Man rents a 2026 Toyota Corolla, then gets confused when he tries to use the navigation system to get to his hotel: ‘I need to pay to go home’

For those who often get lost, a navigation system is essentially a lifesaver for the directionally challenged—and it’s extremely helpful that most modern devices come equipped with one. But for one man, reaching his destination may have turned into a challenge when he discovered his Toyota rental car’s navigation system required a paid subscription to access.

“I don’t know what it is that Toyota’s smoking dude,” Dino (@dino._.dos) said in a video that has amassed over a hundred thousand views on TikTok. He shared that he traveled to Virginia for a training session and was given a base-model 2026 Toyota Corolla rental to use during his stay. According to Dino, the car itself was “really nice” and “super comfortable.”

When he was 10 or 15 minutes away from his hotel, the Country Inn & Suites, however, the charge on his phone ran out, which he had been using to navigate the city. “Not to worry, though. I have a 2026 [Corolla]. I can just use the navigation services in the car, right? Right?” Dino said. “I go to put my address in. That thing comes back and says, ‘Subscription required for navigation services.'”

A navigation system is an add-on

Paid navigation systems are technically not standard in most rental cars. However, car rental companies typically offer them as an optional add-on for an additional fee during the booking process, according to Hitech.

Still, the discovery that Dino had to pay for a built-in car feature left him stunned. “Are we serious? I need to pay to go home? In the car that I rented?” Dino said. “Toyota, you’re out of your mind. I don’t know who else is doing this.”

Others were also left in disbelief at how modern cars have drastically changed and become more costly. “I already pay a subscription – it’s called my car loan and car insurance,” one user wrote.

Toyota offers subscription plans

Another claimed car manufacturers are utilizing features for more profit, saying, “They are charging subscriptions for heated seats, GPS, remote start, etc. all the things that the car comes with is being locked behind a paywall.”

According to USA Today, Toyota has rolled out monthly subscriptions for drivers to get the most out of their vehicles, with plans ranging from $15 to $25 a month depending on the service. These plans include gaining access to the car’s music streaming or the navigation system for $15 each, or both for $25. Drivers can also choose to add Wi-Fi as an extra feature for $25, which uses AT&T for an in-vehicle hotspot. If drivers want to lock, unlock, or start their vehicles remotely, Toyota offers it for $8 a month using its Remote Connect app.

Toyota is not the only car manufacturer with a paid navigation subscription. Major brands like Audi, Porsche, Lexus, Tesla, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW also have their own subscription bundles. But the longevity of these subscription-based car features is yet to be seen, as many individuals, like Dino, have also expressed displeasure with the paywalls.

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