IS300h completely without internet connection?

[John Nooij]

Hello all,

I recently bought a Lexus IS300h, CY2020 (model 2019).  I must say, this car drives the best of all the cars I've ever driven.
And in my opinion it's currently the most attractive car (but this is very subjective of course).

What I am wondering however, is that it seems there's no possibility to have an internet connection in my car. I would like this because of the navigation real time traffic information.
There is a non-premium navigation module in de car (I found out, because it must be controlled using a dial button).  I can connect my phone without any problem using Bluetooth. But in de menu system there is no option to select an internet connection using wifi or Bluetooth (tethering).

Am I missing something, or is internet connection only available in IS300h models with some kind of higher luxury level?

Thanks,

John

[wharfhouse]

2 hours ago, John Nooij said:

Hello all,

I recently bought a Lexus IS300h, CY2020 (model 2019).  I must say, this car drives the best of all the cars I've ever driven.
And in my opinion it's currently the most attractive car (but this is very subjective of course).

What I am wondering however, is that it seems there's no possibility to have an internet connection in my car. I would like this because of the navigation real time traffic information.
There is a non-premium navigation module in de car (I found out, because it must be controlled using a dial button).  I can connect my phone without any problem using bluetooth. But in de menu system there is no option to select an internet connection using wifi or bluetooth (tethering).

Am I missing something, or is internet connection only available in IS300h models with some kind of higher luxury level?

Thanks,

John

Non-premium nav (with the rotary dial) have no internet connection - there is RDS traffic information (through the radio) that issues alerts and is displayed on the maps.

[John Nooij]

So, no internet connection, that’s a pity.   Nowadays mostly every new car can connect to the internet, directly or using Bluetooth tethering.

I’m afraid the same applies to the Lexus Link app, this app is useless with my IS300h?  I can add the car using the VIN number.  Then in the app a nice picture of an IS300h is shown, together with the VIN number, but that’s all.  I cannot add my navi (presumably because it’s not “premium”) and the “connected services” are not available.  Pretty useless app for me I’m afraid?

[wharfhouse]

1 hour ago, John Nooij said:

So, no internet connection, that’s a pity.   Nowadays mostly every new car can connect to the internet, directly or using bluetooth tethering.

I’m afraid the same applies to the Lexus Link app, this app is useless with my IS300h?  I can add the car using the VIN number.  Then in the app a nice picture of an IS300h is shown, together with the VIN number, but that’s all.  I cannot add my navi (presumably because it’s not “premium”) and the “connected services” are not available.  Pretty useless app for me I’m afraid?

 

That is the case with the standard nav unfortunately 

[John Nooij]

The only thing that's functional in my Lexus Link app is the current location of the car.  The app knows exactly where the car is located.  So, somehow the car is communicating his gps location with the internet, or am I wrong?

[wharfhouse]

54 minutes ago, John Nooij said:

The only thing that's functional in my Lexus Link app is the current location of the car.  The app knows exactly where the car is located.  So, somehow the car is communicating his gps location with the internet, or am I wrong?

My Lexus Link app only shows where my phone is located but not the car

[ganzoom]

On 9/23/2021 at 8:53 AM, John Nooij said:

So, no internet connection, that’s a pity.   Nowadays mostly every new car can connect to the internet, directly or using bluetooth tethering. 

If you wanted the best infotainment Lexus isn't the brand to buy. Our IS300H premier is so behind the curve interms of connectivity compared to our other car its not even worth tyring to compare.

The latest version of the Tesla app even records every trip and gives you a 'safety' score in view of soon to be released driver specific insurance quotes based on past driving standards. This function literally has just come out in the US, and will be in the UK soon......am not sure I can remember Lexus adding any additional functionality to our IS300H in the last 6.5 years or ownership??

 

Meanwhile infotainment computer has had an software updated pushed to it which means 2 factor authentication works for web pages like Twitter and Google.

Enjoy the IS300H for rock solid reliability and you will be very happy with the car! Trying to explore the connectivity of the IS300H compared to what other brands are doing and you will be very disappointed.

[paulrnx]

It’s a car. Use it for what it’s intended to be - a vehicle for driving and transporting people and things - and don’t use it for  what it’s not intended to be - a device for connecting to the internet so that all manner of things not related to its primary purpose can be enjoyed. Get a life guys, it’s a car. If internet connectivity means more to you then stay at home on your PlayStation, Xbox, phone, PC or whatever you do that makes an internet connection so precious. Me? I just don’t get the need to be online 24x7.

[Mincey]

I'm with you there Paul. As long as I can listen to Spotify through the car, and have up-to-date maps from Google, I'm happy. What else do you need the Internet for in the car? I don't want to be able to unlock my car, remotely start it or wind all the windows down using the phone. What is the point? 

[John Nooij]

For me it's no need to stay on-line 24/7, but the only thing I'm interested in is navi traffic information from the internet because RDS is so outdated and unreliable.
It was just something I wandered, because in various cars I had prior to the IS300h (mainly Volvo) an internet connection based on Bluetooth tethering was quite normal.
But as I understand, it's not evident for the IS300h, my model anyway.
And Paul, you are right, it's a car and it's a pretty fine car.  I just have to deal with not very usable RDS traffic information.  Or use Google maps on my phone.

