April 2021 Infotainment Update?

[Dennis in FL]

If you play with it a bit more, you may find an acceptable setup. For me, I keep my map in the left two-thirds (whether I'm actively navigating to a destination or not). I keep the radio in the right one-third panel. Then I simply cycle through the presets using the up-down button on the steering wheel. I have actually found this to be a great default. I never see the radio tubes nor the new home screen.

There must be a way of going back. They tricked me...I had no idea that was coming.

 

[NDBlackEX]

If you play with it a bit more, you may find an acceptable setup. For me, I keep my map in the left two-thirds (whether I'm actively navigating to a destination or not). I keep the radio in the right one-third panel. Then I simply cycle through the presets using the up-down button on the steering wheel. I have actually found this to be a great default. I never see the radio tubes nor the new home screen.

Same here. Aside from the purple, I actually like the home screen better than the three widgets. Much cleaner, you get basically the same info. I never use the home screen though, just map in full screen or 2/3. I don't use the radio or XM so I never look at that stuff. I use my mp3 player or bluetooth all the time and have my mode button on the wheel just set to those two options. Nice and simple.

Change happens, we adjust.

 

[Kao]

There must be a way of going back. They tricked me...I had no idea that was coming.

To be fair, there was plenty of warning on this forum that the new nav screen was not liked by most who did the upgrade.

 

[Butch Cassidy]

I just hope there’s something better on the horizon. Not holding my breath tho.
The thing I’m most disappointed About are the vacuum tubes and the super small XM graphic. The big XM channel logo and three way split screen was one thing I was looking really forward to.
If Kia is serious about rebranding their image into a more upscale brand they need to realize that cheezy graphics and purple themes make them seem like the programmers at Fisher Price were recruited to make this update.
Nobody is going to test drive their cars and say “I love these vacuum tubes” and “look at all the blank space on this purple themed 11” display”.

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[Dennis in FL]

To be fair, there was plenty of warning on this forum that the new nav screen was not liked by most who did the upgrade.

The Email from Kia was the following

Thank you for choosing Kia to take you over the roads, through the tunnels and between the valleys. To show our appreciation and enhance your travels, Kia is now providing Multimedia & Navigation Updates twice a year as a free online download1.
Updated Routes, Better Accuracy, More POIs

Nowhere does it say the Sirius XM screen was going to significantly change (for the worse).

 

[NDBlackEX]

The Email from Kia was the following

Thank you for choosing Kia to take you over the roads, through the tunnels and between the valleys. To show our appreciation and enhance your travels, Kia is now providing Multimedia & Navigation Updates twice a year as a free online download1.
Updated Routes, Better Accuracy, More POIs

Nowhere does it say the Sirius XM screen was going to significantly change (for the worse).

I would say that falls under the multimedia update.

 

[busybeegal]

Haven't been on this forum in over a year since getting my Telly SX. Was SO excited to get the e-mail this morning about the nav and multimedia upgrade. Spend nearly 1.5 hours (nowhere close to the 25 minutes advertised) getting everything upgraded, rebooted, updated, rebooted, update some more. And for THIS?!?! As stated the XM screen is a disaster - not having the option to change colors on the display from that ghastly purple gradient is inconceivable - not being able to have navigation as part of the home screen makes zero sense - there are so many oversights and missteps on this. The REAL killer (and main reason that I upgraded) was I assuming they'd finally have a way to make Android Auto take up the full screen a la Apple Car Play. NO DICE. What a joke. I know it sounds petty and dramatic, but I'm going to enjoy driving my car a lot less now. EPIC FAIL, Kia.

 

[busybeegal]

I just hope there’s something better on the horizon. Not holding my breath tho.
The thing I’m most disappointed About are the vacuum tubes and the super small XM graphic. The big XM channel logo and three way split screen was one thing I was looking really forward to.
If Kia is serious about rebranding their image into a more upscale brand they need to realize that cheezy graphics and purple themes make them seem like the programmers at Fisher Price were recruited to make this update.
Nobody is going to test drive their cars and say “I love these vacuum tubes” and “look at all the blank space on this purple themed 11” display”.

100% agree. Your last line about the reactions made me laugh out loud - which is a good thing, because after all this, I REALLY needed a laugh.

As far as going for "upscale" - another fail. I drive my dad's Porsche Cayenne all the time - I can tell you, his screen is NOTHING like this and is so ridiculously customizable, it's almost overwhelming. And widgets, widgets, widgets galore. So, this is definitely not a move towards "upscale" if that's what they were going for.

Only thing that could be worse is if they put in one of those screen savers from like Windows 95 that had Word Art that slowly bounced around the screen. Speaking of 1995: Hey Kia - YOU'VE GOT FAIL.

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[NDBlackEX]

not being able to have navigation as part of the home screen makes zero sense

Most infotainment systems don't even have a home screen. The navigation continues to work no matter what screen you're in. If you're so into reading the tiny little map from the 1/3 screen while you navigate, you still can. You just need to fill the 2/3 with one other thing.

