Buy the NAV, you'll love it and find it way more useful than you can imagine.

 

Besides display energy information, can the Nav sys display car diagnostic problems? For example, the AC does not work and the display shows which component is failing or which break pads are too thin need replacing. If this is possible then looks like I may have to take the plunge on the Nav Sys.

You'd use this feature least of all. Keep this a Loooong time and you may only see the pads go bad once. As for the A/C maybe, but the average person will not have a problem and if they do will knowing what's wrong before you take it to the service really help?

I would never have bought the NAV if it was a single option but mine came loaded and I'm glad I got it. I think if I ever get another hybrid I'd go for it.

 

I'm starting a job as a social worker on Monday and I know my nav is going to come in handy because I don't know my way around Columbus.

One of my favorite parts of the nav though is the POI searches. The boyfriend and I get in the car when we can't decided where to go for dinner, choose a cuisine category and search. Sooo useful. It has helped on many a night.

Plus, if you don't get the nav, that cool thing where the screen pops out and folds down for inputting and ejecting CD's won't happen. And that's like 100 points of wow factor right there.

 

The other day we drove from San Diego to Los Angeles (100 miles). It was late at night, and I wanted to pick up some take-out food for when we arrived. I punched "El Pollo Loco" into the NAV system and got a list of all locations with their phone numbers. It was simple to see how far each was from the freeway, and when I would arrive. I called ahead using Bluetooth and placed an order. After that, I noticed that I-5 was heavy with traffic (20-30 MPH at 11 pm), and I asked the NAV system to give me three alternate routes. Bingo... I took a freeway route that was three miles longer, but had NO traffic. Every day I use the NAV system, and it's not about getting lost.