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Nuvi/Tom Tom, etc. vs. Prius Nav

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by PriusRos, Oct 12, 2009.

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  1. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Okay, since all discussions regarding the Prius nav seem to eventually end up comparing it (usually not favorably) with Garmin and other stand-alone systems, and people are objecting to the off topics, let's start a thread dedicated to these comparisons. There probably is one somewhere already. Sorry if this is redundant.

    I'll start -- I own a Garmin Nuvi 760 as well as the Gen III nav (8.1).

    What I like about the Garmin:

    -Clearer, simpler graphics
    -Choice of voices, accents, and even languages
    -More naturalistic pronunciation of directions and street names
    -Simpler interface
    -No lockout
    -Cheaper to begin with and cheaper updates
    -Portability
    -Speed limit display
    -"where Am I" display with current position and elevation
    -Ability to download routes and POIs
    -Simple detour capability

    What I like about the Prius nav:
    -Voice recognition
    -Dual map display with a number of variations of what is displayed (I would NEVER mount my Nuvi over part of the screen)
    -Convenience of the built-in screen
    - Fast satellite reception (I often have to wait a long time for the Nuvi to acquire satellites)
    -Ability to turn off the continuous voice guidance, but still hear the next direction by pressing the Map/Voic button
    -MUCH better bluetooth reception
    -3 alternative routes

    There are probably other capabilities that I just haven't learned about yet. There seem to be a lot, but the user manual is an absolute bear to read. For example, I'm sure there is a way of avoiding traffic, but I can't figure it out.
     
    #1 PriusRos, Oct 12, 2009
    4 people like this.
  2. jayvee

    jayvee Member

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    I, too, have a Garmin ( a 660) and the Prius 8.1 (Gen 6) Nav. I also had a Lowrance iWay500c - which was really great - but bulky, hot, and not portable...

    I agree with all your "pros" above (or at least the ones my Garmin model has.) I'll also add Free Traffic on my 660 (and other models too).

    Now for the con's:
    Garmin:
    - numerous bluetooth problems, including false incoming calls, loss of pairing, and loss of device programming, no matter how many bluetooth updates I've applied
    - insufficient volume (yes, i know there are programming methods around this)
    - no contacts transfer for any of my phones
    - slow satellite acquisition (mentioned above)

    Prius:
    - POIs difficult to search - too darn many keypresses, and many fewer POIs.
    - Voice recognition is really quite bad - mistakes many commands
    - lockout (but I've fixed that):D
    - cost of update DVD
     
    #2 jayvee, Oct 13, 2009
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I will compare my TomTom ONE New Edition (2006 model) to my Prius


    TomTom:
    Pros:

    • Smaller. Can carry in pocket
    • Moveable from car-to-car
    • Modded with games, photo, MP3 and video capability (runs on Linux)
    • Easy-to-use interface. Anyone can pick it up within minutes
    • Great graphics
    • Easily customisable nav options
    • Passenger can use it
    • Can mount it directly in front because we have no IP cluster behind the steering wheel
    • 3D bird's-eye view
    • Clear spoken voices with multiple languages and options to create your own voice guidance or d/l others
    • Entire map of Canada, US (incl. Alaska/Hawaii) searchable
    • Ability to add more POIs manually
    • Traffic option
    • Zooms in automatically at junctions
    • Fast route calculation times (esp. for longer distance like WA to CA)
    • Quick satellite lock
    • Can plan trips in advance at home
    • Ability to have the compass to point towards the destination instead of just north
    • Ability to customise map colours (both built-in and add-ons)
    • Ability to add map overlays (e.g. of an exhibition hall. Just save the map from the event website and load it up to the TomTom)
    • Good for offroad and hiking trips. Used it with additional software to find fossil locations
    • Can create POI categories in case the "Favourites" is full. Store additional save points into POI categories (e.g. favourite restaurants)
    Cons:

    • Screen a little small when you want everything displayed (speed, ETA, DTA/TOA, clock etc)
    • Suction cup and charge wires
    • Dest. input must start with city then street then house number
    • Limited factory POI database (Compared to larger TomTom models or even DVD-based systems)
    • No TTS
    • Limited map detail (there's only so much you can squeeze into 1GB). Although mostly eye-candy like lakes and extra side streets

    Prius:
    Pros:

    • Larger screen
    • Dual map mode capability
    • Bluetooth integration
    • Much larger POI database
    • Much more detailed map (it has the parking lot of the airport mapped! Heck, it even has the layout of the runway and taxiway of the airport!)
    • TTS
    • Integrated (so no messing around with suction cups and wires)
    • Ability to input dest. via voice recognition
    • Traffic capability
    • Footprint view (although I haven't seen it yet)
    • Itinerary is easier to use (you can choose where to slot additional destinations)
    • Cookie-crumb is a neat feature
    • Ability to store maintenance data
    • Quick access to emergency POIs
    • Areas to Avoid feature

    Cons:

    • No option of multiple voices
    • Larger learning curve
    • No abilility to tilt screen to reduce glare
    • DVD-based instead of HDD
    • Large cost for map updates
    • Can't take it from car-to-car
     
    #3 Tideland Prius, Oct 13, 2009
  4. Grateful11

    Grateful11 Member

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    We bought a Garmin 255W back in the summer and seldom leave home without it. I've heard
    too many complaints about the cost of upgrading a built-in Navi so we never even considered
    it when we bought '10 series III.
     
