I'm looking into an FEH right now, but there's something that still baffles me. OK, there are two things that baffle me, but only one on this topic. (The other is, "Why aren't there any 2006 FEH reviews anywhere? They're all 2005, like this year's model doesn't exist. Weird.)

Anyway, my question was about the Audiophile/Navigation option. The standard FEH, as I understand it, already comes with an in-dash 6 CD changer. What makes the Audiophile system better? Better speakers? And if so, is the generic audio system passable? I spend most of my time in the car listening to the iPod, and a lot of it is talk stuff -- talk radio, podcasting, etc. I don't need high fidelity for that stuff, necessarily. . .

I've also heard that the Navigation unit includes the screens which track your MPG very closely -- last 15 minutes' or driving or so. If I don't get the Nav system, is there another digital readout somewhere on the dashboard that tells you what your average MPG is? And is there a way to reset that at any time?

OK, so that's more than one question, but it fits one general topic. Can someone please help me understand this a little better before I start visiting all the dealerships in the area? (I'm lucky - there are a half dozen locally with FEHs in stock.)

Thanks,
-Augie

 

I'll take a stab at answering this, as best I can.

I've considered writing a 2006 guide, but honestly, other than some luxury accessories, it's pretty much unchanged. I read the '05 guide, and I can't think of a single driving/performance issue that's changed.



Actually, I'm not sure what you get if you chose nothing. There are two audio add ons, the Mach 6 and the A/N system. The Mach 6 has the six CD in dash changer. As for the difference, it's debatable from a pure soundpoint point, you'd have to try it for yourself to see the difference, I doubt that anyone has really tried both systems.

I'm going to assume you know what the system looks like, from pictures or brochures or whatever, and spare you that.

The A/N system has a six CD changer under the passenger seat, and a single CD slot in the dash. That way you can leave the Nav CD in the dash, and have 6 audio CDs to listen to.

At all times when the system is on, your compass direction and time will be displayed. When the system is off, it displays the time.

The Map system displays your current location, and you can zoom in and out, pan around, and it ties in to the nav system. To use it a Nav CD is required, but you get all the US and Canada nav disks, no monthly service, or anything like that. You can buy update CDs when you need to.

The nav system will plot out your course in a variety of ways, to your liking, from fastest route, to don't use freeways, and five other options, gives you step by step directions audio and picture directions, illustrates and tells you how far away all your turns are, allows you to see it's route beforehand, auto-updates if you miss a turn, highlights your route in red on the map system, and has an address book you can add things to, either by address, or by marking the location on the map system (You don't even have to be there, just by it, pan over and mark if you wish), then labeling it. Additionally there's a home button that once you set home, will autoplot home without doing anything other than hitting the home button.

The current location button displays a Star Trekish screen which tells you were you are, what road you're on, city you're in, etc. What your previous and prior intersections are and how far away.

The Energy diagram shows you what systems are active, the Internal Combustion Engine, the battery, etc. and shows you what is currently powering the vehicle, or what the flow of energy is. This is the only way you can see how charged the battery is, and what of the many power cycles you're in. It allows you to see how much each component is contributing energy to your drive; like Hybrid drive, with lots of electric and a little gas; engine drive, with no battery; hybrid drive with lots of gas, but the battery is recharging; recharging with a lot of brake energy going right back into the battery, etc.

The Fuel Display shows your instant fuel economy and a graph of your MPGs over the last 15 minutes, with a bar that shows your average, for the amount of time you desire. There's a reset button, so you can reset it before a trip, or with every tank of gas, and it will display that average, be it trip or tank. Personally, I reset it after every fill up to help with the tank data.

There's the radio mode, which displays the channel information, and all that kind of stuff. (You can change the station at any time without being in the mode, as I recall.)

There's the audio center with options like compression, shuffle, fast forward, etc. (You can track skip at any time in any mode, and change CDs at any time in any mode)

Lastly, it's Bluetooth compatable, but if you don't get it (I didn't) then it's a mute button, which the Nav systems verbal directions can override, so you can listen to nothing and still hear the directions it gives you, if you so desire.

Now, without the A/N system, there is a display of your average MPG on the message center, or so I've been told, that you can reset, just like on the fuel display, but there's no instant graphing, of course.

One thing to bear in mind, as far as I know, there's been no successful combination of the A/N system and the Ipod. I may be wrong, but so far the two seem incompatable, or at least that's the last I read. (I'm talking about getting the Ipod to play through the A/N speakers.)

I hope that helps. If I can answer anything else, let me know, and hopefully someone can answer anything that I either missed or just don't know.

Personally, I'm extremely glad I got the A/N system; I love it and I love all the systems; I couldn't imagine having a hybrid and not having it. Frankly, I can't imagine I'll ever own a vehicle that doesn't have a similar or the same systems on it again.

