TomTom Car Sat Nav Start 52, 5 Inch with EU Maps, Speed Cam Alert Trial, Integrated Reversible Mount, Black

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They might also use visual cues to help you, like suggesting that you turn after a landmark such as a church. What’s more, Garmin’s software is as strong as ever, with clear voice instructions, good references to buildings and street names, and useful 3D visuals to make tricky junctions easier to manage. However, the spoken and visual guidance is excellent, making good use of street names and landmarks.

All in all, though, this is a cracking satnav, and one of the nippiest and most responsive we’ve ever used. The bundled windscreen/dashboard mount is exceptionally good, holding even the hefty 7in model securely in position. Enhance your riding ability by selecting elevation and cornering levels directly on your RIDER 500 motorbike sat nav or when planning your route on MyDrive. It’s equipped with the latest and greatest TomTom technology, so you can look forward to where you’re going.The table consists of the serial number prefix and the model number to help you identify your device. It’s resistive rather than capacitive – although it’s surprisingly responsive by those standards – and you will also need to hook it up to a PC over USB to download updates. as real users, posing a threat to a site’s security, so the site sometimes runs random security checks.

What’s more, today’s satnavs have learned some lessons from their smartphone rivals, and they’re packing in bigger, better screens, additional features and useful live services. Well, depending on where you have it mounted, the 8in DriveSmart 86 can obscure a sizable portion of your windscreen, and you might wonder whether there’s really any benefit to all that screen. The big manufacturers monitor traffic on major roads and proactively send warnings so you can avoid any major hold-ups while you plan or even as you drive. With the TomTom GO DISCOVER you get a HD screen, faster processor, and a 1- year trial to live fuel pricing information, live off street parking and speed camera alerts. That’s emblematic of the stiff competition the DriveSmart 66 is getting from the similar TomTom Go Discover, but the Garmin is slightly cheaper and, as an all-rounder, hard to beat.

Download free and use MyDrive Connect to manage your content and services, getting the latest maps and software updates along with reminders to renew your services. It also offers you free traffic alerts if you pair your smartphone to the device via the TomTom MyDrive mobile app. The screen is decent enough, even in bright sunlight - at 480 x 272 pixels - and even though it’s resistive (ugh), we had no issues at all with delay or fumbling when jumping through menus. It has all you need to easily plan your journey and enjoy smooth travels, including the latest European maps, fast Wi-Fi® updates, smart routing and live traffic info.

If you were to upgrade to a TomTom Go, then you are given a magnetic mount - something that’s a whole lot easier to use. We check how quickly and effectively they cope with sudden changes to the route and we test out any live traffic features. We’re also seeing satnavs that hook into other services, using the likes of Tripadvisor and Foursquare to take you to restaurants, takeaways, cinemas and other points of interest in the nearby area. We also test their ability to direct you to nearby points of interest, including petrol stations, car parks, and pubs or restaurants.Now that many cars are sold with built-in navigation and any decent smartphone can do the job, you might think the answer would be no.

When you do reach for the screen, you will appreciate having one with the same capacitive technology used by smartphones. It does mean that you will have to do actual tapping on the screen for things such as zooming in and out, though, which feels a little archaic. It’s a step above the Start models, which are limited in their data functionality by not offering traffic, and cheaper than the Go offerings as that range has its own data connection built in. Garmin’s Real Directions, which reference street names and landmarks, come included, and instructions are delivered in a clear and timely fashion.It feels nippier and has a larger, crisper 6in or 7in HD screen, with a 1280 x 720 resolution for the former and a 1,280 x 800 resolution for the latter. Stay one step ahead of traffic and within the speed limit with live TomTom Traffic updates, traffic jam warnings and 1-year of speed camera alerts. Plan routes, add multiple drop-off points, check live traffic, and save your favourite routes from your smartphone, tablet or PC with TomTom MyDrive. We then use them on a series of journeys, covering both rural and urban areas, to see how well they handle difficult roads and complex junctions, and how clear any spoken or visual instructions are. Using your phone’s data, it will provide real-time updates to your sat nav - whether this is traffic information, road changes or speed camera positioning, it gets this information from your phone.