Sunday, March 18, 2012

TomTom comparison chart

TomTom’s feature set can be confusing, but the chart below should go a long way towards clearing that up. The links at the top of the chart go to our TomTom reviews. A couple of notes; the Bluetooth feature refers to units that support hands free cell phone use. Some TomTom units have Bluetooth but use it solely for TomTom PLUS services. Also, older and discontinued models have been moved to a separate chart further down the page.

NEW: Click on column headers to sort chart. You can also click here for descriptions and more information about various features.

Model Maps Screen size Speaks street names Live traffic Blue- tooth Advanced Lane Guidance Lifetime maps Menu Voice command IQ Routes Compare prices
GO LIVE 1535M U.S. Canada Mexico 5″ Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Standard Yes Yes
Compare prices

GO 2535M LIVE U.S. Canada Mexico 5″ Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Standard Yes Yes
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GO 2535TM WTE U.S. Canada Mexico Europe 5″ Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Standard Yes Yes
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Start 45M U.S. Canada 4.3″ Yes No No Yes Yes Standard No Yes
Start 55TM U.S. Canada 5″ Yes Lifetime No Yes Yes Standard No Yes
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VIA 1405TM U.S. Canada Mexico 4.3″ Yes Lifetime No Yes Yes Standard No Yes
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VIA 1505TM U.S. Canada Mexico 5″ Yes Lifetime No Yes Yes Standard No Yes
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VIA 1435TM U.S. Canada Mexico 4.3″ Yes Lifetime Yes Yes Yes Standard Yes Yes
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VIA 1505M U.S. Canada Mexico 5″ Yes No No Yes Yes Standard No Yes
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VIA 1505TM U.S. Canada Mexico 5″ Yes Lifetime No Yes Yes Standard No Yes
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VIA 1535TM U.S. Canada Mexico 5″ Yes Lifetime Yes Yes Yes Standard Yes Yes
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VIA 1605TM U.S. Canada Mexico 6″ Yes Lifetime No Yes Yes Standard No Yes
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Older and discontinued models

Model Maps Screen size Speaks street names Live traffic Blue- tooth Advanced Lane Guidance Lifetime maps Menu Voice command IQ Routes Compare prices
EASE U.S. 3.5″ Yes No No No No Easy No Yes Compare prices
GO 630 U.S. Canada 4.3” Yes Option Yes Yes No Standard Yes Yes Compare prices
GO 2505TM U.S. Canada 5″ Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Standard Yes Yes
Compare prices

ONE 130S U.S. Canada 3.5″ Yes Option No Yes No Standard No No Compare prices
XL 325 U.S. 4.3″ No Option No No No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 325S U.S. 4.3″ Yes Option No No No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 325SE U.S. 4.3″ Yes Option No No No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 330S U.S. Canada Mexico 4.3″ Yes Option No Yes No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 335S U.S. Canada 4.3″ Yes Option No Yes No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 335SE U.S. Canada 4.3″ Yes Option No Yes No Easy No Yes
Compare prices

XL 335T U.S. Canada 4.3″ Yes Lifetime No Yes No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 335TM U.S. Canada 4.3″ Yes Lifetime No Yes Yes Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 340M U.S. Canada Mexico 4.3″ Yes Option No Yes Yes Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 340S U.S. Canada Mexico 4.3″ Yes Option No Yes No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 340S LIVE U.S. Canada Mexico 4.3″ Yes Yes No Yes No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XL 340TM U.S. Canada Mexico 4.3″ Yes Lifetime (US & Canada only) No Yes Yes Standard No Yes Compare prices
XXL 540M U.S. Canada 5.0″ Yes Option No Yes Yes Standard No Yes Compare prices
XXL 540S U.S. Canada Mexico 5.0″ Yes Option No Yes No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XXL 540S WTE U.S. Canada Mexico Europe 5.0″ Yes Option No Yes No Standard No Yes Compare prices
XXL 540TM U.S. Canada Mexico 5.0″ Yes Lifetime No Yes Yes Standard No Yes Compare prices
XXL 540TM WTE U.S. Canada Mexico Europe 5.0″ Yes Lifetime (US & Canada only) No Yes (US Canada Mexico only) Standard No Yes Compare prices
XXL 550TM U.S. 5.0″ Yes Lifetime No Yes Yes Easy No Yes Compare prices

