{"id":830,"date":"2021-09-07T09:19:03","date_gmt":"2021-09-07T09:19:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.whichnavigator.com\/?p=830"},"modified":"2021-09-07T09:19:04","modified_gmt":"2021-09-07T09:19:04","slug":"best-gps-for-car-garmin-tomtom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.whichnavigator.com\/best-gps-for-car-garmin-tomtom\/","title":{"rendered":"Best GPS For Your Car in 2022 \u2013 Buyer\u2019s Guide (Updated March 2022)"},"content":{"rendered":"

What’s the best GPS For Your Car? It’s the unit that gets you from point A to B in the quickest possible time, driving the easiest routes, with the least amount of traffic and in all honesty it’s a very easy decision to make. Just head over to Garmin<\/a> or TomTom<\/a> and pick up one of their latest GPS units and you will have a cracking unit that will give you all the directions and extra features to help you drive that you need.<\/p>

The problem in choosing comes into account when you start to factor in price. If you just choose a Garmin DriveLuxe<\/a> you’ll have the best GPS navigation unit on the market in 2022. It will have a 5-inch screen and HD digital traffic. It will also cost you over $500 which is a lot of money to pay for a GPS unit that just gives you directions.<\/p>

In this review, we’re looking at GPS units<\/a> for your car that you could actually buy and use on a day-to-day basis that will not break the bank.<\/p>

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Best Car GPS 2022<\/h2>

If you don’t want to read the whole review and simply want to know what we thought was the best GPS Navigation unit for your car, then head directly over to Garmin and buy yourself a Garmin DriveSmart 55 with traffic and free life time map updates.<\/p>

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\"Garmin<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Garmin DriveSmart 55<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Garmin DriveSmart 55<\/a> is part of Garmin’s all new 2022 range of GPS unit and has been designed to fill the gap between the large DriveSmart 65<\/a> and the Drive 52.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the 65 comes with a 6.96-Inch screen, the 55 comes with an all new 5.5-Inch screen. For 2019, we loved the all new edge-to-edge design<\/a> of the 61, however the biggest compliant we go from our reader was the that the 61 was such a large design, it would not fit into their car.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

The problem was that Garmin did make a smaller model<\/a>, but the screen was just not good enough to see correctly  For 2020 Garmin has listened to everyone has made the 55 with its 5.5-Inch screen,  and a much higher screen resolution (‎1280 x 720 pixels, VS. 480 x 272 pixels). The difference means that you don’t need a massive screen to see directions.<\/p>

In line with the screen update, the maps, traffic alerts and directions have all been improved over the previous model, but what is fantastic, and something we have all been crying out for over the last few years, is the ability to update the unit over WiFi rather than having to always attach your unit to a computer to update the software and maps.<\/p>

We also really like the all new TripAdvisor concept allowing you to view ratings for travel points of interest along your route from the world largest travel site directly to your car.<\/p>

Overall, this is easily the best gps navigation unit for your car in 2022.<\/p>

Brand Names<\/h2>

We would highly recommend that you buy either a TomTom<\/a> or a Garmin<\/a> GPS unit. Yes they are more expensive, but they actually work well and will carry on working for the foreseeable future. If you head over to your local supermarket, I am sure they will have their latest deal which will be some GPS that has been imported from China and will cost you less than $30.<\/p>

This might seem like a great deal to you, however I really would not do it. Garmin and TomTom have spent millions of dollars and years of preparation to make you a device that actually works well and whilst these imports might seem like a great deal, often they don’t work well, have no facility to be updated meaning that as soon as the roads are changed your GPS becomes useless.<\/p>

Buying brand names do cost more, however you’re getting a GPS that will last into the future and will comes with updates, voice directions that actually work and extra features such as massive points of interest databases or websites that allow you to access other users travel data to find the best driving roads in your location.<\/p>

Top Car GPS Models<\/h2>

Over the last 12 months the car gps device industry has tried to simplify itself. It the past, both TomTom and Garmin had a range of units each with different features and sizes. If you wanted to compare models, you could line up a Garmin 2797 with a 5575 and 6257 and then add TomTom and you’d be able to compare these with the 620, 1525 and even a rider.<\/p>

Today the market is more simple. Both Garmin and TomTom have four models, ( Garmin – Drive<\/a>, DriveSmart<\/a>, DriveAssist<\/a> and DriveLuxe<\/a>) and (TomTom – TomTom Go Basic (VIA 1525M\/1625M), TomTom Comfort or a TomTom Supreme. That said, realistically we’re only interested in the Garmin Drive, Garmin DriveSmart and from TomTom Go Basic (VIA 1525M\/1625M) or a TomTom Supreme. <\/p>

Other Brands<\/h2>

Garmin and TomTom are our two favourite brands for car gps units, however there are other brands that we have tested over the last 18 months some of which have actually been okay, however there is nothing that I could recommend on my site.

