CarsGadgetWhich Mercedes COMAND do I have?
Mercedes never prints the generation anywhere in the car, and the same model year can carry two different systems depending on the options ticked. The control panel is the reliable tell. Below are the four panels side by side, then the chassis codes, then the part that trips most people up — which trunk handle camera fits.
Check 1 — the button row
Check 2 — the screen size
Three screen sizes run across these generations, and the interface has to be ordered for the right one:
- 7.2″, 800 × 480 — the common COMAND screen on NTG4.5 and NTG5.
- 8.2″, 960 × 480 — the wider screen on A-Class, GLA, GLC and GLE.
- 5.8″, 400 × 240 — the small Audio20 screen on C W204, C W205, CLA, CLS and ML.
Check 3 — the chassis code
Production changeovers happen mid-year, so use this table to narrow it down and confirm with the button row above.
| System | Years | Models | Camera kit |
|---|---|---|---|
| NTG4.0 | 2008–2011 | C-Class W204 pre-facelift | Ask us — depends on the screen |
| NTG4.5 / Audio20 | 2009–2015 | ML350 W166 · B180 · B200 · C-Class W204 · CLA · E-Class W212 · C207 · GLK 200–350 | NTG 4.5 camera interface — $399.95 |
| NTG5.0 / 5.1 | 2015–2018 | A-Class · B-Class · C-Class W205 · CLA · CLS · E-Class W212 · W213 · GLA · GLC · GLE · GLK | NTG 5.0 / 5.1 camera interface — $399.95 |
| NTG5.5 / 6.0 | 2018 and newer | C · E · S · CLS · GLC · GLE | NTG 5.5 / 6.0 camera interface — $399.95 |
The part people get wrong: the trunk handle
Mercedes used several trunk handles across the range, so the OEM-style camera comes in five housings — Type 1 to Type 5 — plus a licence-plate-light version. The interface is chosen by the head unit; the camera is chosen by the handle.
- Type 1 — GLK.
- Type 2 — C W204, C W205, CLA, CLS, ML W166, A-Class.
- Type 3 — GLA, GLC, GLE.
- B-Class and CLS — send us a photo of the handle and the licence-plate light and we confirm the type.
Measure the handle before you order and compare it to what you are buying. Send us the year, model and a couple of photos of the dashboard and the trunk handle and we confirm the whole kit before it ships.
What the interface gives you
Two video inputs: the first for the reversing camera, the second for an optional front camera or a MirrorLink box, switchable automatically or with the RETURN button. Dynamic guidance lines follow the steering angle, and on some models the kit supports the factory advanced parking sensors. Plug and play — the harness sits between the head unit and its own plug, nothing is coded, nothing is cut, and it unplugs at the end of a lease.
Frequently asked
How do I find out which COMAND my Mercedes has?
The button row under the screen is the fastest check — see the four panels above. Your dealer can also read the head unit model from the VIN, or you can remove the unit and read the sticker on it.
Do I need a camera as well as the interface?
The camera kits ship with the camera in the box. You only pick which trunk handle type matches your car.
Will the factory features keep working?
Yes. Radio, media, navigation and the factory Bluetooth all keep working; the interface adds an input rather than replacing the head unit. It works with both automatic and manual transmissions.