diff --git a/core/api.txt b/core/api.txt
index 7ba90bf1160..f7e8cc1030a 100644
--- a/core/api.txt
+++ b/core/api.txt
@@ -425,6 +425,12 @@ ion-datetime,event,ionFocus,void,true
 ion-datetime,css-prop,--background
 ion-datetime,css-prop,--background-rgb
 ion-datetime,css-prop,--title-color
+ion-datetime,css-prop,--wheel-fade-background-rgb
+ion-datetime,css-prop,--wheel-highlight-background
+ion-datetime,part,time-button
+ion-datetime,part,time-button active
+ion-datetime,part,wheel-item
+ion-datetime,part,wheel-item active
 
 ion-datetime-button,shadow
 ion-datetime-button,prop,color,"danger" | "dark" | "light" | "medium" | "primary" | "secondary" | "success" | "tertiary" | "warning" | string & Record<never, never> | undefined,'primary',false,true
diff --git a/core/src/components/datetime/datetime.scss b/core/src/components/datetime/datetime.scss
index 3bd90f3bb29..34eca2603cc 100644
--- a/core/src/components/datetime/datetime.scss
+++ b/core/src/components/datetime/datetime.scss
@@ -8,6 +8,12 @@
    * @prop --background: The primary background of the datetime component.
    * @prop --background-rgb: The primary background of the datetime component in RGB format.
    * @prop --title-color: The text color of the title.
+   *
+   * @prop --wheel-highlight-background: The background of the highlight under the selected
+   * item when using a wheel style layout, or in the month/year picker for grid style layouts.
+   * @prop --wheel-fade-background-rgb: The color of the gradient covering non-selected items
+   * when using a wheel style layout, or in the month/year picker for grid style layouts. Must
+   * be in RGB format, e.g. `255, 255, 255`.
    */
 
   display: flex;
diff --git a/core/src/components/datetime/datetime.tsx b/core/src/components/datetime/datetime.tsx
index 7acca99b801..87c4d5301e7 100644
--- a/core/src/components/datetime/datetime.tsx
+++ b/core/src/components/datetime/datetime.tsx
@@ -74,6 +74,14 @@ import {
  * @slot title - The title of the datetime.
  * @slot buttons - The buttons in the datetime.
  * @slot time-label - The label for the time selector in the datetime.
+ *
+ * @part wheel-item - The individual items when using a wheel style layout, or in the
+ * month/year picker when using a grid style layout.
+ * @part wheel-item active - The currently selected wheel-item.
+ *
+ * @part time-button - The button that opens the time picker when using a grid style
+ * layout with `presentation="date-time"` or `"time-date"`.
+ * @part time-button active - The time picker button when the picker is open.
  */
 @Component({
   tag: 'ion-datetime',
@@ -2167,7 +2175,8 @@ export class Datetime implements ComponentInterface {
   }
 
   private renderTimeOverlay() {
-    const use24Hour = is24Hour(this.locale, this.hourCycle);
+    const { hourCycle, isTimePopoverOpen, locale } = this;
+    const use24Hour = is24Hour(locale, hourCycle);
     const activePart = this.getActivePartsWithFallback();
 