    #4 Grateful11, Oct 13, 2009
  5. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    I have had Tomtoms and Garmins and I find the later to be better hands down, at least considering the models I have had in the past.

    My Garmin 780 is way better than my Odyssey built-in NAV. It is just much simpler to use and more precise. Even the rerouting when a turn is missed is way better in my Garmin. I got a sale on Amazon a long time ago for Garmin maps lifetime updates available quarterly every year, I think I paid 50 bucks! My Odyssey has a DVD-based navigation, like the Prius I guess, so, because of that, accessing anything is too darn slow. Honda charges about $120 for each DVD update available yearly, so ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I’m going to ever update it! I do use my Odyssey NAV screen to play with the audio sources but otherwise it is a waste. I bought my Odyssey used, so I had no choice. Previous owner had the car almost brand new parked for 3 months, so I could not miss that opportunity.

    Not all built-in NAVs are bad, but the good ones are usually available in luxury brands, although it appears that Lexus NAV is the same one in the Prius? I hope not. I travel a lot on business and rent many cars with factory NAV systems. I can tell you, from my experience, that Toyota NAVs are the worst by far compared to others, so buying a Prius without the lousy and expensive Prius NAV was a no-brainer.
     
    #5 Indyking, Oct 13, 2009
  6. octavia

    octavia Active Member

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    I recently started using a garmin 265WT GPS ( got it free from the key bank promotion. It was the first GPS I owned. I used it up until I got my car and then switched over.

    The blue tooth in the garmin did not work. I tried it once or twice then gave up on it completely. It not working, but teasing me with how safe and handy it could be to have hands free had a lot to do with my selection choices in my car, I would not even consider one without the bluetooth once I had tried it and confirmed that it did work.

    My biggest issue with my car's built in Nav is that it does not find things. It almost leaves a bad taste in my mouth to admit out loud that the gps itself does not work that well. It was unable to find Dutch brothers coffee houses in Corvallis or Hanna Andersson outlet store in Lake Oswego. The Hanna store has been there for over 10 years.

    While trying to get to my son's football game, TWICE it did not know how to get to the parks they were being held at. Both parks have been in existence for years. One of those times it did not even recognize the park name, the second time, it did not know the streets I would need to take to get there.... in the historic section of town!!!!

    I feel like I bought a 2000 dollar hands free blue tooth. I need to keep my garmin in my car in case I "really" need to make sure and get directions some where.
     
    #6 octavia, Oct 13, 2009
  7. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    Although I have never had any luck with hands free bluetooth with any portable, some Garmin models claim to have improved it a lot, but I agree with you. My Odyssey NAV doesn't even have a bluetooth, so I use it only to check out the satelitte radio and switch between different audio sources. As far as the NAV piece, it is hopeless... it never finds anything, it is too slow, the graphics are bad, and the list goes on and on...
     
    #7 Indyking, Oct 13, 2009
  8. radioprius1

    radioprius1 Climate Conspirisist

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    I love portable units. I keep it hidden out of the way when not in use. When I do use it, which is rarely, I pull it out and use a friction mount.

    I think the non-nav radio is so much easier to use than the nav radio.

    If I ever wanted GPS in the vehicle I would get the Azentek Smartmirror which has backup cam/Nav built into the rear view mirror.
     
    #8 radioprius1, Oct 13, 2009
  9. mgb4tim

    mgb4tim Noob

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    :deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse:
    :deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse:
    :deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse:
    :deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse::deadhorse:
     
    #9 mgb4tim, Oct 14, 2009
  10. ceric

    ceric New Member

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    Portable GPS very likely will be a flying projectile in case of a severe crash.
    That is a big "con" in my book.
     
    #10 ceric, Oct 14, 2009
  11. Jim Calvert

    Jim Calvert New Member

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    At this point in time I believe the Garmin and the Prius NAV system are pretty much the same in regard to satellite signal reception capability. At present the Garmin has better mapping software than the Prius, but if Toyota is paying attention - theirs will improve.

    Jim
     
    #11 Jim Calvert, Oct 14, 2009
  12. floppyarms

    floppyarms New Member

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    Can anyone clarify whether the UK 2010 Prius has any traffic capability built into the Sat-Nav? Either TMC (usually free) or some alternative subscription service? Trying to decide whether or not I should keep my TomTom LIVE?
     
    #12 floppyarms, Oct 16, 2009
  13. brianric

    brianric Junior Member

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    I have the TomTom 740 Live. One advantage is the ability to down load custom POI, like all the Wawa stores, Dunkin Donuts, etc. Getting red light and speed camera POI with proximity warnings is nice. I also have Google Live.
     
