Car GPS Reviews

Unbiased Reviews of the Latest Car GPS

GPS devices have enjoyed tremendous sales growth, particularly in the automotive market. The past 2 years have seen sales increase two-fold. What just a few years ago was a luxury gadget for the technology enthusiast is now an affordable must-have companion for the masses. According to Yahoo! Tech news' trends and predictions, GPS device sales are going to sky-rocket going forward. You’ll see GPS technology incorporated into numerous gadgets such as smart-phones, cameras and even MP3 players. There is one fundamental reason for the popularity of GPS devices. It helps drivers make hassle-free informed travel decisions on the move.

There are many types of GPS devices - for cars, motorcycles and even marine crafts. Portable Car GPS units are by far the most popular in terms of sales volume. To help narrow your search for a suitable GPS model, CarGPSreviews.net aims to provide unbiased reviews and recommendations of the latest car GPS units. We have compiled a list of the current Top 10 GPS that is updated on a monthly basis. As individual needs and preferences are largely subjective, this list is compiled based on actual user reviews, search popularity and sales. Feel free to use this as a starting point to search for the GPS device that caters best to your needs.

Top 10 GPS

March 2010 update :
The user-friendly and full featured Garmin nuvi 780 takes the top spot again by garnering strong sales helped in part by  a massive 76% discount at Amazon. The excellent nuvi 285WT moved up to 3rd place. Although the list is dominated by Garmin, TomTom's new XXL 540S and the large 4.7-inch widescreen Maestro 4700 managed to move up on the top 10 list.

1. Garmin nuvi 780 - The Garmin nuvi 780 portable GPS navigator goes above and beyond what's usually expected from a GPS offering an innovative design, easy to use interface, a Qwerty keyboard, and just about everything you'll need while in your car and on the go. It comes with a rich array of features including spoken directions in real street names, integrated traffic receivers, MP3 player and photo viewer, and an FM transmitter that will play voice prompts, MP3s, audio books directly through your vehicle's stereo system. Ready to use out of the box, the nuvi 780 offers a bright 4.3" widescreen display that is readable even in harsh daylight from any angle thanks to the integrated white backlight. The slim, attractive design of the Nuvi makes it easy to take anywhere. List Price : $699.99.
   
   

   Recent user comment: "I bought this to use for our family vacations. However the kid in me decided to use it right away to see how accurate the driving instructions were. It is right on the money. I highly recommend downloading the current version as soon as you get it out of the box. My upgrade lasted 1 1/2 hours and I have broadband internet. After the upgrade my new subdivision was clearly shown along with the newest streets in my city. I also installed the icons and voices to give us some variety. My kids loved the elf voice and they loved watching the sleigh and other animated icons. I love the blue tooth feature being able to drive hands free. Overall we are very pleased with our 1st and probably not the last GPS unit. I had researched for several months and this model is exactly what I was looking for. My friends and family have different companies and I really wanted to stick with the leader and am glad I chose this one." - D.Fry (Iowa,USA); Amazon Verified Purchase; Jan 4, 2010

   
   

   Save $520 on Garmin nuvi 780

   
   
   
2. Garmin nuvi 260W - The nuvi 260W combines a thin profile and attractive price point with directions in real street names and a wide screen that lets you see more of what's around you as you drive. The nuvi 260W includes the most sought-after navigation features while eliminating many of the premium add-ons. The result is a GPS that simply gets you from point A to point B reliably and efficiently. You also get fast satellite lock of a high-sensitivity integrated receiver, a slim, pocket-sized navigator with a gorgeous display, detailed NAVTEQ maps that lets you search by name for more than 6 million points of interest like stores, restaurants or hospitals, and an easy, intuitive interface. At $139.99 (39% off) now it is quite a steal! List Price: $229.99
   
   

   Recent user comment: "The Garmin Nuvi 260W is my second GPS unit. It announces turn directions with the street name. I consider this a primary advantage. It is an aural clue and does not require that you look at the GPS screen while driving. Just listen and "Greta" will tell you well in advance what to do at an upcoming street; no peeking at the GPS screen required - just safe driving. I thought the use of the "find address menu" in the software was very simple and logical. Saving the locations to memory was also straightforward. The memory bank of local sites is much more complete than my previous GPS. The screen size is appropriately large and bright. It is easy to see during the day in bright sunlight and is not glaring at night when it jumps automatically to night mode colors." - Turboman (USA); Amazon Verified Purchase; Dec 30, 2009

   
   

   Save 43% on Garmin nuvi 260W

   
   
   
3. Garmin nuvi 285WT - The nuvi 285WT gives you turn-by-turn directions that call out streets by name. It delivers real-time local weather, traffic, movie times, stock information, gas prices, news and local events as you navigate. It comes with complete maps for North America and MSN Direct Service; and is compatible with Garmin's lifetime traffic update receiver. Enjoy 9 months of free MSN Direct Service (included) or purchase the GTM 25 and get real-time traffic updates for the life of your nüvi. This portable navigator is very easy to use and is now selling at a steep 52% discount. List Price : $249.99.
   