     return [
@@ -2175,8 +2184,9 @@ export class Datetime implements ComponentInterface {
       <button
         class={{
           'time-body': true,
-          'time-body-active': this.isTimePopoverOpen,
+          'time-body-active': isTimePopoverOpen,
         }}
+        part={`time-button${isTimePopoverOpen ? ' active' : ''}`}
         aria-expanded="false"
         aria-haspopup="true"
         onClick={async (ev) => {
@@ -2199,7 +2209,7 @@ export class Datetime implements ComponentInterface {
           }
         }}
       >
-        {getLocalizedTime(this.locale, activePart, use24Hour)}
+        {getLocalizedTime(locale, activePart, use24Hour)}
       </button>,
       <ion-popover
         alignment="center"
diff --git a/core/src/components/datetime/test/custom/datetime.e2e.ts b/core/src/components/datetime/test/custom/datetime.e2e.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bc6deb9c917
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/components/datetime/test/custom/datetime.e2e.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import { expect } from '@playwright/test';
+import { configs, test } from '@utils/test/playwright';
+
+configs({ directions: ['ltr'] }).forEach(({ title, screenshot, config }) => {
+  test.describe(title('datetime: custom'), () => {
+    test.beforeEach(async ({ page }) => {
+      await page.goto(`/src/components/datetime/test/custom`, config);
+    });
+
+    test('should allow styling wheel style datetimes', async ({ page }) => {
+      const datetime = page.locator('#custom-wheel');
+
+      await expect(datetime).toHaveScreenshot(screenshot(`datetime-custom-wheel`));
+    });
+
+    test('should allow styling month/year picker in grid style datetimes', async ({ page }) => {
+      const datetime = page.locator('#custom-grid');
+      const monthYearToggle = datetime.locator('.calendar-month-year');
+
+      await monthYearToggle.click();
+      await page.waitForChanges();
+
+      await expect(datetime).toHaveScreenshot(screenshot(`datetime-custom-month-year`));
+    });
+
+    test('should allow styling time picker in grid style datetimes', async ({ page }) => {
+      const timeButton = page.locator('ion-datetime .time-body');
+      const popover = page.locator('.popover-viewport');
+      const ionPopoverDidPresent = await page.spyOnEvent('ionPopoverDidPresent');
+
+      await expect(timeButton).toHaveScreenshot(screenshot(`datetime-custom-time-button`));
+
+      await timeButton.click();
+      await ionPopoverDidPresent.next();
+
+      await expect(popover).toHaveScreenshot(screenshot(`datetime-custom-time-picker`));
+      await expect(timeButton).toHaveScreenshot(screenshot(`datetime-custom-time-button-active`));
+    });
+  });
+});
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diff --git a/core/src/components/datetime/test/custom/index.html b/core/src/components/datetime/test/custom/index.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..722a026dc56
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/components/datetime/test/custom/index.html
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+<!DOCTYPE html>
+<html lang="en" dir="ltr">
+  <head>
+    <meta charset="UTF-8" />
+    <title>Datetime - Custom</title>
+    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, minimum-scale=1.0" />
+    <link href="../../../../../css/ionic.bundle.css" rel="stylesheet" />
+    <link href="../../../../../scripts/testing/styles.css" rel="stylesheet" />
+    <script src="../../../../../scripts/testing/scripts.js"></script>
+    <script type="module" src="../../../../../dist/ionic/ionic.esm.js"></script>
+    <style>
+      .grid {
+        display: grid;
+        grid-template-columns: repeat(3, minmax(250px, 1fr));
+        grid-row-gap: 20px;
+        grid-column-gap: 20px;
+      }
+
+      h2 {
+        font-size: 12px;
+        font-weight: normal;
+
+        color: #6f7378;
+
+        margin-top: 10px;
+        margin-left: 5px;
+      }
+
+      @media screen and (max-width: 800px) {
+        .grid {
+          grid-template-columns: 1fr;
+          padding: 0;
+        }
+      }
+
+      /*
+        The second selectors that target ion-picker(-column)-internal
+        directly are for styling the time picker. This is currently
+        undocumented usage.
+      */
+
+      ion-datetime,
+      ion-picker-internal {
+        --wheel-highlight-background: rgb(218, 216, 255);
+        --wheel-fade-background-rgb: 245, 235, 247;
+      }
+
+      ion-datetime {
+        --background: rgb(245, 235, 247);
+        --background-rgb: 245, 235, 247;
+      }
+
+      ion-picker-internal {
+        background-color: rgb(245, 235, 247);
+      }
+
+      ion-datetime::part(wheel-item),
+      ion-picker-column-internal::part(wheel-item) {
+        color: rgb(255, 134, 154);
+      }
+
+      ion-datetime::part(wheel-item active),
+      ion-picker-column-internal::part(wheel-item active) {
+        color: rgb(128, 30, 171);
+      }
+
+      ion-datetime::part(time-button) {
+        color: rgb(128, 30, 171);
+      }
+
+      ion-datetime::part(time-button active) {
+        background-color: rgb(248, 215, 255);
+      }
+    </style>
+  </head>
+
+  <body>
+    <ion-app>
+      <ion-header translucent="true">
+        <ion-toolbar>
+          <ion-title>Datetime - Custom</ion-title>
+        </ion-toolbar>
+      </ion-header>
+      <ion-content class="ion-padding">
+        <div class="grid">
+          <div class="grid-item">
+            <h2>Grid Style</h2>
+            <ion-datetime id="custom-grid" value="2020-03-14T14:23:00.000Z"></ion-datetime>
+          </div>
+          <div class="grid-item">
+            <h2>Wheel Style</h2>
+            <ion-datetime id="custom-wheel" prefer-wheel="true" value="2020-03-14T14:23:00.000Z"></ion-datetime>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+      </ion-content>
+    </ion-app>
+  </body>
+</html>
diff --git a/core/src/components/picker-column-internal/picker-column-internal.tsx b/core/src/components/picker-column-internal/picker-column-internal.tsx
index fd6e5209b38..01a152ee984 100644
--- a/core/src/components/picker-column-internal/picker-column-internal.tsx
+++ b/core/src/components/picker-column-internal/picker-column-internal.tsx
@@ -90,15 +90,21 @@ export class PickerColumnInternal implements ComponentInterface {
       const ev = entries[0];
 
