Looking for an auto GPS? Our buyers guide starts below…
Picking GPS for your car depends upon the price you can pay and the features you want. Our auto GPS buyers guide runs the gamut, identifying key features along the way. I’ll make a recommendation in each price category, based upon value and feature set. A few notes first:
- I’ll admit a bias towards Garmin. They manufacturer quality units with intuitive interfaces. Many of the models listed below are Garmin nuvis. You may find this Garmin nuvi feature comparison chart useful
- These lists of features worth paying extra for and features you don’t need may prove helpful
- Prices on GPS receivers are dropping rapidly. The prices listed below are current as of the last update of this post. Keep an eye on our companion GPS deals section for some great values
- Finally, unless otherwise indicated, the links go to our GPS reviews here at GPS Tracklog, where you’ll find several places to track down each model’s current low price from trusted vendors
Budget auto GPS receivers
Our choice:
The Garmin nuvi 40 is a 2012 model with a 4.3″ screen that is loaded with features like lane assist, junction view and speed limit display. Currently available for around $90. Alternative recommendation:
- The 2013 Garmin nuvi 42LM has a faster processor and an improved mounting system
Mid-range auto GPS receivers
Our choice:
The Garmin nuvi 2455LT is a 2012 4.3″ model, loaded with features including lifetime traffic; at the time of our last update, this unit was running around $130. Alternative recommendations:
- Get a 5″ screen with the nuvi 2555LMT
- The TomTom VIA 1505TM gives you a lot of bang for the buck — a 5″ screen and lifetime map updates and traffic
High-end auto GPS receivers
Our choice:
The 2012 Garmin nuvi 2595LMT 5” ultra-widescreen model is loaded with great features like custom avoidances and advanced detours. It also sports lifetime map updates and traffic, voice commands and the best sounding Bluetooth I’ve ever heard on a GPS navigator. And the price has dropped to around $199. Alternative recommendations:
- The 2013 Garmin nuvi 2597LMT has some great improvements, but Bluetooth performance is weaker than on the 2595LMT
- If you have a big vehicle stop looking and get the new 7″ Garmin nuvi 2797LMT
- The 2012 Garmin nuvi 3590LMT has more eye candy (3D terrain view and 3D buildings) and comes with a powered mount and an ad-free HD traffic receiver
More resources:
Image courtesy Reedz Malik
Which GPS unit has multi directional system that you would recommend for travelling for the cost? We are driving from Indiana to NC in April 2013.
Do you mean creating routes with multiple-destinations?
He is a lab courier and has multiple addresses to stop each day…so he’d need to load those prior to his departure…We would also use this for route planning to NC
This chart has a column for Garmin nuvis with multi-point routing. Click that column header twice to sort for models with this feature… http://gpstracklog.com/compare/garmin-nuvi-comparison-chart
Rich, first let me say wow what a great website. I’ve learned more in the last 20 mins then in the last 2 yrs. Here is my dilemma, I live in AZ I have a UTV (Polaris RZR) that is used for the sand dunes in CA and a lot of off road trail riding in AZ. I’m looking for a GPS that can do both of these well and then also occasionally be taken out and used as a hand held as I’m also a novice hunter. I need a 5″ screen to nav while driving trails and in the dunes. I am considering the nuvi 3550 or 3590 but after reading your review of the 3590 I’m not to sure. I know I will have limited battery use when not connected to the cradle but when out on foot I would just turn it on and off and not have it track me the entire time. I also understand that most of the units capability would be going to waste because I would never use it for city driving however I feel the Montana ‘s screen size just wouldn’t do the trick…. I’m so confused
Another quick question, is there a way to travel forest roads (w a topo map) and not have all of the elevation rings clouding up the screen? My buddy called Garmin and they told him no. If not which is the best topo map system you have seen for forest roads that would not be on the regular maps? For times that we are out trail riding.
Thanks in advance for your advice,
Greg
I would avoid nuvis like the plague. They aren’t ruggedized or waterproof and don’t support tracks. I think the Montana screen is plenty big.
You *may* be able to get maps without contours from http://gpsfiledepot.com. I would definitely check out their maps for off-roading. Or you could always use Garmin BirdsEye aerial imagery (it can’t be used on nuvis though). Hope this helps.
Do all Garmin automotive GPS devices allow a person to enter Longitude and Latitude date for a place you want to go?