 

First of all, as an owner of both an '05 and an '06 I can give you a review of both.....they are both great cars. I like the '06 a little better mainly because of the color combo and the fact that I have been driving it lately. The '06 has a few more bells and whistles available such as the running boards, moonroof and the side impact airbags. Both of mine have the exact same packages except my '06 has the side airbags. Also, very important, the '06 has a better security system - the '05 has the perimeter alarm but has no coded key or ignition disabling system. The '06 also does a little better on fuel, possible because as I have driven more I have gotten the hang of it more but it seems to me the '06 has a better program for controlling the on/off cycles of the gas engine.

Neither of mine have the Nav/Audiophile system. Since I don't have it, i never missed it. The GPS would be cool but the stock system is "okay". I had a problem with the CD player in the '05 until I yanked it and put it into the '04 gas Escape I traded in for the '06. I now have an '04 system in my '05 that I like better. I have heard tat the CD player was a problem but my '06 works fine.

The non-NAV/AP vehicles have a mileage monitor which shows average mileage since the last reset (can be reset any time). It also shows distance to empty which seems to be based on your average mileage and 14 gallons of the 15 gallon tank.

I think that is all. Sorry I can't help on the NAV system since I don't have it. I love the cars and if I had known a little more, a little earlier i would have waited and got two '06 models. No complaints at all though. I have a couple pics in the gallery of mine. The red one is the '05.

Good luck in your dealings with the dealerships. I paid well under list or both of mine but that was about $1 a gallon ago......

Let us know if you want more info. Also look at the mileage database - these things actually can do the EPA rated milegae with some patience and practice.

Ray

 

Thanks for the breakdowns, Pravus and Ray. They're big helps. I'm enough of a tech geek and a numbers guy that it sounds like I'd want all the extra doo-dads in the Nav system to see what's going on with my car. At the same rate, I'm on the edge of what I can afford at this point -- yes, even after considering the gas savings, tax adjustment, etc. That $2000 might be the deal breaker. A large part of this depends on what I can get on my trade-in. But, at the very base level, it sounds like the dashboard will tell me enough of what I NEED to know to get by. On the other hand, my Jeep has gotten me used to having a compass and a temp reading and a clock and all the rest at my fingertips. UGH

But if it's between no car and Nav Center-less car, then it sounds like I'll make it without the Nav center.

I also don't need a sun/moon roof. I'm fairly tall (6'4") but I've only ever had to use it for head room once, in a VW Jetta. ;-)

I visited a dealership tonight just to look at the car on the lot. Looks like I'd have no problem fitting into it.

As for the iPod -- I'll just use my FM transmitter thing. That plugs into the power plug/"cigarette lighter" and I can tune into it on an FM station. Since there's only one of those power plugs, I'll have to ditch the radar detector, but I barely use it anyway. (They make splitters, though, don't they?)

-Augie

 

Both of mine have two 12 volt plugs plus one 110 volt standard plug. I think it is an option but it came with the trim package. One of the 12 volt plugs is on all the time, the other goes with the ignition. They come in handy to charge cell phones, laptop and mag-lite all at the same time. Laptop doesn't seem to mind that it isn't true alternating current....

I am perfectly happy with the dash gauges - I'd probably really obsess on mileage if I had the NAV system....(okay, truth be told I am obsessed - 37.9 mpg so far on my current tank).

 

As mentioned, the power option gives you another 12V plug and the AC 110V outlet. For your blender or whatever. (As the salesperson joked after I told him I didn't have a laptop.)

My father is 6'2", and was rather comfortable in both the passenger and rear seats.

Personally, I didn't get the moonroof because I had one on the '95 Explorer, and had to take it in when a stone got caught it in the track, which meant I couldn't close it, and had to pay an extravagant fee to get it removed (since they had to take the entire system apart, couldn't figure out what was wrong, and then stone fell out); along with the fact that I barely used it.

By all means, if you can't afford it with the Nav system, don't, and I wouldn't be surprised if you never miss it. But, if you can, I highly suggest it.

Personally, I do watch the MPG display a lot, which is funny, because I figured I'd use the energy flow display or one of the many nav systems the most. So far, I've used the Nav system a lot, to plot out places I've never been, I even found a shortcut thanks to it, and even once to get me home when I was out visiting my grandparents. (My normal route wasn't an option because of summer construction, and so was my secondary route.) But it's the MPG display that is my default, so to say, and I use it to monitor my performance as much, and probably more than I use the tachometer. (And 33.2 MPG on my last tank.)

 

There is an option now from PIE.net which can take the place of the 6CD changer (you unplug the cable from the changer and plug it into the adapter) and gives line-in, iPod charging, and limited control functions (you get six playlists that appear on the head unit as CDs). No info display, other than track and time (which does not seem to be terribly accurate), but the sound quality is excellent. Should work with any iPod with the dock connector.

Also, as I understand there is a difference in the 2006 audio options...the Nav system now comes with only 4 speakers unless you order the Premium package, then you can get the 6-speaker plus subwoofer system.

The Nav system is NOT satellite compatible, while the MACH head unit is, IIRC.

 

My new car is still on the way from the factory, but it will have the NAV system with the 6CD changer - does anyone know if it plays MP3 cds?

 

People have tried and they say it does not play them, and they had to put a firmware disc in after.

 

No it does not.