       if (ev.isIntersecting) {
+        const { activeItem, el } = this;
+
         this.isColumnVisible = true;
         /**
          * Because this initial call to scrollActiveItemIntoView has to fire before
          * the scroll listener is set up, we need to manage the active class manually.
          */
-        const oldActive = getElementRoot(this.el).querySelector(`.${PICKER_COL_ACTIVE}`);
-        oldActive?.classList.remove(PICKER_COL_ACTIVE);
+        const oldActive = getElementRoot(el).querySelector(`.${PICKER_ITEM_ACTIVE_CLASS}`);
+        if (oldActive) {
+          this.setPickerItemActiveState(oldActive, false);
+        }
         this.scrollActiveItemIntoView();
-        this.activeItem?.classList.add(PICKER_COL_ACTIVE);
+        if (activeItem) {
+          this.setPickerItemActiveState(activeItem, true);
+        }
 
         this.initializeScrollListener();
       } else {
@@ -189,6 +195,16 @@ export class PickerColumnInternal implements ComponentInterface {
     }
   };
 
+  private setPickerItemActiveState = (item: Element, isActive: boolean) => {
+    if (isActive) {
+      item.classList.add(PICKER_ITEM_ACTIVE_CLASS);
+      item.part.add(PICKER_ITEM_ACTIVE_PART);
+    } else {
+      item.classList.remove(PICKER_ITEM_ACTIVE_CLASS);
+      item.part.remove(PICKER_ITEM_ACTIVE_PART);
+    }
+  };
+
   /**
    * When ionInputModeChange is emitted, each column
    * needs to check if it is the one being made available
@@ -275,7 +291,7 @@ export class PickerColumnInternal implements ComponentInterface {
         const activeElement = el.shadowRoot!.elementFromPoint(centerX, centerY) as HTMLButtonElement | null;
 
         if (activeEl !== null) {
-          activeEl.classList.remove(PICKER_COL_ACTIVE);
+          this.setPickerItemActiveState(activeEl, false);
         }
 
         if (activeElement === null || activeElement.disabled) {
@@ -306,7 +322,7 @@ export class PickerColumnInternal implements ComponentInterface {
         }
 
         activeEl = activeElement;
-        activeElement.classList.add(PICKER_COL_ACTIVE);
+        this.setPickerItemActiveState(activeElement, true);
 
         timeout = setTimeout(() => {
           this.isScrolling = false;
@@ -401,8 +417,15 @@ export class PickerColumnInternal implements ComponentInterface {
     const { items, color, isActive, numericInput } = this;
     const mode = getIonMode(this);
 
