The new Scion Navigation System, available in the 2008 Scion xB, tC and xD models, is a six-speaker, 160 watt audio/video navi-system that combines powerful Alpine audio technologies with a sophisticated GPS navigation platform in a seven-inch-wide LCD touch-screen that offers a huge selection of features to help you explore your world in motion.

With one touch, you can access the main menu that gives you features such as Suspend or Resume Guidance, Select User, Map DVD, My Places, Volume and Voice Guidance, Set-up and Help. All quick-touch modes and icons are intelligently designed to allow you to smoothly flow through menu items and options almost peripherally as you scroll through features with little more than a glance. It is so user-friendly that shortly after using one, your fingers will seemingly act on their own as an afterthought to your destination decisions.

Select User will create and store map direction, scale and configuration, language, volume, road preferences and more. My Places can memorize memory points and places like home, previous places or areas to avoid. Set-up features let you choose distance format, estimated travel time, keyboard layout, and time zone to name a few. Volume lets you turn off or on your voice guidance option and personalize your sound experience. Map DVD displays comprehensive mapping and info on the surrounding area wherever you are in the U.S. Help offers easy access assistance at any point of the navigation system.

When starting the navigation system, the first thing displayed is mapping and info on your current position. You can easily return to this screen at any time from any screen with one touch. By selecting the destination button, you can find your chosen destination with address info, points of interest searches or a destination search. With the volume on, the system will give spoken directions at every turn or change in path. There are 11 different methods for destination guidance including intersection, phone number, previous destination and points of interest among others. Pressing the info button displays four categories of information on screen – maintenance, calendar, language and settings. Maintenance features conveniently include the status of your engine oil and filter, battery life, tire, brake pad and wiper condition as well as dealership information. The display can be adjusted and personalized to suit your needs with dual maps and a compass mode. At night, the light levels and hues adjust making the display easy to read sans glare. The Mode button switches between audio modes including radio, satellite, DVD, CD, iPod, MP3 and Windows media files. The audio button can then be selected at any time from any mode you’re in to bring up the operations screen for that mode. Sound quality inside the cabin can be altered to preference by selecting factors such as type of media, mode used and interior type. This system allows you to select the most efficient and appropriate sound design for your listening space. You can adjust sound quality with such controls as Bass, Focus, Fade, Equalization and Balance.

The navigation functions give you many options to get where you’re going. View your location by footprint, split screens or other options. Highway maps tell when to take an exit and even what lane to stay in and how far the exit is from your current position. You can view different route choices by criteria you select -including highway, toll way, local roads or travel time versus travel distance – and gain access to 106 memory points with phone numbers. You can also save and store your travel route - up to 124 miles - then retrace the route on the display. This system’s design is sleek and simple and doesn’t fight with the dash. Its overall blue lighting gives a comfortable cool atmosphere to your interior.  Its three dimensional button icons allow touch points to stand out without glare, making for a pleasant read. Its smooth road aliasing makes following the map a no-brainer.

Another cool feature of this system is its ability to play movies.  If you know where you are, take out the navigation system DVD and pop in your favorite movie to entertain. The screen even has tilt control and rich Dolby Digital surround sound that enriches your cabin with a theater-like experience. Easy operation is the function of this system with a smartly designed touch-screen panel. As you get familiar, your fingers will glide over selections, as it all becomes second nature without distraction. Scion’s new Navi-System is such a pleasure to travel with and so efficient, it will almost have you regretting how much shorter the trip has become.