Per my last search, car makers still equip their top trim levels with “premium navigation” of some sort, which is mostly an inconvenience factor for me, not a selling feature.
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Depends on personal preference. I think the most important reason is phone calls which is by BT and does not depend on Apple or Google.
But then, I often listen to Podcasts and music (because too much news is often depressing these days). And I have noticed that it is much nicer to feed internet radio from phone to car audio. If you have data signal, the audio quality is crisp. FM Radio, not so much. They cut out. Sometimes, you can stream audio of some TV commentary as well.
The most important use occasionally is the Google Maps. It is very inconvenient to go to a new place without Google maps. There was a time when I carried Atlas. But that is a distant memory now.
It is because they can’t sell those silly things for $2500 anymore.
A nav system update for my wife’s Audi was $450… The service writer suggested I use my phone instead. I chuckled and said; “I have been!”
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I suggest you look at the offline feature in Google Maps. I always download offline for frequented low signal areas. Open Google Maps on your phone and go to menu options and download the whole area. And that will be AA compatible.
Well, I have been tempted. But then reality kicks in. Even with all the great reviews and myself checking it out in the auto show, some features are kind of enthusiasm killer for me.
- Non-turbo models lack power.
- Turbos are expensive, although not that much.
- A rather small-ish vehicle.
- Turbo MPG is not great. I drive a lot. My current car is close to 248K miles and running smooth (yes, a Toyota!).
- I am generally put off by any small turbo engine – turbo lag and early death syndromes!
So, yes, I have been tempted and then rationalized against.
I know about offline areas download, but it is still far from the “Copilot” app I’m using for offline, convenience wise.
Still, I prefer Google for when I have online access.
Actually, CX-5’s turbo engine has barely noticeable turbo lag, as they used quite cheap, but still nice trick and added a throttle to the turbo to make it spin up much faster on low RPMs, then they phase it out after 2000 RPMs or so.
I tried it, very nice response, fuel economy is OK-ish for the torque they pump up from that engine.
Ah, one more thing: you can use regular fuel just fine, but if you go for premium, they can get around 30 more horses on high rpms. Low/mid-range RPMs it makes no difference.
Where Mazda CX-5 disappointed me was trim levels.
Personally, I can not tolerate “letherette” trim: it makes me sweat too easy, then I’m getting “glued”, but I do love real leather, I do not have such an effect with it.
So, CX-5 has fabric in the very basic, literally bare trim, then all the trims I would want to buy are “letherette”, then only the top of the line gets real leather.
I liked the car, but eventually it did not work out for me and I selected another brand.
Navigation via my phone is downright handy and I do make use of it. But when traveling I still take along my road atlas and find it faster to see the macro view of highways and route options. The phone is great for noting any detours, construction zones, etc., and for detailed mapping with street views for the micro view. The phone is simply an additional tool to those I’ve used for 44 years that easily got me guided on various trips covering coast to coast and almost border to border.
I have not had and prefer not to have car navigation systems. Too expensive to buy, keep updated, and have the rest of electronic systems keep working if the nav component has problems. I’m no Luddite but neither do I need every gizmo. Bluetooth is a handy component I appreciate and make use of.
We got lucky and was able to buy a used Prius for my daughter. It was the higher trim which I would not have bought but also could not pass on a good used car.
It has the Nav, 6 CD changer. The first few days my daughter thought having navigation was cool but very quickly reverted to using her cell and broadcasting the directions through bluetooth to the speakers.
I agree that screen mirroring is the way to go. Would also stop a lot of complaints to the manufacturer. Everybody uses their phone which they already have and like.
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Yes, these make great starter cars.
I bought one for my daughter too 
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I’m certainly not complaining about it either. 
As far as Android Auto goes, I’ve never had a car new enough to be equipped with it (newest car I’ve ever owned is my 09 Focus). I’m fine with one of the suction cup devices that holds my phone off the windshield so I can see my Google Maps navigation, change songs quickly on Spotify, etc. Frankly, I like when it’s up there, it takes my view off of less road than when I have to look down at a screen navigation below the level of the windshield.
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My daughter sets her phone in its side on top of the steering wheel. She can see the speedometer and the GPS map by just glancing down.
Are you saying she has it attached to the steering wheel where the air bag is ? Or is it balanced on the wheel so it can fall off when she has to turn .
That would’ve driven me nuts last week when I was in NYC…
Something like that would never be a deal breaker to me since there are easy (and not really expensive) aftermarket solutions.
And with today’s kits and options you can make it look like it’s OEM.
Now if I absolutely had to have a Manual Transmission and the vehicle didn’t come with one…that would be a deal breaker. The cost to convert an automatic to manual would be too cost prohibitive.
The 2020 is now Mid-Engine. I’d LOVE to get one. But alas it’s not in the budget.
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None of these vehicles excite me in the least. In general crossovers don’t appeal to me.
This started as Hybrid cross overs and drifted to navigation!
Though not a crossover, and quite pricy, the best news is the Explorer is going back to RWD, the 4WD appears to be true 4WD, not AWD.
What alternatives would excite you?
Crossover’s are the fastest growing vehicle segment. Has been for several years now. They do appeal to a lot of people. I’m one of them.
I do like the fact the Hybrids are now affordable. When I bought my 14 Highlander the hybrid was only available in the high trim level. Now you can git at the lower trim levels with only a $2,000 increase in cost. With the amount of miles I drive a year - I could have recouped the $2,000 in under 5 years.
Front/mid engine, two door, rear/all wheel drive cars as well as body-on-frame trucks/ SUVs.
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