Map updates for the base GPS Entune system generally come out in late November or December and require a paid part that is a key card the dealer uses through his computer to upload the map to your GPS. That means an expensive part and expensive labor. Not a trivial or cheap process even compared to any recent GPS you may have seen advertised. I've found the costs can be negotiated somewhat. But they are so objectionable I only do the update every few years. I've found the actual firmware update (think of it as the program that manipulated and displays the map data) can be a dealer free update if you complain enough about the slowness of the warnings as being dangerous. The map updates are at least a year out of date when Toyota finally issues them compared to other GPS manufacturers which use the same source of map data that Toyota uses.
I was one of the few Prius v owners who made the mistake of paying to upgrade the GPS maps. It cost around $225 and was a waste of money. The new maps were obsolete the day they were installed. The traffic updates through the Entune system are useless. The 6 inch display in my Prius is nearly the same size as my 5.5" phone. No advantage there. I recently made a road trip from Philadelphia to Tampa and back using Android Auto. It is far superior to the built-in Toyota nav system. Android Auto allows you to download map areas. If you lose your data connection it functions without any hiccups. Also, Android Auto now runs on your cell phone even if you don't have the app built into you vehicle entertainment system. I dislike having the clutter of using a cell phone mounted right above the unused built-in system but there is no denying the Toyota system is inferior.
Thanks. Do you have a link for it? I also found the maps in my GPS to be outdated. I'm interested in hearing more about it for iPhone, too, since I am considering upgrading my cell next to iPhone. SM-N910V ?