+    /**
+     * exportparts is needed so ion-datetime can expose the parts
+     * from two layers of shadow nesting. If this causes problems,
+     * the attribute can be moved to datetime.tsx and set on every
+     * instance of ion-picker-column-internal there instead.
+     */
     return (
       <Host
+        exportparts={`${PICKER_ITEM_PART}, ${PICKER_ITEM_ACTIVE_PART}`}
         tabindex={0}
         class={createColorClasses(color, {
           [mode]: true,
@@ -443,6 +466,7 @@ export class PickerColumnInternal implements ComponentInterface {
                 this.centerPickerItemInView(ev.target as HTMLElement, true);
               }}
               disabled={item.disabled}
+              part={PICKER_ITEM_PART}
             >
               {item.text}
             </button>
@@ -462,4 +486,6 @@ export class PickerColumnInternal implements ComponentInterface {
   }
 }
 
-const PICKER_COL_ACTIVE = 'picker-item-active';
+const PICKER_ITEM_ACTIVE_CLASS = 'picker-item-active';
+const PICKER_ITEM_PART = 'wheel-item';
+const PICKER_ITEM_ACTIVE_PART = 'active';
diff --git a/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.ios.scss b/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.ios.scss
index 60613a28472..fdd3faeb38a 100644
--- a/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.ios.scss
+++ b/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.ios.scss
@@ -1,14 +1,15 @@
 @import "./picker-internal.scss";
+@import "./picker-internal.vars.scss";
 @import "../../themes/ionic.globals.ios";
 
 :host .picker-before {
-  background: linear-gradient(to bottom, var(--background, var(--ion-background-color, #fff)) 20%, rgba(var(--background-rgb, var(--ion-background-color-rgb, 255, 255, 255)), 0.8) 100%);
+  background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(#{$picker-fade-background}, 1) 20%, rgba(#{$picker-fade-background}, 0.8) 100%);
 }
 
 :host .picker-after {
-  background: linear-gradient(to top, var(--background, var(--ion-background-color, #fff)) 20%, rgba(var(--background-rgb, var(--ion-background-color-rgb, 255, 255, 255)), 0.8) 100%);
+  background: linear-gradient(to top, rgba(#{$picker-fade-background}, 1) 20%, rgba(#{$picker-fade-background}, 0.8) 100%);
 }
 
 :host .picker-highlight {
-  background: var(--ion-color-step-150, #eeeeef);
+  background: var(--wheel-highlight-background, var(--ion-color-step-150, #eeeeef));
 }
diff --git a/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.md.scss b/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.md.scss
index 987353b6aeb..c7fd47f014c 100644
--- a/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.md.scss
+++ b/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.md.scss
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 @import "./picker-internal.scss";
+@import "./picker-internal.vars.scss";
 @import "../../themes/ionic.globals.md";
 
 :host .picker-before {
-  background: linear-gradient(to bottom, var(--background, var(--ion-background-color, #fff)) 20%, rgba(var(--background-rgb, var(--ion-background-color-rgb, 255, 255, 255)), 0) 90%);
+  background: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(#{$picker-fade-background}, 1) 20%, rgba(#{$picker-fade-background}, 0) 90%);
 }
 
 :host .picker-after {
-  background: linear-gradient(to top, var(--background, var(--ion-background-color, #fff)) 30%, rgba(var(--background-rgb, var(--ion-background-color-rgb, 255, 255, 255)), 0) 90%);
+  background: linear-gradient(to top, rgba(#{$picker-fade-background}, 1) 30%, rgba(#{$picker-fade-background}, 0) 90%);
 }
diff --git a/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.scss b/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.scss
index d23b73ef83d..9b4d10365b2 100644
--- a/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.scss
+++ b/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.scss
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@
   height: 34px;
 
   transform: translateY(-50%);
+  
+  background: var(--wheel-highlight-background);
 
   z-index: -1;
 }
diff --git a/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.vars.scss b/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.vars.scss
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ee005fcd7f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/src/components/picker-internal/picker-internal.vars.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+$picker-fade-background-fallback: var(--background-rgb, var(--ion-background-color-rgb, 255, 255, 255));
+$picker-fade-background: var(--wheel-fade-background-rgb, $picker-fade-background-fallback);
\ No newline at end of file