I’m 99% sure, but if you let me know a specific model you’re interested in I’ll try to verify it.
I am a geocacher. i have a hand-held garmin for that. i am looking for a less expensive auto gps for trips and possibly to take the car to the geocache so I can get out and find it with my hand-held. Suggestions?
Also would want it to be portable so I can move it from one vehicle to another.
I’d say a simple unit like the Garmin nuvi 40LM or 50LM. They will all allow you to enter coordinates.
Rich, I was wondering if the nuvi 2460lmt has the data option to download map data from Microsoft streets and trips. I drive a different route every day in the tri-cities area with about 35 stops. Each day I have to transfer the addresses from an excel format to streets and trips then optimize it and hand enter it all into my gps unit. I’m trying to find a way to make starting my day easier. I was looking at buying a 5″ refurbished Garmin 2460lmt from walmart.com. I like that you can speak commands to it if necessary. Unless you can suggest something that would work better for me.
You’re better off using Garmin’s free Basecamp program to plan and transfer routes. You can transfer individual stops from MS&T but I don’t believe you can transfer routes.
rich, I down loaded the free garmin Basecamp and it’s pretty cool. but it doesnt help me. I recieve my daily route on an excel spreadsheet and I can transfer the name, adresses to streets and trips to be optimized. I cant find any way to transfer that data from exel to basecamp without doing it manually.
You should be able to save them as a .csv file and then transfer the using Garmin POI Loader… http://www.garmin.com/us/maps/poiloader
Rich- you have the best web site to narrow down choices for a GPS. My first GPS was the excellent Garmin Ique 3600 PDA+GPS and I still have 2 of those. I just wanted to add a comment about why, in spite of the beautiful hardware, I had to eventually sell my nuvi 3790LMT because of the crazy routing and unusable traffic information. It would recommend a different route each time for the same destination often opting for little side roads and sometimes keeping you on a little road parallel to a major road where you could see the traffic flowing well. It became really disconcerting on trips to other big cities where I was not familiar with roads. I live close to NYC and most of the time there would be no traffic ‘bubble’ on nuvi when my TomTom 540LMT would be showing live traffic. Also, when the traffic bubble did turn red, you had to touch it to see the detail. On the other hand, TomTom shows traffic and delays continuously on the right side of the screen. TomTom offers rerouting around a traffic delay but nuvi never did it even once.
Thanks PM. Sounds like you had trafficTrends enabled on the nuvi, which probably isn’t as good as TomTom’s IQ Routes.
The new 2013 nuvis will function more like TomTom models when it comes to announcing traffic issues: http://gpstracklog.com/2013/01/garmin-nuvi-2013-line-brings-7-model-with-magnetic-mount-real-directions-active-lane-guidance-and-voice-activated-traffic.html
PM, I found the same about Garmin with the older models, the reason I got the Tom Tom 540 XXL540TM. To Tom also tells you the traffic delays and time of delays through the audio rather than having to keep touching the screen to find out the information as needed with Garmin.
I just purchased a Garmin nuvi Series 2405 and I hate it. It has a very long delay in letting me know that I am heading in a wrong direction so I am always somewhat nervous in knowing that I am indeed heading in the right direction (just moved to a new city). It is also very slow on the uptake when telling me to make a turn. I am often right at the road and have no way of getting over across traffic if necessary. My friend’s Garmin will almost immediately say, “Rerouting” when headed in a wrong direction and gives ample notice for turns, etc. They have an older model 1450MT. Also, it often sends me on the longest route to anywhere. I travel from Sacramento to Chico and it wants me to travel R. 99 which is SLOW instead of HWY I-5 which is a real freeway. I would love a model that would truly reroute me in a timely manner and give ample notice for turns, etc. I really don’t care about lifetime map updates. It took 5 hours to load when we first tried to register. Help and thank you.
Make sure your settings are for fastest route and not shortest. Also, check to see if trafficTrends is enabled. You may have better luck with it either enabled or disabled.
Also, as far as updates go, it’s best not to do it during primetime.
Thanks for the answer. I will check the settings. But, I would really like to get a Garmin that I know is excellent at early verbal notices for turns, etc and one that will tell me immediately that it is re-routing me if I am going in the wrong direction. I don’t need any bells and whistles. Can you recommend a model?
Thank you.
