covers all three — the line that matters is RMC and the screen size.

The short answer: MMI 3G Basic, 3G High and 3G Plus take the same CarPlay kit — the MMI 3G CarPlay retrofit. What changes between them is the maps and the knob, not the video connection the interface uses. The one system that looks like MMI 3G but is not covered is the RMC radio in the A6.

Owners of 2009–2016 Audis spend a lot of time trying to work out which of the three MMI 3G versions they have before ordering CarPlay. For this retrofit the distinction matters less than people expect. Here is what each version is, how to tell them apart in thirty seconds, and where the real compatibility line runs.

The three versions, side by side

Version	Years	Maps	Knob	Typical cars
MMI 3G Basic (Low)	2009–2012	2D, no terrain	Plain rotary knob	A4, A5, Q5
MMI 3G High	2009–2012	3D terrain maps	Joystick on top of the knob	A4, A5, Q5, A6, Q7
MMI 3G Plus (3G+)	2010–2016	3D maps, faster hardware	Joystick on top of the knob	A6, A7, A8, Q3, later A4 / A5 / Q5

MMI 3G High / 3G+: 3D terrain maps, joystick knob

The quick tell is the knob. If the top of the rotary controller has a tiny joystick you can nudge in four directions, the car has 3G High or 3G Plus. If the top is solid, it is 3G Basic. To confirm, press MENU, go to Setup and scroll to Version Information — the software train name starts with HNav for 3G High and HN+ for 3G Plus.

What the CarPlay kit needs from the system

The interface connects to the screen's video feed and to the control bus, which is the same across Basic, High and Plus. That is why one kit covers all three. The screen size is what the kit is matched to:

7-inch screen — B8 / B8.5 A4, S4, A5, S5, Q5, SQ5, Allroad and Avant (2009–2016), A8 / S8 D4 (2012–2017).
6.5-inch screen — A6 / A7 C7 (2012–2016).
5.8-inch screen — Q3 (2014–2019).

Once installed you get wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless MirrorLink (AirPlay) for iPhone, Android Auto over USB, and a USB media player with charging. The factory joystick and dash buttons drive it, so nothing about the way you use the car changes.

The system that is NOT MMI 3G: RMC

The A6 C7 was also sold with a radio called RMC. It has an MMI-style menu and a console knob but no navigation, and it is a different unit inside. The MMI 3G CarPlay kit does not support the A6 with RMC — the product page says so in bold, and it is the most common wrong order we see on the A6. If your A6 has no navigation at all, check with us before buying. The Audi MMI guide has a photo of the RMC screen next to the 3G ones.

And if the car has no console knob at all

Then it is not MMI 3G. A radio with its own display and buttons and no controller on the console is a Concert or Symphony unit, and it takes a different interface — the Concert / Symphony CarPlay retrofit. On that radio a backup camera is required with the kit; on MMI 3G it is optional, because many 2014+ cars already have one.

Two things to check before you order

AUX or AMI. The car needs an OEM 3.5 mm AUX jack or an AMI connector in the glove box or armrest for CarPlay sound. AMI cars need an AMI-to-3.5 mm cable, sold separately.
Microphone. Factory Bluetooth cars have one. If yours does not, an aftermarket microphone is needed for calls and Siri.

Send a photo of the dashboard, the knob and the glove box to [email protected] with the year and model and we confirm the kit before it ships. Free USPS Priority shipping in the US, one-year limited warranty.