I understand your frustration—I've had my share of problems with the app in the past, see my posts in this forum—but I think your opinion, probably written in the heat of the moment, is a bit excessive: the program has indeed improved significantly.
I also notice that we probably use it in the same way—as a route planner from point A to point B—and that doesn't seem to be how most users use it. When I go on a trip, I don't plan the whole trip on the website but set a destination for the end of the day and let the program do its job. I want the flexibility to visit places that aren't on the itinerary but that I find appealing.
This requires recalculating the route, which is still not the app's strong point, even though it has also improved considerably, thanks to the developers.
And the recalculation problem is amplified when the internet connection is weak or nonexistent: unfortunately, it's often impossible to change this while driving because you don't always notice it, and it's not always easy to stop and switch to offline mode. From my past experience—though I haven't tried this in a while I must say—offline mode has never helped me; otherwise, I would always travel "offline." For your information: I download maps of all of Europe and take care to keep them up to date.
I adjusted the route calculation by enabling all the avoidance options, which the app seems to handle less well than before: I too have been sent onto a highway, through a village to avoid 400 meters of main road, or via a parking lot… I also find that here in Belgium, the program makes much less effective use of smaller roads than in version 4: there are also fewer winding road options (3) than before (5). And the difference between level 2 and level 3 is, most of the time, imperceptible.
A few weeks ago, I took a 2200 km trip in France, and the app worked very well: almost no crashes, and I was able to cross France to and from the Dordogne region with very few two-lane roads. This might even require extra attention because, in rural France, there are very few places to refuel.
Did you specify what type of phone, system, and Android Auto/CarPlay connection you're using? It can also affect how the app works or behaves.
As for me, and I've been a user since version 1 of the program, I'm confident that with a little more patience, the app will have eliminated the biggest flaws that sometimes affect my journeys. I don't just use it when traveling, but also in Belgium: I've already discovered many places that were previously hidden from me.
I've already tried other apps: OSMand, Calimoto, etc., but none of them appealed to me because they all offer far fewer features than MRA. And while it's true that the menus are sometimes unclear, with practice you get the hang of it. It's also important to remember that the complexity of navigating the menus is partly due to the sheer number of options available.
In any case, if you find an app with as many features that works better, please let me know.
Ride safe.
