Sponsored

OnX CarPlay interface sucks. (a warning, not a rant)

dgorsett

Big Bend
Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2019
Threads
25
Messages
4,998
Reaction score
9,992
Location
colorado
Vehicle(s)
F250, Mustang, Explorer
Your Bronco Model
Big Bend
I have OnX hunt and Android. My understanding is that only OnX Trail (not Hunt) is compatible with Android Auto and the Bronco...True?
 

telenerd

Badlands
Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2021
Threads
91
Messages
2,047
Reaction score
4,170
Location
Laramie
Vehicle(s)
Subaru
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
I have 3 national forests to chose from for exploring in my Bronco. I’ve used Gia, Onx, and the Bronco app. After much time with all them they have their pluses and minuses. The layout on Onx is a pretty map, but real world practically it misses the basic functions of maps. When driving with Onx it often very confusing where you actually are because those basic map functions are missing. I end up pulling up Gia instead or the Bronco App.

After using the Bronco trail app, their topo maps are very good but the imagery is not high resolution like Onx. Tracking way points is simple but I am not able to track routes. Gia gives you all the details after doing a route like elevation, top speed, ect.

If the Bronco app had route tracking and better imagery I’d probably just use that 100% of the time. So for the mean time I will continue to flip between the different apps when I need a certain feature.🤷‍♂️
 

Durangatan

Base
Well-Known Member
First Name
Marty
Joined
Jul 1, 2023
Threads
14
Messages
270
Reaction score
384
Location
Durango, CO
Vehicle(s)
Bronco, A6 Avant, TTRS, SQ5
Your Bronco Model
Base
I use OnX on an iPhone 13 Pro for backcountry use, and love it.
 

HalfmuleFarmer

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Thomas
Joined
Dec 27, 2024
Threads
14
Messages
701
Reaction score
1,779
Location
Utah
Vehicle(s)
2025 Badlands
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
Yeah, I hear the OP’s complaint. Feel ya. I’m pretty new to the trail experience, and what sucks is one’s expectation that the OnX CarPlay app is going to give you the OnX tablet experience — and it doesn’t. Not even close. So what I’ve found I’m doing is using OnX on my tablet to get my route planned the night before, saving my route, and trying to get as visually familiar with it as possible. But the CarPlay app is next to useless, and I’ve found it easier to just use the phone (when necessary) in combination with whatever other map will be displaying better on the dash display, either Apple maps or Ford nav. That way I get to see two different maps which is sometimes useful.

But OP is correct, it’s maybe dumb for OnX to even make a CarPlay app when it’s so compromised compared to the phone/tablet version. You get your hopes up when you subscribe, and then it’s disappointing, bcause in reality the CarPlay screen is really just a supplemental piece to the phone/tablet app, which you still need to be running at the same time. All the CarPlay app does is display a recognizable enough map to save you from having to look at the phone every 15 seconds.

In OnX’s defense, developing for the CarPlay platform probably severely constrains the programming environment and limits the UI options.
 
Last edited:

CalvinT

Badlands
Well-Known Member
First Name
Calvin
Joined
Mar 15, 2022
Threads
16
Messages
2,466
Reaction score
3,097
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Vehicle(s)
2002 Subaru WRX Wagon, 2023 Badlands (nonSAS)
Your Bronco Model
Badlands
Clubs
 
For now I’m just back to a good old fashioned atlas and road map
They don't need a cell connection to work and the batteries never go bad. Just learn how to read a map and use a compass.
Sponsored

 
 





Top