I was driving to a friend's home about an hour from where I was at the time and used the Navigation. I could have shut it off when I was closer since I knew the rest of the directions as I've been there before, but I had to laugh at what was showing on the screen. I knew I had less than 1 mile to go and a left turn off the road I was on, then a right after one block, and a quick left. The directions on screen wanted me to turn much sooner, head much farther east than necessary, then north, then west, then finally south...and the remaining miles was about 4!

Could anyone please help me out here? Why the heck would it want me to take such a circuitous route? I wasn't on some major highway or anything. There were no toll roads, no u-turns or other barriers...just a normal metro area without any issues.

I've also head the Lexus Enform app has better mapping, but I haven't tried it. Anyone else? I hate wasting time and want to trust my navigation directions as much as possible.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

Lexus Enform App Suite does not do the mapping but it is hands down the easiest way to
input destinations into the Lexus Navigation system. Your original observation of a circuitous
route sound as if your Route Preferences have Highway and or Toll way settings turned off.
Route Preferences can only be viewed and changed when you actually have a Point B set
up but the route does not have to involve Highways. Enter a destination and let her calculate
the route. Open Route Preferences and be sure Highway and Tollway (if you have a transponder)
are turned on, show a yellow bar.

 

I have used navigation extensively. What i have found is it is trying to get you to your destination in the shortest way possible, even if it takes you off main thoroughfares. Generally it will keep you on main highways, as it is quicker. I have been tricked several times, especially on roads I have never traveled. If your pretty sure your on expressway most of trip, you need to over ride it, continue on current road, it will recalculate. I was recently in W. Va and it took me off the expressway, onto a two lane winding road, through mountains....oh baby, baby! What a great experience, and perfect for the LC. Happy mistake!

 

i have used navigation systems from many different car brands as well as double din nav units from pioneer and Eclipse (mid 2000 lexus used eclipse units).

i'll keep it short: google maps from our phones BEATS all of them by a an eternity. not even close. you type a half a$$ed keyword in google maps and BOOM! it just finds you the closest thing available to the keyword pretty instantly.
Directions as well, google's direction updates pretty darn fast if you take a detour.

i've always used the factory nav on cars as a way to tell where the hell i am on the road and what the surrounds are. Just typing in an address on factory navs is a time consuming mess, even for touchscreen capable ones.

 

Yup, this right here above is the best advice. All car factory gps systems are garbage. Google Maps and/or Waze is what you should be using.

 

I use a Garmin portable with Bluetooth, Android phone capability and NO DATA USAGE... Take it with me wherever I travel - even Europe, Australia, and the U.K....

 

I try and try to like using my navigation but it truly is pretty trash...I make sure it can use every route preference and its constant recalculating due to traffic is terrible. Add 10 miles to a trip just to save 2 minutes. No thanks. I find it useful when I am trying to see a layout of a neighborhood or area and it helps with that. Otherwise Google maps is the way to go.

 

Once you're savvy about the short cut thing, its fine. Do have an over all understanding of the basic roads. If you know you will be on interstates, you know not to turn, ( I have learned to resist and have done just fine) I just drove 2500 miles and it worked very nicely. I also believe that the "quickest" road setting. tends to make you go as the "crow flies", which may take you on secondary roads.

I really like like having voice reminders, and when it shows a 3d maps with turns, split highways, correct ramps, distance to next turn, and a firm "ding ding" for exact turn. Really nice, especially when going through a large city for the first time. You can adjust display for a single large arrow, with miles to next turn, very simple, and it also shows in HUD. I used a good ole paper map last trip to give me the basic trip layout, before i started each leg of trip, so knew that I would have to get off expressway and use secondary roads.

Lastly why with all the fantastic technology Lexus offers, why would I want to use my phone, the infotainment does it all, hands free. I love all the features of the LS. BTW you can go to voice assist, and say go to and say address, then it shows in navigation screen, and off you go!