Maxxx

I am considering to buy a Q5. I understand that the 2012 Nav leaves a lot to be desired whereas the 2013 is completely overhauled. Can anyone tell me the differences?
More specifically, how can I tell I've got the new version vs. the old version? I am in Canada and it would not be the first time our new models did not have all the same updates as the US models... ("dumping ground")...

txq5hopeful

Hi, Maxxx,

I'm in Dallas, TX and just actually went and test drove the 2013 yesterday w/ nav. From what the sales rep told me, the navigation in the '13 is very different from the '12. On the '13, the maps are integrated with google maps and the entire car becomes an internet hot spot for up to 8 devices. So, if someone is in your car and they want to surf the web on their ipad, they can tap into your car itself as the wireless hot spot. There is also some kind of account that you have online where you can type in addresses for key locations and it will automatically update with the nav system. Also, with the voice commands, you can say the entire location of where you want to go instead of chopping in up. For example, instead of saying "Navigate" then "Street Name" then "City" then "State", you would just say, "Navigate to XStreet in Xcity and Xstate" all at once. We didn't practice that in the car but the sales rep pointed that out as one of the enhancements to the system. Sorry if I'm not giving all of the details, that is just what I remember of the top of my head. Hope that helps you some.

njandy

For the 13 the google maps integration is free for the 1st 6 months then the cellular data plan is $30 a month. I am waiting to see how much will use these features before signing up.

OmegaQ5

What you guys are talking about is "Audi Connect". Maxxx, we do not have Audi Connect in Canada for the 2013 model. So, we don't have a Google-driven navigation system. It is quite the same as the one I had in my 2011 Q5. Personally, I think the nav is ok and gets the job done.

I am currently uploading pictures of my 2013 Q5 and I've taken pictures of the MMI interface. Yes, it has changed and it is a lot more nicer. Voice recognition is better and has more commands also. Stay tuned, I should post pictures this evening or tomorrow.

idale

Interesting, I wonder if that's because there's no GSM provider in Canada that uses the right 3G frequencies (though you'd think if it was a choice between something and nothing, that dealing with one of the existing major GSM carriers like Rogers would work).

OmegaQ5

I'm wondering too. Do you know the carrier used in the US? I'm not sure if there is carrier that covers the entire country over here.

idale

It's T-mobile here in the US, most likely because they share 3G frequencies with Europe unlike AT&T. Though people have had success using non-T-mo SIMs (including AT&T ones), it's just if you aren't on T-mobile's network then you're at 2G (which it doesn't sound like really makes a big difference).

One other thing I wonder is if you guys do have the option in the system, it's just not publicized because you don't have a SIM that comes with the car (because there's no nationwide provider that'd work or whatever). Maybe you'd be able to still pop a SIM in for whatever GSM provider you have locally and get access. Assuming you cared enough about the little extra that Audi Connect gives you over the built-in setup, anyway (not everyone feels it's worth it).

OmegaQ5

We don't have the slot for the SIM between the SD cards

idale

Oh well, figured they might have been lazy and used the same hardware. No such luck.