   

   Recent user comment: "This is my 4th GPS from Garmin and I must say I am, without a doubt, impressed. The first thing that jumped out at me was the fantastic screen resolution. The 285WT provides a great view in either very bright light or dim light, doesn't matter. I set the brightness on 80% and it's just a pleasure to use. Great audio also, easy to hear and understand directions. The device is very user friendly, quick and easy to set up and get going. It connects with satellite reception very fast, it's reliable. I will never go back to a smaller GPS now either, have had a large and small and convinced this size is best for overall use, either walking or driving. Can not recommend this enough. Has enough features for most people, no doubt." - J.Johnson (Columbia,SC,USA); Amazon Verified Purchase; Feb 27, 2010

   
   

   Save 52% on Garmin nuvi 285WT

   
   
   
4. Garmin nuvi 765T - The nuvi 765T adds a number of handy routing and communication features to an already impressive list of specs, including a 4.3-inch widescreen display, text-to-speech capabilities, media player, and FM transmitter for transmitting audio - including directions and MP3 music and audiobooks - from the device to your car radio. New to the nuvi 765 series lineup is Garmin's HotFix satellite prediction, Lane Assist, automatic time zone transitioning, and 3D Building views. List Price: $499.99
   
   
5. Garmin nuvi 265WT - The 4.3" widescreen nüvi 265WT adds free real-time traffic updates from Navteq designed to receive alerts about traffic tie-ups and road construction that might lie ahead on your route. Other significant improvements include a predictive technology that provides faster satellite lock, a redesigned screen with more information, terrain maps, and an exciting new photo navigation feature. The 265WT provides complete maps for North America and the handy Text-to-Speech feature, so you get turn-by-turn spoken directions with the real names of streets. This model also includes useful travel tools like a JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter, bluetooth connectivity and calculator. List Price: $349.99
   
   
6. Garmin nuvi 255W - Garmin's nüvi 255W improves upon its 200-series predecessors by adding top-of-the-line features such as FM traffic updates or MSN Direct content to an entry-level line. But Garmin is also introducing some significant improvements with this new series, like a predictive technology that provides faster satellite lock, a redesigned screen with more information, terrain maps, and an exciting new photo navigation feature. The 255W adds complete maps for North America and Text-to-Speech, so you get turn by turn spoken directions with the real names of streets. The 255W also offers a wide 4.3-inch screen that displays 70% more of the road around you. The nüvi 255W is really slim and fits comfortably in your pocket. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery makes it convenient for navigation by car or foot. It also comes with useful travel tools like a JPEG picture viewer, world travel clock with time zones, currency converter, measurement converter and calculator functions. List Price : $329.99.
   
   
7. Magellan RoadMate 4700 - The premium Magellan Maestro 4700 boasts the acclaimed and exclusive OneTouch favorites menu and an ultra-slim 4.7-inch color touch screen. Preloaded NAVTEQ maps and six million points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico make the Maestro 4700 ideal for both business trips and vacations. Comes with easy-to-use features, such as AAA TourBook, voice command, highway lane assist, predictive traffic, and Bluetooth compatibility for hands-free calling. List Price: $299.99
   
   
8. TomTom XXL 540S - The TomTom XXL 540S is a complete navigation device in an extra large widescreen that measures 5" diagonally. It's easy to use right out of the box. Spoken turn-by-turn instructions including street names will guide you to any address in the US, Canada and Mexico, including more than 7 million preloaded points of interest. With TomTom Map Share technology, you can instantly modify street names, street direction, POIs, road speeds, and turn restrictions on your own device. Comes with a Fold and Go EasyPort mount which folds flat against the device for easy portability. List Price: $299.95
   
   
9. Garmin nuvi 855 - The nuvi 855 is a GPS navigator and personal travel assistant featuring voice-activated navigation and lane assist with junction view. It offers full coverage mapping for the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The preloaded map data features nearly six million points of interest, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, ATMs and attractions. It not only tells you where to turn but listens to your spoken commands. With its innovative speech recognition, you safely control the nuvi 855's interface with your voice, allowing you to keep both hands on the wheel. List Price: $349.99
   
   
10. Garmin nuvi 1350T - The Garmin nuvi 1350T features a widescreen, ultra-slim design, enhanced user interface, ecoRoute, public transit mode, and text-to-speech on all models. It is one of the first nuvi devices to offer pedestrian navigation capability enabled through optional CityXplorer maps, which are available for select tourist destinations in North America and Europe and can easily be downloaded directly to the nuvi. It's enhanced user interface features improved graphics and a new slide control for menu operation, while ecoRoute suggests fuel-efficient routes to save drivers money and fuel. With integrated FM traffic receiver and free lifetime traffic updates you will get alerts about traffic delays and road construction that lie ahead on your route. List Price: $399.99
    
    

Here are full reviews of the new Garmin nuvis:

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