Even older discontinued models

Model Maps Screen size Speaks street names Map Share Traffic Blue- tooth FM trans- mitter iPod control MP3 player Remote control Voice command IQ Routes Compare prices
GO 720 U.S. Canada 4.3″ Yes Yes Option Yes Yes Option Yes Option No No Compare prices
GO 730 U.S. Canada 4.3″ Yes Yes Option Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Compare prices
GO 740 LIVE U.S. Canada 4.3″ Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Compare prices
GO 920 U.S. Canada Europe 4.3″ Yes Yes Option Yes Yes Option Yes Yes Yes No Compare prices
GO 920T U.S. Canada Europe 4.3″ Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Option Yes Yes Yes No Compare prices
GO 930 U.S. Canada Europe 4.3″ Yes Yes Option Yes Yes Option Yes Yes Yes Yes Compare prices
GO 930T U.S. Canada Europe 4.3″ Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Option Yes Yes Yes Yes Compare prices
ONE 3rd edition U.S. Canada 3.5″ No Yes Option No No No No No No No Compare prices
ONE 125 U.S. 3.5″ No Yes Option No No No No No No No Compare prices
ONE 125SE U.S. 3.5″ Yes Yes Option No No No No No No No Compare prices
ONE 130 U.S. Canada 3.5″ No Yes Option No No No No No No No Compare prices
ONE 140 U.S. Canada 3.5″ No Yes Option No No No No No No Yes Compare prices
ONE 140S U.S. Canada 3.5″ Yes Yes Option No No No No No No Yes Compare prices
ONE XL U.S. Canada 4.3″ No When updated Option No No No No No No No Compare prices
ONE XL-S U.S. Canada 4.3″ Yes Yes Option No No No No No No No Compare prices
XL 330 U.S. Canada Mexico 4.3″ No Yes Option No No No No No No No Compare prices
XL 340 U.S. Canada Mexico 4.3″ No Yes Option No No No No No No Yes Compare prices
XXL 530-S U.S. Canada 5.0″ Yes Yes Option No No No No No No Yes Compare prices
Model Maps Screen size Speaks street names Map Share Traffic Blue- tooth FM trans- mitter iPod control MP3 player Remote control Voice command IQ Routes Compare prices

Feature descriptions

  • Speaks street names – Formally known as text-to-speech, this function allows the device to call out the name of the street for upcoming turns, so you’ll hear “approaching right turn, Maple Street” instead of just “approaching right turn.” A very helpful feature.
  • Live traffic – A nice feature that isn’t quite ready for prime time. Expect lots of inaccurate reports as well as incidents that aren’t reported. Delivered via FM, this service is provided by the Traffic Message Channel, hence you will sometimes see it referred to as FM-TMC. Here is a link to a coverage map. “Lifetime” indicates no subscription fees.
  • Bluetooth for hands-free cell phone use – Another nice idea, and I’ve seen signs that TomTom’s sound quality is better than that of other brands.
  • Advanced lane guidance – Provides a visual representation of exits, and displays the number of lanes and proper lane(s) to be in.
  • Lifetime maps – Lifetime map updates provided (typically quarterly) at no extra cost.
  • Menu – The “Easy Menu” is simplified, but these models offer less customization options and other features than units with the standard interface.
  • Voice commands – Too bad it isn’t that great of a feature. For one that is, check out my Garmin nuvi 880 review.
  • IQ Routes – This feature bases routing decisions on historical traffic data, broken down by the day of the week and time of day, the latter in 15 minute increments. Routing behavior is greatly improved, even to the point of directing you to locally known shortcuts.
  • iPod control – Control your iPod via your TomTom touch screen
  • Map Share – Allows you to make certain map corrections on the device, share them with others, and receive their corrections as well. Found on all current models.

Return to GPS Tracklog

Comments

  1. joseph lanzi says:

    I have found that “Most” GPS units on the market work about the same. What makes Tom Tom ahead of the rest is the Jukebox/audiobook feature.
    Why did Tom Tom drop this feature?

    My guess is with the invention of IPods & smartphones the general public did not find this feature important any longer.
    Tom Tom probably found it more cost effected also.

    FYI: I find the GPS, w/Jukebox;..along with a installed SD Card gives me everything in one place. Meaning I don’t have wires, charging units etc. all over my dashboard. ….I even hard-wired my Tom Tom so no wire is showing whatsoever.

    Discontinuing Tom Tom Go series puts their GPS units the same boat as everyone else on the market.
    If I want to buy new or upgrade I am forced to buy used or refurbished Go 930.

    Instead of coming out with 25-30 new models that do mostly the same thing just confuses the buying public, they should make and improve 2 models only. 1 without an SD card; (music) & 1 WITH an SD Card; (music).

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