Map Updates

[SSE]

Hi everyone,

It's been awhile, I hope everyone is doing well. I received an email recently about a Map Update for 109-149 dollars. Has anyone paid for the map update and if so did you think it was worth getting?

Thanks,

Shirley

[bangster]

I despise the factory navigation, and on my 2017 as delivered it was already outdated, even with very little growth and change where I live there are missing roads. If you use navigation frequently and rely on it for very specific directions, then I would say it is worth it. If you use it inconsistently and don't rely on it, then probably not. It is probably good enough, with some common sense, to use 4 or 5 year old maps. When I was looking at cars I found that people with 2010 Fusions and the original maps still used them, but not as effectively as with new maps.

I use Android Auto on the SYNC 3 display and Waze or Google Maps (and Apple maps with iPhone and Carplay) and find it superior. Since that isn't an option for the 2016 SYNC 2, and I really don't know how well the traffic stuff works, I can't say for sure.

Even if I am driving to a place I always drive to and could do it blind folded, I use navigation from my phone. I get estimated time of arrival, speed limits, debris in road and speed traps, construction, closures, slowdowns, etc. We had a major interchange that got completely reworked, and Google Maps was updated in a few days. When I go there with factory nav it freaks out (since it used to be a 4 way light with turn lanes, now it is a multiple level clover leaf with indirect turns and all sorts of fun stuff).

If I had to use the factory navigation I would have to update, and it would be worth the 150 bucks, but I don't use it, not even as backup, as I make sure I have downloaded maps of the area I will be if I think I will have poor internet connection with my phone.

[SSE]

I despise the factory navigation, and on my 2017 as delivered it was already outdated, even with very little growth and change where I live there are missing roads. If you use navigation frequently and rely on it for very specific directions, then I would say it is worth it. If you use it inconsistently and don't rely on it, then probably not. It is probably good enough, with some common sense, to use 4 or 5 year old maps. When I was looking at cars I found that people with 2010 Fusions and the original maps still used them, but not as effectively as with new maps.

I use Android Auto on the SYNC 3 display and Waze or Google Maps (and Apple maps with iPhone and Carplay) and find it superior. Since that isn't an option for the 2016 SYNC 2, and I really don't know how well the traffic stuff works, I can't say for sure.

Even if I am driving to a place I always drive to and could do it blind folded, I use navigation from my phone. I get estimated time of arrival, speed limits, debris in road and speed traps, construction, closures, slowdowns, etc. We had a major interchange that got completely reworked, and Google Maps was updated in a few days. When I go there with factory nav it freaks out (since it used to be a 4 way light with turn lanes, now it is a multiple level clover leaf with indirect turns and all sorts of fun stuff).

If I had to use the factory navigation I would have to update, and it would be worth the 150 bucks, but I don't use it, not even as backup, as I make sure I have downloaded maps of the area I will be if I think I will have poor internet connection with my phone.

Thanks for the reply. What is Android Auto? I'm not sure what SYNC version I have on mine. I know I didn't get the 2017 because I didn't like the Sync system the one I saw had and a couple other things I preferred on the 2016. I have never had good luck with Waze personally.

[bangster]

SYNC 3 is one of the reasons I went with a 2017 over a 2016 (also less jelly bean look with grille). SYNC 2 doesn't do Android Auto.

I find that most "infotainment" gets stale really quick, but my phone is always evolving. Navigation even faster. Android Auto (and Apple Carplay) mirror your phone on the display in the center stack, and show apps that have special views. I use Pandora for music, and Google Maps for navigation, Google Assistant for everything (text to speech to send messages, or ask questions).

Most of the Waze functionality is in Google Maps (since Google owns Waze now), so the oddball things in Waze are no longer a stopper for me. Crowd sourced spotting of debris and cops is pretty nice, first time it popped up I watched for it and sure enough there was a couch in the middle lane of the interstate, and quite a few people had hit it (there were 3 or 4 vehicles along the shoulder with various lights out after it).

I have SYNC with the dot matrix display in my 2012 Fusion, I mount my phone to the dash (hand free ordinances, and it is just really handy) and use Bluetooth. As long as it sees my phone with Bluetooth and the mic works, I am golden. A little smaller display than the 8 inch SYNC 3 in my Escape, but a 6.3 inch screen isn't too bad.