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 had the sat. nav. in a 2007 Yaris 4d4. I did not like being unable to input a postcode, plus the fact that every three years a new mapping dvd disc was required ,at £350 a throw. Far too expensive.After 5 years use the system gave up the ghost and the dealer said that it was unrepairable. Unless the new inbuilt sat. nav. is much better and gives free lifetime map updates I would not entertain it.

  2. Hi Tony
    Thanks for your post and feedback regarding the earlier satnav systems. Systems have improved over time and feature more widely in our model range. We have since introduced a five year Toyota warranty on Toyota passenger cars to provide further peace of mind.
    Thanks again for your comments.

  3. I have a Prius Plus with in built sat nav. The Sat nav cost me about £800 as an option. However the sat nav has been taking me through back road even when I select motor way. Not impressed.

    How can I change this???

  4. Hello Vincent
    Thanks for your post and sorry to read the detail about your Satnav.
    It is difficult to explain why it should be doing this and diagnose this problem online without knowing the other settings you have on your system when programming in such a route. Have you taken your car to your local Toyota dealer for them to have a look at this for you? They would be happy to help check this to see if there is a further explanation that would help. It is also worth bearing in mind that satellite navigation will be able to take you from point A to point B, but it is of course no substitute for local knowledge about the best roads to take in such circumstances. Hope this helps explain a bit more and let us know how you get on.

  5. Had toyota sat nav in a 2007 Yaris, cost a fortune at the time, really irritated me that you could not input a post code. It was a real fiddle to input a destination. It. Ceased to work about 12 months ago, Toyota dealership said they could they could do nothing with it, so I am left with a white Elephant. Today’s are a new kettle of fish but I would not have one, what happens if I goes wrong. In future I will stick to a reliable aftermarket unit which is easy to use and never goes wrong.

  6. I have had the misfortune to buy a Toyota Sat Nav for my 2013 Rav 4,its been back to the main dealer four times after 43 e mail to customer service, and still does not do what its advertised it will do loses location, has wrong speed limits for major A roads, POI most are closed or not even there, try putting a town and road , system cant find it even though you are parked in the street.
    THe system is NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE and total was of money at £800 and Garmin at £ 60 does the job better so save your money.
    PS Customer service passes the buck , back to main dealer so dont bother going round in circles

    1. I am delighted to own a 14-plate Yaris without sat at. I took the Garmin route and mounted it on a home-designed and made bracket. Never lets me down

  7. I have yaris 62 plates software 1.7.? Maps are from 03.2011 i was in Leeds benfild update software and maps £240 +vat i go to Bradford £108 europe and UK , but i dont need europe . What will be advice ?

    1. Hi Janusz
      Thanks for your post.
      We are sorry but it is not possible to upgrade individual European countries. The upgrade will include the other European countries. Thanks for your comments though and we will pass these back to the product team.

  8. I have just bought a 2015 Yaris automatic with the older sat nav system, Black and white but I have no idea how to set it. Help anyone please!

  9. Hi,
    I have a 2004 Yaris Verso D4D which has been in the family from new. It has built in sat nav which is still working and is used fairly regularly. It is a shame that there is no postcode option – I really can’t understand why this was omitted in the first place, technical hitches , I suppose. The other point is that the vehicle has to be at a standstill to operate it. I understand that this was probably done for driver safety, but it would be nice if the passenger was able to use the device while the car is in motion. In spite of the gripes, I quite enjoy using it – retro fun. I don’t know if this could be updated, but as others have stated, the cost of updates is prohibitive. I will be sorry when the Verso gives up the ghost. It is a great car – maybe not very cool, but always in demand when folk need something moving!

  10. I own a 2000 Toyota PREVIA that has a TNS 310 plus sat nav. The data has never been updated. I now wish to know 1. Where can I get an updated disc for UK and Ireland. 2. I also require a disc for FRANCE 3. and I require a disc for ITALY. Are the oral directions on ALL these discs in ENGLISH?. Where can I purchase the discs/information downloads and price please.

    1. Hi James,
      Thank you for getting in touch. We have spoken with our technical team and they have advised that as this system is no longer supported, eBay would be the best place to find the discs you require. Discs were discontinued in 2012. We hope this helps.

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.