I'm on my first full year of the Connected Navigation subscription -- a free test trial came with the truck and then I renewed in case I found it necessary. However, I rarely, if ever, use the Ford maps since I always have my Android phone connected through Android Auto and almost exclusively use the Google maps since that pops up anyway when the phone connects. In my case, is there any reason to continue with a Connected Navigation subscription? I think it's around 80 bucks so not terrible but, other than the Ford maps, I don't see any use for it.

Is there something with it that's useful that I'm missing? Or, should I just let it expire in late July since I don't use the maps anyway?

I will say this, though, I travel a lot and rent a lot of different cars and the Android Auto in the Ford Sync 4 system is the best I've used. It seems the Android Auto in Sync 4 is better optimized than other brands.

 

I let mine expire and I haven't missed it. The maps still work just no navigation. Like you and almost everyone else I use the map programs on my phone.

 

A lot of that depends on where you live and where you travel. I routinely go to places without cell phone coverage, so for me it is worth it. I know I can just download the maps first yada yada, but google maps with full 5G coverage shows me in the middle of the matrix or the ocean etc a lot of times. If you normally stay in areas wit good cell coverage then not really worth it. If you go to the middle of no where a lot then yes it is worth it.

You also get live weather maps along with traffic.

 

So I played around with this yesterday since I never really used it much. My subscription expired several months ago. All of the navigation and POI still work like they did with the subscription. The only thing I found that doesn't work anymore is live traffic and weather. If you select either of those two options you get a popup that a subscription is required. I suspect that maybe you don't get map and POI updates without a subscription but I don't know that for sure. Even if that is the case you could probably get a sort subscription every now and then as the maps aged.

 

I will be renewing, for two reasons: 1) it does trailer specific routing 2) the weather radar overlay feature

 

Carplay now allows "My Radar" App usage. Far higher resolution than Ford's Accuweather set up.

 

I too find build in nav pretty useless, only time I used it was for cross country road trips as I want to take the load off my cell phone. the other thing I like about it is the "poop" feature where it will poop on the route as you drive so if you need to trace back where you come from, it helps.

 

I am still very disappointed with the Ford map graphics, and did not renew for that reason as much as anything else. And yes, Apple CarPlay does everything I want.

 

I didn’t renew mine because Ford has never updated my maps. I’m still on the same version as when I bought the truck. Anyway, still trying to decide on which phone app to use. Waze and Apple Maps work fine but Apple shows info on the dash and seems to use less battery power than Waze. I need to try google maps.

 

Yup. I use it. But I've yet to find a CarPlay nav app that does decent trailer routing and that also has reliable dynamic traffic routing.