My wife and I are quite pleased with the XM traffic info integration into the nav screen in my new Infiniti G37. Both the specific detail screens on traffic conditions and the colored lines (green, orange, or red, as appropriate) running along freeway lines are quite useful.

She now wants to add XM satellite radio to her ’06 IS250 to get the same thing. If we were to do so, does anyone know if we would she get those same screens and graphics on her Lexus nav screens? And do the newer IS’s with XM and nav have this feature?

 

I think the only lexus that can do this is the LS

 

Nope, thats called XM NavTraffic i believe and currently only the Lexus LS series supports that.

 

Yup... Only the LS has the XM Traffic on screen... I was also checking out the G37's while car hunting. The technology in that car is pretty sick -- well ahead of the IS. But all other features of the IS felt more refined all around.

How do you (or your wife) like the Infiniti compared to your IS?

 

I’m assuming you meant slick.

To answer your question, my wife and I are sort of getting competitive with the two cars. “Well, mine has this and yours doesn’t” sort of thing. But when you get right down to it, whereas the ride and handling are about the same the G is much more powerful. And the G37 is much more advanced when it comes to technology. In addition to the traffic alert thing, the navigation and voice recognition system is superior. IMHO it’s so easy and quick to enter destinations via voice commands, it makes nav hacking unnecessary.

And I love the special screen readouts of artist and song for everything played on the XM stations, something our IS just doesn’t have. These screens also show passenger and driver temperature settings, station being listened to, volume setting and signal strength icons, all on one screen. Having said that, I still prefer the look of the IS’s instrument cluster.

Now we’re going to San Diego today to celebrate my father-in-law’s birthday, and we’re taking the G37. My 22 year old son will have to sit in the back. I can hear it now from my wife, “If we took my IS there would be more room in the back.” And she would be right.