[John Nooij]

And Phil, you are also right about the "current car location", which is obviously the current phone location.
I was fooled by the app, because my phone has always been in the neighborhood of the car. So, I always wondered how this app could know my car location - there has to be an internet connection I thought.
Today the car was at my home and I was hiking in the woods. There in the woods I checked the car location in the app and the car was... with me in the woods.

I'm a bit speechless I must say...

[wharfhouse]

1 minute ago, John Nooij said:

And Phil, you are also right about the "current car location", which is obviously the current phone location.
I was fooled by the app, because my phone has always been in the neighborhood of the car. So, I always wondered how this app could know my car location - there has to be an internet connection I thought.
Today the car was at my home and I was hiking in the woods. There in the woods I checked the car location in the app and the car was... with me in the woods.

I'm a bit speechless I must say...

Must admit I tend to use Google maps on my phone most of the time now as the traffic and rerouting is so much better than anything else - I use a phone mount that plugs into the CD slot. 

[Mincey]

13 minutes ago, wharfhouse said:

Must admit I tend to use Google maps on my phone most of the time now as the traffic and rerouting is so much better than anything else - I use a phone mount that plugs into the CD slot. 

+1. In fact I think it was you who recommended the CD slot mount to me 🙂

[John Nooij]

I already took care of a decent phone mount, Brodit holder and an universal clip (and some creativity).

 

[ganzoom]

I guess you guys also think phones should just make phone calls too :).

We went to a remote cost in wales this weekend, imagine the shock on my face when we got back into the car to go to a prebooked lunch and realised there was no internet connection in the car or phones to either load maps or the address of the restaurant:).

I had to resort to memory to get us back onto the main road where thankfully the LTE symbol reappeared on the cars map.

The coast was beautiful though, and my daughter even found a real fossil!! So I think we will visit there again despite the lack of connectivity:).

 

 

[Mincey]

1 hour ago, ganzoom said:

I guess you guys also think phones should just make phone calls too :).

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately not! Many years ago when I had a Nokia 6310i, an mp3 player, a sat nav and a digital camera, I thought to myself "wouldn't it be a good idea if all of these were combined together into one handy hand-held device". I should have patented the idea.

[ganzoom]

22 hours ago, Mincey said:

Unfortunately not! Many years ago when I had a Nokia 6310i, an mp3 player, a sat nav and a digital camera, I thought to myself "wouldn't it be a good idea if all of these were combined together into one handy hand-held device". I should have patented the idea.

I use to carry around a Plam, Gameboy Color, Nokia, Rio Player, and after Jobs launched the first Iphone I ditched the lot - Though I did wait for the Iphone 3G to come out before buying.

Its now the same for me with cars, if I have to faff with connecting my phone or a car without connectivity seems totally bizarre. Our none Lexus gives me real world traffic data (with rerouting), life energy usage/plot for the trip based on topography, streaming media feed from Spotify, even the voice recognition system works through connectivity. 

When parked waiting to collect my daughter from various clubs I've got YouTube, Netflix, even random games to pass the time.

Once you get use to the convince of connectivity in any car the total lack of it on virtually every Lexus is quite striking. Its fine if Lexus was a cheap brand like Dacia, but for a 'premium' brand its unforgivable in 2021 as we had into 2022.

Nokia, Palm, Rio all refused to change with the times and we all know what happened to them.

 

[John Nooij]

I agree, connectivity and Lexus is clearly not a prodigious combination.

Another example is eCall, which is mandatory in all new cars sold after April 1, 2018.  Apparently not for Lexus as I don't have it in my IS (CY2020).

But hey, the car drives great, that's the most important thing.

[wharfhouse]

9 minutes ago, John Nooij said:

I agree, connectivity and Lexus is clearly not a prodigious combination.

Another example is eCall, which is mandatory in all new cars sold after April 1, 2018.  Apparently not for Lexus as I don't have it in my IS (CY2020).

But hey, the car drives great, that's the most important thing.

eCall is only be standard on brand-new cars type approved from April 2018 onwards, and it won't be retrofitted to existing model ranges unless a car maker deems it a worthwhile addition.

[paulrnx]

2 hours ago, John Nooij said:

I agree, connectivity and Lexus is clearly not a prodigious combination.

Another example is eCall, which is mandatory in all new cars sold after April 1, 2018.  Apparently not for Lexus as I don't have it in my IS (CY2020).

But hey, the car drives great, that's the most important thing.

I’m not so sure that is the most important thing for you. Reading this thread would suggest that an internet connection is one of the most important parts of a car for you. I bet you are also glued to your phone/iPad/tablet whilst on holiday too. Life can and does go on quite nicely without an internet connection. Much healthier too. You should try it. Enjoy the car and stop worrying about no internet connection maybe? Worth a try I’d say 😀

[John Nooij]

Of course, the car itself, reliability, comfort, fuel consumption, etc. are more important than connectivity.
But to be honest, connectivity is indeed something I miss, when I compare the IS with several cars I had before.
That's why I asked the questions in this topic.
I hope you guys don't blame me too much for this...😉

[Bounce75]

I must admit I had internet access in my previous Volvo & I don't think I ever used it, so wasn't concerned when the I realized the IS didn't have it.

[John Nooij]

In the Volvo I only used it for real time traffic information in the navi, and that was really a very useful addition.  And that's in fact the main reason I started this topic.