What information are you missing out on if you have your radio info and navigation up? What's that 3rd thing you need access to while you're driving?

 

[busybeegal]

I wish I had come here first. Again...I thought it was only a nav update.

Yup. It said multimedia but didn't list any of the multimedia changes. Only nav changes. I had fingers crossed that Android Auto would finally take up the full screen. Nope.

I hadn't been coming here for a while because with the pandemic, my driving all but stopped for a while, so there was no reason to be logging on, because I didn't have any issues or questions. What a mistake.

 

[bruesjoh04]

I had fingers crossed that Android Auto would finally take up the full screen. Nope.

Operating under assumptions is only going to make you sad and disappointed, and it appears that’s what happened in your case. All of your questions regarding Android Auto and the overall interface could have been answered by reading just this thread (in addition to many other ones regarding recent updates).

I’ve said it before and I’ll continue to say it… if you’re updating and you don’t like it, it’s on you. Either you are updating blindly without any info (bad idea if you are picky) or you did read all the available info and still decided to do it.

I understand more than a few people on here truly don’t like the update, and if you don’t, that’s fine. But please don’t update and then complain about it. We are now over seven months into the major interface changes on the Telluride update. The info is there. Utilize it.

 

[Butch Cassidy]

What information are you missing out on if you have your radio info and navigation up? What's that 3rd thing you need access to while you're driving?

Weather would be nice.
The thing is, the aspect ratio and size of the screen lends itself naturally to display three units of information.

Honestly, I’m most bugged out those ridiculous vacuum tubes. I guess the amount of wasted space also really bugs me, as does the purple skinny font. I like it so much before when you could have a large XM station logo displayed.

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[vinylhaircut]

Operating under assumptions is only going to make you sad and disappointed, and it appears that’s what happened in your case. All of your questions regarding Android Auto and the overall interface could have been answered by reading just this thread (in addition to many other ones regarding recent updates).

I’ve said it before and I’ll continue to say it… if you’re updating and you don’t like it, it’s on you. Either you are updating blindly without any info (bad idea if you are picky) or you did read all the available info and still decided to do it.

I understand more than a few people on here truly don’t like the update, and if you don’t, that’s fine. But please don’t update and then complain about it. We are now over seven months into the major interface changes on the Telluride update. The info is there. Utilize it.

Exactly right. In addition, any change at all is just difficult for some. I thought I was really going to miss the three panel display. Turns out using two panels for the map makes it *much* better for me. I use the remaining third for music, and can see the station and song just fine in that space. If I need to see the weather, or compass, or other info, it's just a quick vertical swipe on that third panel. Simple and easy.

 

[NDBlackEX]

Weather would be nice.
The thing is, the aspect ratio and size of the screen lends itself naturally to display three units of information.

Honestly, I’m most bugged out those ridiculous vacuum tubes. I guess the amount of wasted space also really bugs me, as does the purple skinny font. I like it so much before when you could have a large XM station logo displayed.

Current temp is on the instrument cluster. Outside of that, are people really relying on this random weather widget for their local forecast?

I see it as having like a 7-8" screen with bonus information on the side. Recently though, I've just been leaving mine on full screen map. I get map, speed limit, digital speedometer clock and the song info pops up when it changes both on the screen and instrument cluster.

The home screen gives you weather, radio info, clock and at least 1/3 map. In my opinion, the layout is much cleaner and clearer than having those 3 panes open with the old system.

 

[NDBlackEX]

I delayed updating but I figured change was a comin' and they could always change the scheme again in the future. I didn't do the Nov update so it ended up taking me twice as long to update in May after the latest update.

Constantly updating a vehicle's software plus maps for free isn't commonplace in the automotive world. It may become so in the future but kudos to Kia for offering it now. I know there are some Honda owners out there (15 CRV) who would kill for a major update to their infotainment. They charge for map updates too. My 13 F150 has received one free update thus far. I'll never see another.

 

[RayApparatus]

I've bought my 13 F150 map updates from Ebay for $25. Worth it where I drive through, lots of freeway changes.

The right 1/3 display can also swipe up and down through additional screens. I didn't know that until recently. So that is nice.

We are 100% fine with the new setup, as I bet most owners are. It's not perfect but it works.

My issue, my local Kia dealership looks like a used car lot from the 90s and it's an hour away. Hopefully we only need routine maintenance..

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[slayer72]

Did somebody say purple?

 

[BubCam]

I have the map and infotainment update from April 2021. Based on the web site there should be a new update about now, any word on this?

 

[bruesjoh04]

I have the map and infotainment update from April 2021. Based on the web site there should be a new update about now, any word on this?

According to the Mapnsoft site, the next release (15.5) will be out November 15.

 

[aperry]

They needed an extra month to revert back to the 3-panel display and implement Android Auto widescreen. Oh whoops, there I go again, disconnected from reality