Toyota sat nav: Then and now

Yaris nav

Nowadays, sat nav is high-tech and affordable, but not so long ago, things were very different. In 2004, Yaris was one of the first superminis to be offered with sat nav. Called TNS 310 Plus; the DVD-based system was a £1,350 option, and featured a tiny, low-resolution black and white screen, that bore more than a passing resemblance to that of the original Game Boy. It was operated via a series of buttons – there was no touch screen!

Though hard to believe now, at launch just 10 years ago, the system was high-tech. Equipped with Electronic Traffic Avoidance (ETA), it constantly monitored traffic information from a variety of sources such as the emergency services via an FM radio signal.

Did you have a first-generation Yaris that was fitted with sat nav? Or do you currently own one? If so, what did you think of it? Do you still use the system? Leave a comment below, and share your experience with us.

Yaris TG

Now lets fast forward 10 years; sat nav technology and in-car entertainment industry-wide is unrecognizable. Toyota continues to lead the way in introducing big-car tech to the A and B-segments, for instance Yaris Icon models now feature a 6.1-inch touch screen multimedia system.

Called ‘Toyota Touch‘, the system incorporates a radio, CD player and MP3/WMA digital file player; bluetooth for hands-free phone operation and audio streaming; automatic phonebook download; USB port for MP3 player/iPod connection and a rear-view camera. Customers can also specify Toyota Touch with Go navigation for £650 – £700 less than it cost a decade ago! The forthcoming second-generation Aygo will be available with sat nav too.

LC_2013_INT_10

In-keeping with Toyota’s ‘Kaizen’ ethos to continually improve; a new version of Toyota Touch was unveiled at the start of the year. Called ‘Toyota Touch 2‘, it was first introduced on Land Cruiser models in January, and features a new high-resolution screen that uses four times as many pixels as the outgoing system. Toyota Touch 2 with Go adds navigation, and is the first system of its kind to feature  Google Street View™ and Panoramio™ – this provides imagery of the vehicle’s location or a chosen location to help pinpoint and recognize destinations.

By Eliott Farr

39 comments

  1. I have a 2005 Yaris with built in sat nav. The sat nav does nothing and the car ran out of fuel yesterday despite two bars remaining on the useless fuel gauge.

  2. Hi, we have just bought a Toyota Yuris, 2014, which does not have a fitted sat nav. Is it possible to install this system.

    1. Hi John,

      Thanks for getting in touch. Yes, it is possible. Please contact your local Toyota centre as they will be able to assist you further.

      Thanks.

    2. I’ve just done one got on eBay pricy also need a sat nav aerial £53 at dealer but you can buy them on line from£4.99

  3. I have just purchased a 2nd hand sat Nov to connect to my media unit took me 10 minutes everything is working but can get a signal does my car need another Arial for the Sat nav or should there be a loose leaf already fitted just to plug in HELP it’s driving me mad the radio already has the sat nav button on facier

    1. What is this sat nav called please? I need to buy for my 2015 Yaris sport also? Current unit has button for navigation but screen says it’s not installed!

  4. Hi I have an old Toyota Corolla 2000 wagon (face loft), it has buttons for satnav in the multi display, but it’s not activated on my car. Is there a part nr to the GPS module or a firmware upgrade to enable it? Would love to have the original GPS navigation in it.

    1. Hi Alex,

      Thanks for getting back in touch. As you shared your VIN with us we have kept your comment private. We have checked our system but unfortunately we don’t store information on cars in other markets. Therefore, we would recommend contacting Toyota in your region for more help on this.

      Thanks.

      1. Hi Alex,

        Thanks for getting back in touch. as mentioned previously we are unable to provide an effective answer to your query and we would recommend contacting Toyota in your region as they are best placed to help you further with this.

        Thanks and we hope you find the information you’re looking for.

  5. I have a new 2019Toyota Corolla – the sat nav defaults to North- which is a pain, how can I set it to Ahead, permanently? It keeps going back to North!

    1. Hi Roy,

      Thanks for getting in touch. In order for us to look into this further with our multimedia team, could you please provide us with the reg or VIN?

      Thanks.

  6. I know that this is an old thread however I have recently purchased a used Toyota Avensis 2005 automatic. I was wondering if it possible to upgrade the sat nav to a useable modern system?

    1. Hi Tessa,

      Thanks for getting in touch with us. There may be map updates still available for your car, however we would recommend contacting your nearest Toyota dealer for more information. You can find the contact details for your nearest dealer here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/forms/forms?tab=pane-dealer

      Please be aware that due to the age of the car, there is a chance that they aren’t available.

      Thanks.

  7. Hi, is there an update available for my recently purchased from Vantage Toyota 2010 Landcruiser, Reg YB10VYD but recently has a private plate.
    The map data says 2009-2010 Ver 1 Gracenote (CDDB) Ver 01727

  8. Recently purchased a 2015 X clusiv for my son but we are unable to connect the phone to do Sat Nav. Does the 2015 model have this?

    1. Hi Sharon,

      We believe you are referring to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto smartphone integration. This vehicle does not have that feature. Satellite navigation was an optional feature on the Aygo too.

      Thanks

  9. Hi Toyota (Kingston ).
    Can my Yaris 2015 sat nav be updated. Of yes how much and where csn I go to get it done..

    1. Hi Ian, thanks for getting in touch.

      Your Toyota centre is best placed to answer this query. There, the technicians can determine if your sat nav can be updated and provide pricing information.

      You can locate your closest centre here: https://www.toyota.co.uk/find-a-dealer

      Please let us know if we can assist further.

      Thanks.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

To be the first to hear about all of our latest news, offers and events, check the box below, we’ll send these communications by email, phone, SMS or post. Be assured that Toyota will only share your personal information with companies that are an integral part of fulfilling the services we deliver. If you would like to find out more about how we process your data please visit our privacy policy for details.

I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time.