Suki
You would need to go back several generations to the 1xxx series to get a model that says recalculating…
http://gpstracklog.com/2013/01/want-your-gps-to-say-recalculating.html
Disabling trafficTrends might speed up route recalculation when you miss turns. For turns on your route, you should be getting two verbal cues – one some distance out and another right before the turn.
I need help in which TomTom to buy- TomTom START 55TM or TomTom VIA 1505TM. Both are available ‘used’ for the same price and I cannot really discern any significant differences between them. I will not buy a Garmin simply because the traffic coverage is poor and not useful.
I would probably go with the VIA, which has an improved mount.
Rich, I would like to acquire (purchase or donate to freeware) the best software and GPS device that will allow me to track my vehicle movements on Google maps in near real-time. Golenfound’s Google Maps with GPS Tracker, a free application that uploads one’s GPS position regularly via GPRS or 3G and then automatically updates one’s position on a Google Map display is highly rated by CNET (5 stars) but less so by users (3 stars). Colenfound’s GPS tracker requires a compatible GPS unit? What hardware/software would you recommend to make Google maps work with my computer or tablet while driving, or moving by any mode? I would prefer Bluetooth communications between my computer and the GPs.ray
The only device I’ve tested that fits your needs is the Garmin GTU 10: http://gpstracklog.com/2011/06/garmin-gtu-10-gps-tracker-review.html
A salesman at BestBuy today told me that the Garmin Nuvi 52LM has a higher resolution screen and new software, compared to other Garmins. Is this true?
I’m looking for a good 5-inch GPS to replace my current TomTom 1605 (beautiful 6-inch screen, but annoyingly slow interface).
BTW, great info site. thanks.
Not sure about higher resolution, but it does seem to have a snappier response time.
I am looking to purchase my first auto GPS, and found your wonderful site. The higher-end Garmins are appealing, but upon looking at Garmin’s site for maps of Europe, which is where I will be using the device, I discovered a note indicating such maps will not be available until May. I am in need of it sooner, and am rather in disbelief. What are my options? Thank you very much.
Are you in the US? Can you provide a link for the page that said they won’t be available until May?
Here it is: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=253&pID=8426#
A co-worker will be joining me in Spain, and bringing the GPS.
It would be great if I am mistaken. Maybe requests for no-US maps are rare?
Apparently there were errors in the Holland map, which has pushed back the release of all new European maps. You might check with a third party site like GPS City.
ok. If you click on that link now, the map is available, as are all City Navigator maps. Perhaps their arrival date was conservative. What is missing, however, is information on whether these are indeed 2013 maps and not an older series. I emailed tech support and asked this question, but if it is not too much trouble, would appreciate you verifying it. Thank you.
Sorry, but I have no way to verify that. I did see that they were now available though.
my garmin nuvi255w is freezing up on me . bought a nuvi 2555lmt , thinking it had eco-route like my old one which tells me total miles driven all day .payed 180.00 for it needless to say i took it back .im looking for one that comes with that for for about the smae price .
You’ll need a pre-2012 model or pay $9.99 for the app.
I just bought a Nuvi2797LMT. It is my 1st gps and I am not understanding the trip planning. We travel a certain route between Florida and Michigan each year and I usually read the map and “direct” my husband. This year we are traveling seperate, therefore the need for the gps. I can”t seem to be able to program it for the route we take. I put in a starting point and an ending point and it gives me different choices but not my choices. I tried calling Garmin but after 30 min. on hold I hung up. Is this how they work?
You can add multiple “via” points to the route, using the Trip Planner, to force it the way you want it to go.
Is there somewhere that tells me how to do this. I’ve spent hours with this and can’t seem to find a way to by-pass their maps.
From the main menu, go to Apps > Trip Planner > New Trip and it will pretty much walk you thru it. Tap the + sign to add a new location. At the end you can name the trip and then tap the (3 horizontal lines) menu icon and Edit Destinations to change the order of destinations and make other modifications. Hope this helps.
Rich,
Currently looking to buy a new, entry-level GPS to replace a few years old nuvi 1350LMT. Traffic is definitely not needed, so trying to decide between the on-sale 50LM ($99) or the newer 42LM ($129). The 4.3″ screen is big enough for us, so basically comes down to is the new 42LM worth the $30 in ‘new’ tech or save the cash and get the bigger screen?
I think I’d go with the bigger screen. The only advantage the 42LM has is a (perhaps) slightly faster processor.