Feature migration between years

One of my favorite features of my 2018 Prime LE was the cache radio feature. I used it to spare myself from radio commercials for two years. I was actually pretty bummed to learn Toyota had removed that feature from the 2021 LE to limit it to the XLE and Limited trims. It's got me to wondering what other features have been removed.

It's just a reminder that the Toyota gods can giveth and taketh away.

 

I have Android Auto in the Leaf and I hate it. You can't even enter a destination into Google maps to get directions. For media player apps you can't browse your music to select what you want to hear, you can only choose from the most recent 10 songs. It's basically just a screen that lets you see what would be on your phone screen, but for "safety*" you can't interact much with it. I haven't tested Toyota's implementation yet.

* By safety, I mean the engineers must feel that it's safer to fumble with the phone, disconnect it, unlock it, do all the screen navigation and typing there, and then reconnect it, than it would be to just be able to enter a destination directly from the car's screen.

 

I never used that, but I'm also missing the 12V outlet in the rear seat. I need the front one to charge my phone while I listen to music on my thumb drive. That means nobody else in the car can power anything that needs 12V

 

It does charge the phone, and it's also necessary if you want to use Android Auto, but it also means you can't listen to music on a thumb drive if you're using it for your phone. You have to choose: music or Android Auto. I'm not sure what they were thinking only putting one USB in the front seats. There's more often two people in front than two people in back.

 

Interesting. I do need to charge my phone in the car, though. It's usually the only time it gets charged, and especially if I'm using it for Android Auto.

 

The rear ports on the 2020 say 2.1A on each one. Not QuickCharge or PowerDelivery by any stretch, but usable.

 

I'm finally getting around to shopping for something, but I'm seeing people say Android Auto won't work through a Y-cable or a hub. I just can't understand what Toyota was thinking putting only one USB port in the front where two people sit and with an entertainment system that requires two separate USB inputs. Looks like I may really be forced to choose between music and navigation.

And they removed the AUX input. They really downgraded the entertainment system relative to 2018.

Features in 2018 Prime LE that were removed from 2020:

• Auxiliary audio input jack
• Cache radio feature
• Rear 12V power outlet
• Built-in navigation

I think they may be trying to push the LE down to Corolla status in terms of features.