    #13 brianric, Oct 16, 2009
  14. Midpack

    Midpack Member

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    Seems odd to have this discussion without the cost/value propositions both options represent, but that's what the OP asked for. I have a Garmin for my Element and full Toyota NAV in our TCH. The Toyota NAV is better overall (much faster CPU and bigger screen the most obvious differences), but nowhere near worth the premium over my basic Garmin (which gets me anywhere I want to go) IMO. YMMV
     
    #14 Midpack, Oct 16, 2009
  15. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    I have Tom Tom One XL but no Prius nav so I can only say what I lie about my Tom Tom. I love it and have the latest One XL on order, my son can have this one. The latest has text to speech, this one does not.

    Today I was plotting a route for my son for tomorrow and at the same time I uploaded fast start files and other updates. All from the comfort of my chair in front of my computer.
    My Tom Tom mounts right by my steering wheel so it at my finger tips.
    I have a hard wired fixed cradle to safely hold my Tom Tom.
    It is closer to my line of site than the MFD.
    I can lend the Tom Tom to my son and still drive my car.
    Maps are excellent and accurate on Tom Tom.
    I can watch energy screen and navigation at the same time.
    My new Tom Tom One XL costs $228 Australian, a little less than Prius nav option.
     

    Attached Files:

    #15 patsparks, Oct 16, 2009
  16. lawboy

    lawboy New Member

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    I used a Magellan portable GPS for a few years (supposedly uses same maps as Garmin), and I am much happier with the Prius Nav.

    Voice recognition
    Bluetooth that actually works
    Bigger screen
    Same or better map detail (at least where I live)
    More search options (you can start with present location, city, street number, etc.)
    XM NavTraffic (better than the AAA service with the Magellan)

    I think a lot of the complaints with the Prius Nav are similar to complaints about AT&T Mobile. My friends on the coast hate AT&T, but where I live, it has the best coverage by far. I have to travel to a lot of rural county courthouses for work, and the Prius Nav has been better than the Magellan so far. I think a lot of it comes down to where you live.
     
    #16 lawboy, Oct 16, 2009
  17. Bobsprius

    Bobsprius BobPrius

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    Totally agreed! I hear people ranting about the restaurant or stores not being in the POI, good grief...I find those that are pretty sufficient. But the Prisu Nav to me works just fine. Love it, but now if I move to some other city maybe not so much...who know's right?

    I HATE sticking all those things to windows and wires...so I am just fine with my "build in" unit.;)
     
    #17 Bobsprius, Oct 16, 2009
  18. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    I'm certainly not excluding discussion of cost/value. There's probably little argument that most stand-alone systems offer better value for the price. Personally, I own a Garmin Nuvi 760 and would not have paid for the Prius nav -- but the solar roof is the one feature that I really wanted and the nav is part of the package. Now that I have the nav, although I don't think it's worth the amount of money that Toyota is charging for it, it does have some features that the Nuvi doesn't and I'm fairly happy with it. For long trips, I use both. I have the Garmin mounted on the left side of the dash with a beanbag friction mount. This is a good viewing position for me and I can easily reach the touch screen (I am left-handed) and does not interfere with my view of the road.

    I have found that the Garmin is much better at finding its way out of parking lots. They both tell me to go to the highlighted route, but the Garmin actually shows all the little roads that lead to the "highlighted route" and which direction to turn when I get there. The Prius, on the other hand, sometimes doesn't even show the highlighted route on the map, and I have no idea what it means (none of the roads are "highlighted" for real :D). It seems I have to get on the main road, choose which way to turn, and then, only when it figures out where I am and my heading, will it give me directions.

    Speaking of map coverage, the Prius nav is pretty bad. I was down in Brunswick, GA and looking for the Walmart. I had used the Garmin in the past and had no problem finding it. With the Prius, it gave me directions up to about two blocks away from it (but I couldn't see it), then told me that there was no detailed coverage between here and my destination.
     
    #18 PriusRos, Oct 16, 2009
  19. Bobsprius

    Bobsprius BobPrius

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    To my earlier post, when reviewing the morning news today, behold:
    An Ontario woman’s car was burglarized while in a city lot in the 200 block of Niagara Street. A window was smashed out and a global positioning system was stolen. The loss was placed at $425.
    I rather spend my time not taking a portable in and out of my car ;)
     
    #19 Bobsprius, Oct 18, 2009
  20. PriusRos

    PriusRos A Fairly Senior Member - 2016 Prius Owner

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    Yes, that is one of the disadvantages of a stand-alone GPS. I have mine on a beanbag friction mount and hide it under the console bridge when I leave the car. It's not completely hidden though unless I put it away in the cubbie but I have to take it apart in order for it to fit. In my 2006 Prius (which didn't have nav), there was a lot more room in the center cubbie and I could drop the whole thing in there without disasssembling it.
     
    #20 PriusRos, Oct 18, 2009
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