Monday, January 31, 2011

In-dash GPS systems are most often optional and expensive but may not be worth the price, $1500 to $4000 and more. The Honda CRV in-dash GPS system has a snazzy touch screen, voice command activation, and acceptable GPS navigation functions. Honda claims its "Bluetooth© HandsFree Link©" navigation system is fully Bluetooth© enabled. Dealers laud it as "state of the art, 3rd generation." However, Honda, usually at the top of ratings, has missed the mark on the optional equipment in its CRV and Civic models. American Honda has elected to mislead buyers by not advising them at the time of purchase that the Bluetooth© in the optional $2000 CR-V and Civic GPS system lacks fundamental Bluetooth© features that are generally included with most inexpensive portable GPS devices priced at only $150 to $500.

Only after the sale do owners discover that their cell phone is "not compatible" with certain basic Bluetooth© features described in multiple places. In fact, no cell phone, no matter the maker or wireless carrier, is compatible with common functions such as "Caller ID," inoperative in Honda CRV's and Civic's expensive GPS system. Although this information is transmitted by most Bluetooth© enabled cell phones, the Honda CR-V and Civic with Honda GPS NAV systems cannot receive and/or display all Bluetooth© information transmitted. Instead of displaying the name and number of the caller, "Caller ID," the Honda CRV and Civic systems simply emit a voice announcement of an incoming call and display an icon. This necessitates the drivers of Honda's with these deficient GPS systems to accept the call in order to know who is calling, or ignore it. Portable GPS devices generally do both announce an incoming call and display "Caller ID."

In Honda's CRV and Civic vehicles, bewildered new owners, in search of why there is no incoming call information, described in Honda instruction materials, including in the "How it Works" section of the "Bluetooth© HandsFree Link" ("HFL") section, are eventually directed to a "My CR-V" website, set up by Honda to be specific to each individual vehicle. Here, owners are taken on a futile trip through a compatibility grid only to discover that their cell phone, regardless of make, model or carrier, is "incompatible" with basic Bluetooth© features, shown as "unavailable."

When confronted with, and presented with documentation of, the glaring discrepancy of explicit, graphic Honda instruction materials of features that are beyond the system's capabilities, American Honda representatives denied that any discrepancy exists and said, "The system works as designed and there are no plans to update the system at this time."

In-dash Honda CRV GPS at $2000 vs. portable GPS at $150-$400? You do the math.