We're currently smitten with that Diesel-powered
Loremo, but if we had to pick our
second favorite car for the day, it'd be this here
Toyota Yaris SR. Not only is it cute and sporty, but the dash rocks a fully-integrated
TomTom GPS unit. When docked it not only gives you directions but provides a touchscreen interface for your car stereo, plus Bluetooth integration for hands-free phone integration, and when you're ready to rough it on foot you can pull the TomTom out of the car and carry it with you as a regular portable GPS unit. Now for the sadderness: Toyota is only offering this car in Europe right now, so us hapless Americans are going to have to stick with by our sextants for the time being.
posted Feb 21st 2008 7:58PM
Looks just like this Eclipse unit:
http://www.eclipse-web.com/avn/avn2210pmk2overviews.html
it looks so much like it that im thinking its the same unit, only this time its integrated by the manufacturer
It is the same unit.
Lexus has been using Eclipse head units for their in-dash navigation systems for years.
Yup, looks like it. Nice spot.
It's good to have a first post that doesn't make me pitty the fool for once.
good eyes car guy. They keep saying it's like factory and it's not even flush with the dash. No matter, I wonder if I can put that in my CRV?
@Gorillamonk -- The Eclipse unit is double DIN, so if you have that size dash opening, you're golden... BTW, Crutchfield has the MkII like the link, and a $100 cheaper one with red illumination.
@Gorillamonk -- The Eclipse unit is double DIN, so if you have that size dash opening, you're golden... BTW, Crutchfield has the MkII like the link, and a $100 cheaper one with red illumination.
i would much rather have a sleek looking, permanent unit than this.
you lose some good-lookingness to the functionality
I've been wait for several years for someone to say "hey lets team us with one of the GPS companies and include a dock in our automobiles".
Reminds me of those Yorx stereos in the '80s where you can pop out the cassette player from the portable stereo.
my brother just got this. really. its a pretty neat device. would not mind getting it myself. if anyone needs directions its me..
that IS an Eclipse 2210p, with toyota stampted on it... the unit was a huge hit at CES last year, was released in June and first available in a toyota (albeit on the other side of the pacific) in august.
The Toyota 4Runner Urban Edition will have this as well.
Yes, in North America we only get the stripped version of the Yaris.
In Japan and Europe, it has some serious gadgetry available and pretty upscale trim. Why do they think we would not be interested in that?
To wit: MINI Cooper!
Don't Americans tend to buy top-of-the-line trim more often than not? Would it really be that hard for Toyota to offer the option? I'm sure their Yaris sales would quadruple at least if they made the inside as attractive as the outside is.
Quite different from the N.A. model, as you can see:
http://www.motiontrends.com/2006/m10/Toyota/Yaris_TS_console.jpg
Start Button
Auto Climate
Totally different dash
130 BHP!
i can just see car thieves breaking the window had yoink
I thought the purpose of this was so you could remove the system, thus preventing thefts.
Was I the only one thinking of this?
this makes the in-dash gps smaller and gives you the hassle of docking your gps every time you get in the car, and taking it out every time you get out
uh, that surprises me that Toyota would go with something that clunky. I know that didn't sell very well last year in the consumer market. I guess Eclipse just stamped on Toyota.
I'd rather have a real car.
I like the Smartcar, but The Yaris coupe looks like a manatee.
Too bad it's a TomTom. I prefer Garmin
I wonder if you could maybe import just the unit itself from a toyota parts supplier and then just replace the US yaris's radio with it (and maybe some wiring for antennnas and other etcs.)? I am getting a Yaris in like 2 months, and i would kill for one of these.
I looked at the Eclipse version recently as it also has support for using your phone through your stereo and iPod support. Unfortunately almost all of the reviews I found were less than stellar. Especially with regard to the iPod control. It's surprising that Toyota would integrate a system like this, especially, as someone else mentioned, one that is so clunky.
Well, this thing has been out in Europe for some months now. If you prefer a non-removable navigation there's the TNS310 unit which invisibly integrates with the regular head unit (shown in that dashboard foto someone else posted earlier on) - that's b/w but does its job nicely.
iPod and Bluetooth integration are separately available options if you choose not to go for the Tomtom-unit.
And as far as rebranding Eclipse equipment is concerned: FujtisuTen has been a long-standing supplier of OEM head units for all kinds of Toyota models (the other main vendor is Panasonic). The unusual thing here is rather that FujitsuTen is also selling them :)
Engadget you guys saw this via the Fcc this time last year (almost exaclty)
http://www.engadget.com/2007/02/28/mystery-tomtom-gps-unit-hits-fcc/
God of spam.
The FJ40 has had this option before this year. I thought the Toyota units were JBL. I believe the OEM NAV in my Camry says JBL on it.
I think Alpine's version of this is a lot better....and looks cleaner too.
http://www.autoblog.com/media/2007/01/pmd-b200-w-iva-w205.jpg
As someone else already mentioned, it is all about Fujitsu Ten. They have very close ties with Toyota. They provide many of the OEM head units in their cars and produce the Eclipse brand here in the US.
I have one of these in my 97 Montero, including the iPod kit. It is a double-din unit.
It works well. The maps get corrupted every now and then and I've reloaded it twice, but that only takes a few minutes. The iPod kit work pretty well and charges while you drive. It also has a usb port for thumb drives. If you hook it up to your lights and speed sensor cables it will keep computing speed through tunnels and other obstructions and will dim the display when your lights are on. The bluetooth feature works great with my razr phone for hands-free calling and address book sync, but the built-in mic doesn't sound too great from what people tell me. The tuner does a good job for me, although I do get some crackle on the AM with talk radio.
The TomTom software is both Mac and PC compatible and is easy to use for changing voices and revving the software.
Not a bad deal for the $325 it cost me from CC back in December. Installation was easy in my truck using the pre-amp outs.
One should be able to plug in any portable gps, that would be even nicer!