I firmly believe that if you’re going to buy a GPS unit in the USA today, you should either be buying a Garmin Drive, a Garmin DriveSmart, a TomTom Go Basic or a TomTom Go Essential.

We’ve tried a Aonerex 7” Touchscreen GPS Navigator which to be fair was a brilliant model. I really liked it and while it worked, it worked well. The 7-Inch screen was clear the directions great, and then I tried to update it and it never worked again. I’ve also tried the JRCX 8GB Lifetime Map GPS Navigator which in principle is another, cheaper gps unit that should be good, but in reality it’s too complicated to use. I must have spent 30 minutes trying to learn how it worked and even then I really only got the basic directions to work.<\/p>

Rand McNally and Magellan are two gps units that we’ve used in the past. Magellan are quite good at building off-road gps units and their units come pre-loaded with over 160,000 4WD, ATV, Motorcycle, and Snowmobile Trails in the USA. The problem is that they are not exactly cheap – The TR7 with a 7-Inch screen cost over $500. If I’m spending $500, I would want the best and Magellan TR7 is not the best gps for your car.<\/p>

Car GPS Reviews<\/h2>
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\"Garmin<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Garmin Drive<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Garmin range for 2022 starts with the Garmin Drive, which to be totally honest is a fantastic car gps navigator that does everything you need to help get your car from Point A to Point B with the least possible effort. It’s cheap and does exactly what it sets out to do, but its cheap for a reason, it comes with no features to help you with your driving other than providing directions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

The Drive comes as standard with a 5-Inch Duel-Orientation display screen, pre-loaded maps of USA or USA & Canada, life-time map updates, traffic updates on selected models and a best-in-class user interface and step-by-step directions – and literally that’s it.<\/p>

What it does well, it does really well, but the key problems are the price which means some things are made cheaply. The screen is not a high-resolution display which means it’s not super clear like the DriveSmart below. Worse still, if you’re driving in direct sunlight, you might need to shade your navigator to see the directions. The unit also does not come with Bluetooth connectivity, voice commands, and Wi-Fi updating meaning that you will need to plug the Drive into a computer to perform updates.<\/p>

While the maps do update for free, they’re not perfect and do not show topographical shading for mountains or 3D buildings in cities. The traffic alerts do work well, but this is an optional extra that does increase the price slightly. <\/p>

Overall It’s a cracking GPS unit for those that just want a basic, portable GPS unit<\/p>

Buy Here<\/p>

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\"Garmin<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Garmin DriveSmart<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Garmin DriveSmart<\/a> is our favourite GPS navigation device of 2022 and comes with a range of useful features that options that help you get from Point A to Point B without sitting in the traffic. The DriveSmart comes in two models, the DriveSmart 55 with an all-new 2022 5.5-Inch Edge-to-Edge Display and the DriveSmart 65 that comes with a 6.95-Inch Edge-to-Edge display. The choice is yours, however on a personal preference, I’ve always thought the larger is better. I just feel that you can see more information on your screen which in turn helps with directions. Just remember, the 7-inch unit is a big screen and big unit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

On a personal note, I have bought the DriveSmart 60 (2019 Model) and the DriveSmart 65 (2022 Model) and thus have tested it extensively over the last few months and as a result have been able to make a good decision on this gps unit. The 6.95-inch screen is simply fantastic especially given that it comes with a glass screen that means that the pinch and zoom combination works very nearly as well as the your smartphone. The screen has also been improved over previous models to the point where you can now look at your gps unit in both direct sunlight and in low light conditions where the old versions sometimes had problems.<\/p>

Switching the unit on brings up Garmin simply to use interface and menu system meaning that after a few minutes of fiddling around you can easily find your way around your gps unit and understand where to go to make things work how you would expect. The DriveSmart comes with fully integrated pre-loaded maps of the USA that offer both fantastic detail and clarity meaning that if you need to find an address you can easily do so.<\/p>

The maps come with free lifetime map updates meaning that you can be sure, as long as you update your maps, you will always find yourself driving on roads on your gps unit. The unit also comes with free traffic alerts and for the first time, speed camera alerts. Routing is simple and will take into account the traffic conditions along your route to ensure that you drive along without getting stuck in traffic. The traffic alerts work well and have been heavily worked on over the last few years and we have seen major improvements. Gone are the days when our gps unit said we have a clear road, but actually we were stuck in traffic.<\/p>

Extra features that we have not seen before really central around ensuring that you can drive safely. These include alerts for street speed changes, up and coming sharp curves, school zones and even one way roads. We also like the all new Bluetooth connectivity which allows you to both connect your smartphone to the gps for hands free calling and for voice control meaning that you can control your gps without taking your hands off the wheel. In the past we have seen these features really not work well, however with this latest DriveSmart, these features now work as you would expect.<\/p>

