Advantage to portable navigation systems
Look around as you are driving and notice how many cars and trucks have aftermarket GPS navigation screens stuck to their windshields. A feature that was once reserved for luxury models is now within financial reach of most car owners.
Today, more and more mainstream cars and trucks offer built-in navigation screens as an option, but even so, for many buyers, a portable device is still preferable. That’s because compared to the typical $2,000 premium for an in-dash unit, an aftermarket system can be bought for a few hundred dollars and is easily removed for use in any vehicle.
Basic units easy to use
But are these windshield-mounted units really up to the job, compared to the more expensive manufacturer systems?
I recently purchased a basic $150 model from TomTom for my own vehicle, which had no optional system available. I have also tested the same manufacturer’s more sophisticated 920 model. Several other manufacturers, including Garmin, HP, Magellan and Mio, offer similar products.
So far, my TomTom One has done a pretty decent job even though some of the bells and whistles of built-in or more costly aftermarket systems are lacking. The 920 model does add a lot of features. Occasionally, the system takes a while to ‘find’ itself but usually it gets its bearings after a couple of miles.
Programming the small screens on the portable GPS units is a more fiddly operation than it is on the larger displays that built-in units provide and it’s a longer reach to the windshield mount. Also, the smaller screen size means less map area can be displayed at the same resolution.
There is one clear advantage to portable units. They do not impose the infuriating, lawyer-driven limitation of most built-in systems that prevent users (including passengers) from programming a destination while on the move.
On the topic of graphics, the quality of built-in system displays seems to vary to a surprising degree. Though I understand all systems rely on the same map data providers, the way roads and surrounding areas are graphically represented can be quite different. The best systems have bold, wide lines for the roads, which are much easier on the eye than the thin, spindly road markings on some units. Turn instructions also vary in terms of graphics, with the best systems clearly indicating which exit to take or lane to follow, sometimes in a separate panel.
The systems on the market also vary surprisingly in the depth of information available, meaning points of interest such as hotels, gas stations, restaurants and other facilities. The more sophisticated systems also have traffic alerts and related problem notifications.
Most units lack zoom feature
Just how useful these features are to you depends on the sort of driving you do. For some, the goal is simply to find a location and not worry about points of interest. Others like to have as much hand-holding assistance as possible. I tried the traffic alert system on the latest Cadillac CTS’s excellent navigation system and found its notifications to be accurate and useful.
One issue that neither original nor aftermarket GPS systems can seem to master is map scaling. When you want to zoom out to find your current location in relation to a big city or other point of interest, usually the secondary road network disappears from the screen, leaving you floating in open space.
In this respect, there appears to be no substitute for the good old fold-out paper map. It may be clumsy but can be reassuring confirmation that you are on the right track.
source: Detroit News