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 best GPS for your needs.

Top 10 GPS

August 2010 update :
Garmin's nuvi 1390T, picked by PC Magazine for the Editor's Choice Award, remains at the top of the list. It is also among the bestselling GPS helped in part by a huge 53% discount at Amazon. Not to be outdone, the new Magellan Roadmate 5045 makes a debut on the list for the first time accompanied by the large 5-inch TomTom XXL 540TM that is proving to be highly popular. Garmin's new nuvi 3790T moves up one spot to 6th.

1. Garmin nuvi 1390T - The nuvi 1390T features a 4.3" widescreen, ultra-slim design, enhanced user interface, ecoRoute, public transit mode, and text-to-speech. It also comes with pedestrian navigation capability enabled through optional CityXplorer maps, which are available for select tourist destinations in North America and Europe. The nüvi 1390T'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. Also, Garmin's new public transit mode allows you to navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems. Pre-loaded with City Navigator North America NT. It received the coveted PCMag.com's Editors' Choice award 2010. List Price: $329.99
   
   
   Actual user comment: "We've used several GPS units and this is by far our favorite.
   
   Highlights:
   • The interface is simple, intuitive and easy to use.
   • The guidance is clear and very well illustrated
   • The route calculations are MUCH better than others we've tried (like the one built into our new Acura)
   • The map view also displays your current speed and the speed limit... NICE!
   • The map view also shows which lanes you should be in for the next exit, freeway merge, etc... very helpful and surprisingly accurate.
   • Bluetooth integration means you can use it with your phone as a speakerphone/hands free device.
   
   I really don't have anything negative to say about this... it's a fantastic GPS, and the price on Amazon beat out BestBuy on sale..." - D.Bradshaw (CA,USA); Amazon Verified Purchase; Jun 14, 2010
   
   

   Save 53% on Garmin nuvi 1390T

   
   
   
2. 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
   
   
   Recent user comment: "I did a lot of evaluating before I chose this GPS device. I determined what was important to me after actually using another Garmin, Magellan, and Tom Tom GPS. The 1350T is everything that it is advertised. Yes, there is advertising but is very insignificant when not moving in the Traffic mode. The Advanced Lane function and Text to Speech functions worked great. I used it in Honolulu last week and was curious how the text to speech would work with the Hawaiian pronounciations. It did pretty good. Another nice feature that I have used is the Pedestrian mode function. It works great! The battery charge is what is advertised, about 4 hours. So, if you need help with directions while walking in the city, this does a good job. Good GPS!" - W.R.Coots (CA,USA); Amazon Verified Purchase; Oct 31, 2009
   
   

   Save 63% on Garmin nuvi 1350T

   
   
   
3. 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.List Price: $219.99
   
   
   Recent user comment: "The voices loaded on the unit are very understandable, although pronunciation of some street names still leaves something to be desired (as with any GPS device). I haven't really needed the traffic function, but it did warn me of potential difficulties on one trip - well in advance of the problem (by the time I reached the problem area, traffic had cleared). I have had no difficulties with losing satellite reception. Overall, I would definitely recommend the Nuvi 265WT to anyone looking for a quality GPS device at an affordable price. I purchased this used in April, 2010 and have used it extensively since then. I am impressed with the clarity of the display, as well as the overall functionality of the device. The unit starts quickly and accesses satellites quickly, as well. Re-calculating is very fast and the ability to download new vehicles and voices actually makes these devices fun. There is even a program for creating your own voice directions using your own voice!" - John P (USA)
   
   

   Save 32% on Garmin nuvi 265WT

   
   
   
4. Garmin nuvi 1300 - The Garmin nuvi 1300 features a widescreen, ultra-slim design which is approximately 25% thinner than previous models. It comes with enhanced user interface, ecoRoute, public transit mode, and text-to-speech. You get pedestrian navigation capability enabled through optional CityXplorer maps, which are available for select tourist destinations in and can be downloaded directly to the nüvi. The nüvi's enhanced user interface features improved graphics and a new slide control for menu operation, while ecoRoute suggests fuel-efficient routes to save you money and fuel. Also, Garmin's new public transit mode allows you to navigate using buses, tramway, metro, and suburban rail systems. The device comes pre-loaded with City Navigator 48 states NT.
   
   List Price: $249.99 Save 53% on nuvi 1300!
   
   
5. Garmin nuvi 755T - The nuvi 755T 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. Additionally, the nüvi 755T includes free real-time traffic updates from Navteq (for the life of the device) via the included GTM 20 traffic receiver.
   
   List Price: $549.99 Save 68% on nuvi 755T!
   
   
6. Garmin nuvi 3790T - Top of the line in the exciting new 3700 series is the nüvi 3790T. With obvious design influences from Apple's devices, it features a multi-touch capacitive glass display, nüRoute technology with trafficTrends and myTrends, voice-activated navigation, 3D building and terrain view, lane assist with junction view, hands-free calling compatibility and subscription-free traffic alerts.
   
   List Price: $499.99 Click Here For Latest Offer
   
   
7. 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 4.3" widescreen nüvi 255W is slim and fits comfortably in your pocket. A rechargeable lithium-ion battery tht lasts 4 hours makes it truly portable.
   
   List Price: $329.99 Save 46% Now!
   
   
8. TomTom XXL 540TM - Outsmart traffic with the TomTom XXL 540TM. With a big 5-inch widescreen navigation plus Lifetime Traffic & Map Updates you'll always stay informed and minimize delays. Based on up-to-date traffic information, the XXL 540TM will recalculate travel time and suggest alternate routes. 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.
   
   List Price: $259.95 Save 24% on TomTom XXL 540TM
   
   
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 Save 60% Now at Amazon.com
   
   
10. Magellan RoadMate 5045 - The RoadMate 5045 is perfect for larger vehicles including SUVs, RVs and trucks. The large 5-inch screen is 35% larger than a standard 4.3-inch screen. It comes with premium features that includes lifetime traffic alerts, highway lane assist, OneTouch favorites, highway exit POI and Built-in AAA TourBook. Enjoy subscription-free, lifetime traffic alerts. Pre-loaded with NAVTEQ maps of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico.
    
    List Price: $219.99 Save 23% on Magellan RoadMate 5045 now!

Full reviews of the latest Garmin GPS Navigators:

Latest GPS from TomTom and Magellan: