onX Offroad app, one of our favorite overlanding navigation apps, is now officially compatible with Apple CarPlay. That means you can access the app’s features without reaching for your phone. What’s more, in-dash turn-by-turn navigation as well as a feature called “Route Builder” are on their way.
If you hadn’t noticed from our branded Trips & Trails content, we here at Overland Expo are big fans of the onX Offroad app. It’s a fantastic way to discover new regions, trails, and more.
One big complaint I’ve had with the app since it launched for iOS in 2020 was the fact that I could only use it on my iPhone or iPad. In fact, I went so far as to buy a dedicated iPad Mini on which I’ve been running onX.
One of onX’s chief competitors, Gaia, has been available on CarPlay and Android Auto for a while now. Although that integration momentarily pulled me away from onX and my iPad, I quickly reverted back. I simply prefer onX.
Now, however, onX has nearly caught up with Gaia. If you have onX on your iPhone and own a vehicle with Apple CarPlay capabilities, you can now plug your iPhone into the vehicle and use onX Offroad from your in-dash infotainment touchscreen. I don’t know about you, but for me this is a huge development.
Trips & Trails: Cinder Butte Viewpoint
I can effectively toss out the Rube Goldberg-esque RAM Mount setup I’d cobbled together to hold my iPad in my vehicle next to my rig’s infotainment screen. More than just declutter, it’ll greatly reduce the creaking and rattling permeating from my dashboard.
As I mentioned in the lede, and one I’ve been dying for since I became an onX acolyte is the in-app turn-by-turn feature. As it stands, I do the discovery with onX, choose a waypoint, grab the GPS coordinates, plunk those into my Garmin Overlander and use that to navigate to the point. I’d much rather keep everything in-app because my current setup is rather cumbersome.
According to onX, that’s coming soon. Later this year, onX Offroad will release “Route Builder.”
Here’s how onX describes Route Builder: “This feature will let users create a route from one adventure to another, linking up dirt trails and scenic routes for a multi-hour or multi- day adventure. Android Auto and CarPlay will enable turn-by-turn navigation and bring those trips to life through in-dash displays. Users will also be able to share their built route with friends, inviting them along for the ride.”
Right now, onX Offroad is only on Apple CarPlay. A brand rep told me that Google is in the approval process. So Android users should see Android Auto compatibility go live soon, just not quite yet.
