Two of my cars have navigation package and I almost never use it because CarPlay. Even without CarPlay I’d rather use my phone with Google Maps. Only time I needed built in nav was when my son needed my phone while I was driving somewhere new.
I would assume a large percent of people use it enough that warrants companies like BMW continuously advancing their nav tech. Unless most people just immediately hook it up to CarPlay without ever once exploring the built in system.
by knsaber
![[Nissan Skyline GT-R R32] on the street](https://www.evshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/fxb3fcjd5wdg1-770x515.jpg "[Nissan Skyline GT-R R32] on the street")
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17 Comments
I use it to go home a lot of times if I’m somewhere I’m not familiar with. The integration into the HUD makes it very useful.
I never do in my wife’s Telluride or in the Fusion I used to have as a company car, they were both awful. I just always used Google Maps with Android Auto.
We never use the factory nav in our cars. CarPlay with Apple Maps.
I use it just to know where I am on my journey (larger scale, North is up), but the navigation is 100% GM/Waze on my phone.
Occasionally. I use it primarily to get home. When going somewhere I don’t know then I’ll use my phone for directions. But to get home, I’ll simply hit the Home button on my built in nav.
I use mine in my sonata all the time cause it finds where theres traffic and gives me the option to avoid it. Plus it shows upcoming turns/distances in my HUD.
If i drive a car that is new enough to have integrated nav, then i use it. My own car does not have anything fancier than ac, radio and aux input so i use google maps on my phone. Toyotas don’t support android auto so I don’t have experience with that either, but the built-in nav on those works well enough
Even when I got my car in 2013, it was an 08 and my area wasn’t on the map. I needed to BUY A COMPACT FLASH CARD with the new map data preloaded to be able to update the nav system. It was going to be like $200 or something preposterous. So I never use it.
We use apple car play through my wife’s newer car for sat nav though. But never actually set up the route using the cars system only. Cumbersome compared to a quick google maps search on a phone.
Occasionally I have when CarPlay hasn’t cooperated.
Never. CarPlay with Apple Maps with Waze running in the background for speed traps.
My maps are 14 years old in my car, so they’re…not great. So never. I like to keep the general map up though so I can get a general idea where I am though.
The first car I ever drove that seams to have android auto is my works (new to us) 2021 Ford Transit 350 L3 that I’ve only driven once. And while I’d like to use the infotainment for sat nav, I haven’t figured out how to get maps on that screen or send the addresses of where I need to go to, and you have a lot of repeating customers where doing Lawn mower delivery/pick up for over a year that I already saved on maps.
All other vehicles I drive don’t have AA, my Oktavia 5E could maybe fit a RCD 330, the Caddy 2K’s at work and home probably as well, and our Renault tractor doesn’t even know the word electronics
2010 Acura MDX
I use the map feature almost daily. It’s gotten to where I get frustrated when I’m in my wife’s car with no map.
Driving to a restaurant and want to know if this street crosses the freeway? Glance at the map.
Trying to get to the park near my in-laws and want to know which side the entrance is on? Glance at the map. I grew up using maps, (NORTH IS ALWAYS UP!) and the ability to place myself in space and know what’s around the corner is huge. I wish I had it on a smart watch.
Actually using “navigation” is less common, but I do still use it on road trips as it is more clear than Google, and less interruptive (Google mutes the music and yells, where Acura dims the music and speaks.) And I love the integration. Back when buttons (the things you can use by feel) controlled everything instead of touchscreens.
I’m really worried my next car won’t be as usable. Fuck touchscreens!
Once. That’s all it took to never use the built in nav again.
Our car has Android automotive ….. So all the time
Every trip almost. Tesla Nav is by far the best of any car I’ve been in.
Apple car play uses a smaller map in my car and there’s additional info the built in nav displays in my instrument cluster that car play doest replicate.