How will the bluetooth work on the IS350? Will it be like the TL? The bluetooth on the TL is sometimes very annoying. You have to store the numbers yourself, dial from voice, and there are no keypads on the navi. Will you be able to upload the phonebook from your phone directly? If it is dialed from voice, how is the feature? Will it be able to recognize what you're saying most of the time? On TL, 80% of the time the system hears you wrong.

How is the navi? Will it be better than the Honda/Acura systems?

 

If the IS bluetooth is like the LS bluetooth, you can:

1) use a NAVI keypad, but only when stopped; when in movement you can select from up to 5 'quick access' stored numbers

2) upload your phonebook from phone directly, but one number at a time

3) Not dialed from voice.

This is the latest generation LS navigation system (also featured on the'06 GS). The IS is confirmed to have a newer generation NAVI system than either the LS or IS, so there may be some improvements.

 

How are the map graphics?

 

From photos, they look amazing:

 

is it touch screen?

im sorry, i am very clueless about Lexus vehicles

 

Yep, touchscreen.

 

It's based of the 5th Gen Navi system...so the graphics and text are super sharp on a VGA 800x480 w/32,000 colors...



Photo Courtesy of: Lexus USA

 

And as Automobile magazine said, better than some PCs!!!

IMO, the graphics and user-friendly features are better than Honda/Acura systems...especially in there is much less 'calculating route--50%--75%" stuff. The Lexus NAVI is real fast. However, I don't know if this version will let you choose the voice of the NAVI or get traffic info. But I've found its destinations list to be the most comprehensive.

 

The only thing that seems weird to me is not having true North at the top of the screen. That Pasadena clip above shows Fair Oaks and Los Robles heading "Northeast" when they are really North/South streets. Does that seem a little disorienting to anyone? Maybe the can fit more of the map on the screen that way. I've never had nav so maybe its just something you get used to. Thoughts?

 

There are two different screen modes. North up, where north is at the top of the screen, and Heading up, where the vehicle direction points to the top of the screeen. That screen shot is in heading up

 

It's not to fit in more of the map.

The top left logo shows the orientation of the car, currently N refers to the red arrow. So according to that left logo, Fair Oaks and Los Robles streets both face North.

The Lexus NAVI allows you 2 settings--just touching that top left logo can switch from 1) True North Always On to 2) Orientation of the car. At this time, the car is facing NWW, so that's why the 'North Fair Oaks' doesn't head in a Northernly direction.

If you are in 2) Orientation of the car mode, as you turn the car, the whole map rotates. So if you turned the car to face North, the streets would rotate along with you. If you are in 1) True North Always On, then the streets change as you move around, but the orientation of the map is always UP= North.

 

Very cool! Thanks for the info, guys. I can't wait to get my hands on this car!

 

Somewhat off-topic, but who manufactures the screen? That thing is absolutely gorgeous

 

Screen is Denso. 5th Gen Nav/GPS is Denso/Fujitsu-Ten as the older Toyota/Lexus nav units.