X920BT navigation compared to avic-d3

[mleary]

I just sold my car along with the AVIC-D3 I installed 3-4 years ago. Overall, I was very happy with the D3. Since I was happy with that system, I figured I would get the X920BT for my new car. Now that I started doing a little research I've seen a lot of complaints about Pioneer's new navigation. I figured it would just be an improved version of the nav software on the D3 but apparently that is not the case.

 

Anyway, can anyone who has used both units give me a comparison of the nav software? I don't want to "upgrade" to the X series if the navigation experience is worse.

 

Thanks!

 

-Mark

[VBLUE42]

The navi in the D3 has a couple of features that weren't carried over to the new units but there are several new features added to the new units that weren't available on the D3. Compared to other in dash navis however, the new units leave a lot to be desired.

[VBLUE42]

The navi in the D3 has a couple of features that weren't carried over to the new units but there are several new features added to the new units that weren't available on the D3. Compared to other in dash navis however, the new units leave a lot to be desired.

[mleary]

Thanks, maybe I will be satisfied with the new avic nav then. Are there any other systems with better nav but also good media/ipod integration in the same price range?

[VBLUE42]

Well the Kenwoods blow these units away when it comes to navi but vice versa when it comes to AV interfaces.

[1loudls]

whoa there, somebody got a little excited with the double posting.lol

 

yea basically it depends on how you will use the thing, if the nav is critical, then you may want to look at some of kenny's models,

if your rarely going to use the nav, but you want a real nice AV head unit, i'd would say keep looking around at pioneer, i would definitely find a local shop that you can go into and play around with both brands and decided which one you like better.

[JohnnyDepp]

Allow me to offer some SPECIFIC comparisons between the navigation on my old D3 (god, I hated that @*#&^ thing) and the X920BT I installed for my buddy:

 

1. The D3 sometimes took me off highways onto service roads and back, with no traffic present. It was unpredictable and it was stupid. The X920BT doesn't appear to do that.

 

2. The first few words of the audible upcoming turn direction were sometimes cut off on the D3. For example, "In a half mile, turn left" would be uttered as merely "...turn left" a half mile before you needed to. It was confusing to people who didn't know this quirk, and people who borrowed my car had no idea what to do and laughed at the D3. The X920BT doesn't appear to do this.

 

3. The D3 didn't have intelligent learning technology (as far as I could tell, or read in the manuals). However the X920BT does have this feature...learning based on how you drive a given route. You can tell it to use or not use what it's learned.

 

Overall, I think the navigation on these newer units is far superior. However, yes, there are some things the old D3 had that the X920BT doesn't, such as:

 

1. Visual route scrolling....basically letting the nav unit show you the entire route from start to finish. Sometimes used this on the D3.

 

2. Easily bringing up the destination on the screen and searching around it for other destinations to add as waypoints. UPDATE: Now you have to go back Home and then to the Destination and POI search menu, but you can still do this.

 

3. Searching for POIs across state lines in certain circumstances doesn't work without having the select a different state on the newer units.

 

4. Checking XM signal strength (yeah...not a nav thing, but hey).

 

5. ADDED: Touching the time/distance/arrival to next way point on the X920BT main map screen no longer cycles between that info for next waypoint and the final destination. Rather, it appears the X920BT will only cycle through time/distance/arrival for the NEXT WAYPOINT when you repeatedly tap that button. It appears the only way to see the arrival info for the FINAL destination in a multi-point trip on the X920BT is to bring up the little on-screen mini-menu and tap on the route overview button....this seems to show the checkered-flag, final destination data across the bottom of the screen.

 

6. ADDED: Believe it or not, the visual representations of highway signs were somewhat more exact on the D3 than on my buddy's X920BT. Small differences in wording, etc. The D3 "signs" usually looked exactly like the real ones, with the exact same writing and city/town names. The X920's are usually off in some way...minor, but enough for me to notice.

 

In any case, the in-dash nav unit field is FINALLY broadening. Pick up the latest Crutchfield catalog and look at all the options. There are some new Sony's that look REALLY good (although they lack VR). The Kenwoods are GREAT (and use Garmin's nav interface, so all your friends will know how to use if when traveling with you). There's also Alpine, JVC, Eclipse, Dual, and others out there...and they're all getting better. Also, unlike Pioneer, none of them use the soon-to-be-gone MSN Direct for real-time info and traffic data...duh.