We Connect Plus

[Viktorgeorge]

If my question has been covered elsewhere, please give a link.

Like many others I have both We Connect and We Connect Plus free for three years from new. In my case this expires on 27/10/2025.

I do not use the VW navigation (also like many other who prefer Waze, Apple Maps, Google Maps, TomTom or whichever).

I have endeavored to understand:

1. What would either We Connect or We Connect Plus each would offer me if I renew?

2. What I would loose if I do not renew (i.e. are there still functional software updates for the Van?)

3. what would the annual costs be for each?

but have not been entirely successful. A search on this forum, google and the My Volkswagen with a lack of clarity in the results.

I asked Grok here:

https://grok.com/share/c2hhcmQtMg%3D%3D_b24db3ce-d564-434c-a439-c5b21a5f061a

On the face of it, the only thing that concerns is having continued software updates: " ....VW may provide critical software updates (e.g., for infotainment or safety systems) independently of We Connect, typically through a dealer or over-the-air (OTA) if your vehicle supports it." Can I assume these will continue OTA, which is what Grok appears to suggest?

What I am not concerned about is "... non-critical updates tied to We Connect services (e.g., navigation map updates)".

As to costs, has anyone got current prices for each are they still £69-129 per annum?

 

[Van Diesel VW]

My We Connect Plus also expires this month. From the app can see VW wants £125 for 12 month renewal or £205 for 2 years. The question is, as I don't use VW maps, prefer Google, do I need it. Suppose I may just let the subscription expire then see what functionality I lose in the VW app. Mentions unlocking and alarm notifications, along with other vehicle controls, including voice activation. Whilst I have not used many of these functions over the last 3 years, loosing voice control for Spotify may be an issue.

Have others let We Connect Plus lasp or renew and if you did not renew have you missed it, be interesting to hear your thoughts.

 

[KevH]

I am in the same position, expiry due 17 November, and from what I understand the loss is limited to the online functions already mentioned plus, logically, everything that the app enables, eg trip info, lock/unlock, timing of next service, etc.
The ‘nice bits’ seem to be available only to more recent vehicles and the iD models so I’d expect to be offered a reduced fee (as if).
Any one any the wiser?

 

[Begize]

Mine expired at the start of last month. I can confirm you loose the top two things in the My VW app - , the "Vehicle" option (lock / unlock functionality and fuel level plus other data I think) as well as the sound the horn and indicator bits (never really used any of them). I can still see all the other stuff in the menu like the service data and health report.

The sat nav doesn't do any traffic / delay stuff and, tbh, I've actually quite enjoyed not being told every few minutes that there's congestion ahead. For some reason, it always seemed to tell me four times there were delays on the same road near my house and I've not missed that all. I occasionally used Waze via Android Auto but I've started to do so more and it feels much smoother all round. You can still do send to vehicle with a location from the My VW app which I use occasionally, although obviously easy to do on your phone using Waze anyway.

The voice control stuff is interesting - I noticed on the renewal it mentions IDA, the new voice assistant in the ID's and though it might be worth paying for an extension to get that that, but a bit of Googling says it's just "normal" voice control which, when I tried it previously with the VW sat nav, never worked properly anyway. Using voice / Alexa with Android Auto is 10000000% better. I'm not entirely convinced it's disabled anyway, would seem strange to have a button on the steering wheel for it and it seemed to respond when I had a quick go on Friday, when I get chance I'll have a play and report back.

Only questions really are around the software updates and the tracking / remote alarm notifications. Again, some Googling points to software updates still being done OTA regardless (I've had one just after the expiration date which may have been related to that), but potentially map updates not being. Given i probably won't be using the sat nav as much, I'm not overly bothered about that. You can download the maps from the My VW site (although the seem quite behind, the van is saying it's running August 2025 but the website's newest is November 2024). I think with We Connect Plus it downloads bits and pieces as it goes, rather than 32GB in one shot.

So, I guess comes down to the tracking and notifications - can I get something for less than £200 over 2 years that does that? Probably.

Atm I have nothing making me want to extend We Connect Plus, and Google again suggests there's no discounts or offers likely. Currently thinking it's not worth it.

 

[Black Forest]

If I could remotely from a distance, activate the heating before I got back to the van after being in the mountains, I’d renew but that’s not a current function fit the 6.1