Now that I have been able to use the Nav around New York and in New Jersey for a week, I can give some feedback.
Once you get used to the interface, using it is fairly easy. Some of the features are great, like the 3D maps, offramp indications and general MMI integration of Nav, Audio and Phone.
What baffles me completely is the inaccuracy of the points of interest. When I punched in "Starbucks" to get a coffee, it took me to a toll booth via a little back road??? I wanted to visit an Audi dealer in New Jersey, selected the nearest dealer, convenietly located en-route, but when I arrived it was an old, dingy-looking VW dealership, mosly selling used cars??? Other points of interest were close-by, but not exactly at the location indicated.
Audi needs to take a serious look at the company they use for the Nav database and either get an update fast or change suppliers!
Any one else care to comment?

Most of the programing data for nav systems in all car manufacturers are about a year old already when it is release. I guess the software has to be written and ready for testing with the hardware prior to the ssytem's release.

Most of the programing data for nav systems in all car manufacturers are about a year old already when it is release. I guess the software has to be written and ready for testing with the hardware prior to the ssytem's release.

This discussion going on and on on every forum I visited - Audi, BMW, Acura and Lexus. Less compliance on Lexus, then go Acura.
Every year Acura send me a post card, that it's time to update to new version of Navy for $199. And when I go to web site and check what was updated in So. California - nothing in my area - few street in Modesto - I don't care about.

Now that I have been able to use the Nav around New York and in New Jersey for a week, I can give some feedback.
Once you get used to the interface, using it is fairly easy. Some of the features are great, like the 3D maps, offramp indications and general MMI integration of Nav, Audio and Phone.
What baffles me completely is the inaccuracy of the points of interest. When I punched in "Starbucks" to get a coffee, it took me to a toll booth via a little back road??? I wanted to visit an Audi dealer in New Jersey, selected the nearest dealer, convenietly located en-route, but when I arrived it was an old, dingy-looking VW dealership, mosly selling used cars??? Other points of interest were close-by, but not exactly at the location indicated.
Audi needs to take a serious look at the company they use for the Nav database and either get an update fast or change suppliers!
Any one else care to comment?

I agree the navigation is pretty bad. My wife get's pissed every time she tries to "find" a destination in the database.

I feel there is no excuse to have a bad database or bad accuracy. In a $47K Audi I would pay an extra 300 bucks to get "garmin" like navigation accuracy and database.

As I've said in other posts, it's better, quicker, and cheaper to get a portable Garmin unit that you can update yourself. Many Garmin units also have more features.

As I've said in other posts, it's better, quicker, and cheaper to get a portable Garmin unit that you can update yourself. Many Garmin units also have more features.
Yes, but MMI unit in Audi is not only navigation - it's all together package - Music, Phone, car programming, a/c and Navy

Yes, but MMI unit in Audi is not only navigation - it's all together package - Music, Phone, car programming, a/c and Navy

Another reason people get the navigation is also for the rear view camera. If there was no backup camera i would probably skip the navigation and just get a tomtom or garmin.

But even if you don't get the navigation, doesn't the q5 still come equipped with mmi to control alot of the cars functions?

I've posted several times on here about the poor Nav database. Does anyone know where we can "officially" complain to Audi about this? And not just a general email that gets lost in the shuffle.

phxflyboy

I've posted several times on here about the poor Nav database. Does anyone know where we can "officially" complain to Audi about this? And not just a general email that gets lost in the shuffle.

phxflyboy

Contact Audi Care. Number/E-Mail is on Audi USA.

iPhone + Q5 Nav is the best combination ever :) Do your POI search on the iPhone, punch in the address into the Nav. But I agree...even though i have the nav set to take me on the fastest routes, a few times it took me local with a 35 mph speed limit when there was a highway nearby with a speed restriction of 65mph.

iPhone + Q5 Nav is the best combination ever :) Do your POI search on the iPhone, punch in the address into the Nav. But I agree...even though i have the nav set to take me on the fastest routes, a few times it took me local with a 35 mph speed limit when there was a highway nearby with a speed restriction of 65mph.

That is what I do as well. But the point is, for $3000 we shouldn't have to use our iPhones. Or our $300 Garmin's that have FAR superior databases. Audi needs to address this.

phxflyboy

Just to chime in, I agree... the nav system is very inaccurate. The POI locations are just plain wrong, and I'm not talking about new businesses either. In one place where the Audi said there was a Shell station, there was a repair shop. I stopped by the repair shop just to ask them how long they had been there, and they told me THREE YEARS!

Another gripe of mine is inputting an address. I found a fix for myself, but originally it was frustrating. The problem: I'd have an address with a city/state. I'd type in the city/state combo, and then start typing in the road name and house number. The second part would be the problem... either the street wouldn't be there or the house number wouldn't be there. It's like when some places you say are "New York, NY" but actually may be in the system as "Brooklyn, NY" (or something similar). So, the way around it I found is just to know the zip code. Type in the zip code first and then the street/house#.

As mentioned in previous posts, luckily I have an iPhone... because I never know zip codes, and its POI database (aka Google's database) are far, far more accurate.

Perhaps if we make a bunch of noise, they'll give us all our first nav update for free. I think that would be a reasonable demand.