Overall we really like the DriveSmart 65 and the all-new features that it comes with that seem to have been design all to help you drive safely. We love the fact that the traffic alerts have been seriously improved to point where we rarely get stuck in traffic that we don’t know about beforehand and the extra features that make sure the Bluetooth connectivity for hands free calling work well. If you’re going travelling this year, then buy yourself a DriveSmart and you will not regret it.<\/p>

Buy Here<\/p>

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\"TomTom<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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TomTom Go Basic<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The TomTom Go Basic<\/a> (VIA 1525M\/1625M) is TomTom’s equivalent to the Garmin Drive above. It’s TomTom’s aim at a cheap, basic GPS navigation system that will get you from point A to point B. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The GO Basic is part of TomTom’s all new 2021 range and has been built from the ground up. It might look like models of old, but its comes with a new and improved 5-inch screen and the option of a 6-Inch screen for a few extra dollars. As standard, the unit comes with maps of the US, Canada, Mexico and as with all gps units these days, they include free lifetime map updates.<\/p>

Finding destinations is simple from the Search menu or by touching a point on the map. Advanced Lane Guidance helps you prepare for exits and intersections by clearly highlighting the correct driving lane for your planned route.<\/p>

Buy Here<\/p>

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TomTom Go Supreme<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The TomTom GO Supreme is TomTom’s top of the range GPS unit that comes with a range of features to help you get to your destination without sitting in traffic. The GO supreme is part of TomTom’s all new 2020 GPS Navigation Units that aims to compete with Garmin above. In all honesty, it does a great job.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>

If it wasn’t a brand new model (release Jan 2020) and we had had more time to test it properly, I would go as far as saying it’s the best car gps on the market in 2020.<\/p>

The GO Supreme comes as standard with a 5-inch and a 6-inch, crystal clear touch screen that works well in both low light, and direct sunlight conditions. The interface works well, it’s very similar to past editions, however I feel it’s been updated slightly to make it easier to use. The maps are fantastic, and it comes with both free life-time map updated via Wi-FI and most importantly, world-maps meaning that you can your GPS on holiday.<\/p>

Much like the Garmin’s above, TomTom comes with Traffic Alerts that are actually very good and not only intelligently plan routes around traffic, but update in real-time using information from millions of drivers helping you take the best route to take. One thing we have not seen much in the past is speed camera alerts. The Supreme comes with Speed Camera Alerts for fixed and mobile safety cameras across the USA.<\/p>

Other standard features include Hands-free Calling and Smartphone Messages, the ability to share your location and ETA with friends though the app and trip statistic helpful hints to make your driving easier and safer. We’ve seen all these in the past, and while they’ve been updated, it’s hardly noticeable.<\/p>

Whats new for 2020 is three fold, firstly Last Mile Navigation and Find My Car – This combines both your GPS unit and an App on your mobile to help you in situations where you’ve had to park away from your destination and have had to walk that final few hundred meters. No you have not only directions to your destination, but also an accurate record of where you’ve parked your car, and how to get back to it.<\/p>

IFTTT Integration – helps all your maps, apps, smart home devices and virtual assistants work together in harmony. IFTTT stands for IF That, Then This and basically means, if I do one thing, do this. As an example, your could set your GPS to switch the heating on at home when your 10KM away from it, or send a notification when your 2KM away from your destination. In principle, it’s a great idea, in reality, will I ever use it, I’m not sure.
Trip Planning with TomTom MyDrive and Road Trips – we have seen this before, however it’s been update to combine the above and make it even more user friendly.<\/p>

These are not deal breakers, but I hate the magnetic mount that might simplify the attaching of your GPS unit to the windshield mount, but it also just say there is a GPS unit in your car that could be stolen.<\/p>

I also hate the voice controls that just do not work. You can enter an address using your voice, but it’s impossible to search the place of interests even for something like a petrol station. I could not make it work when I asked for something like, “show me a gas station”.
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It’s a great GPS that probably will be better than the Garmin above, time will tell, however I might update this best of later I the year.<\/p>

Buy Here<\/p>

How to Buy<\/h2>

When deciding which is the best car GPS unit you need to take into account a number of factors that will often help you to decide which is the best navigation model for your personal situation. You also need to remember, what is right for me, might not be right for you.<\/p>

If you’re planning to drive a small sports car then you’re unlikely to want a massive 7-Inch TomTom given it’s probably not going to fit. On the same token if you’re driving a camper van, then most likely you will want a large screen as it will be based further away from you and therefore you will need a large screen to be able to see if.<\/p>