DriveSmart 71 EX with Traffic, 7-inch Car GPS Navigator with Bright, Crisp High-resolution Maps and Garmin Voice Assist

I have a have had a lot of gps units over the years. I use them for the airplane and some for the trucks. This one is very good. It slaves to your phone so when a call comes in you can use the gps to accept or decline the call. It is a full function unit. Stop light camera warning etc. Good graphics, fast updating, It only came with a windshield suction cup, but it will accept the former gps dashboard stand which I use. I set it on my steering wheel column in my pickup truck,which works well for navigation, and speedometer. That eliminates any blind spot if mounted on the windshield or dash.

Garmin has been our guide for many years. Easy to install, update and store travel destinations.

Bought this for our trip to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho from Orange County, California. I was told you can lose cell service and you GPS on your phone won’t work. This device runs on satellite signals and not cell towers. It was easy to set up and mount in my truck. Programmed destination and off we went. I was able in settings to set up gas stations, rest stops and places to eat on the way. I was able to plan our stops especially since our dog was traveling with us. Also gave weather reports and alerts on the way. Only problem I had was going through Montana it said Interstate 15 was closed ahead of us and it was rerouting us. I pulled over and watched the truckers and other vehicles proceed so I knew it wasn’t closed. If I had followed what it said it would have added another 3 hours to our drive. I’m not sure why it did this. Every off-ramp it said freeway was closed and this went on for 20 miles. The navigation worked well overall with the exception of the one instant. The display was large and the voice was easy to understand. I didn’t try the battery life as I had it plugged in the whole time. I believe it was the best value for my money.

Best gps I have had and I’ve had a few

My wife has a Lexus SUV and you have to subscribe to get built in Navigation. You can pair your phone but she's had a lot of problems with her phone. So I got her this Garmin and it's great. I especially like the depiction of off ramps, exits and such that make it a little more obvious which path to follow. Had a Garmin before and would definitely recommend.

I initially rated this 3 Stars. I've downgraded it to 1 Star. After using it on two more extended trips, we've discovered it's really horrible at giving directions. It will say "Left," then when you get in the left lane, sometimes even after you're through the intersection, it switches to "Right." This has happened repeatedly on a trip down into California, including high-traffic areas and very rural areas. In areas with a ton of traffic, the whole point is to be in the right lane at the right time, going the right way. It's really quite horrific and more than a little dangerous. We ended up stopping to buy a cell phone holder. This is our third Garmin. We loved the first two, just upgraded to get newer features. This latest one is not good - not at all. Original Comment right after we got it: The mapping features are great - not a huge improvement over our old one, but great. Here's one area in which it needs improvement: If I use my iPhone's mapping app, it tells me, "Turn left in 50 feet." That means I don't have to constantly watch the map. It's far more helpful to have the verbal direction accompanying the rest. Yes, this one does talk, but not nearly enough.

This thing is easy to use and is huge! The touch screen is responsive, and the voice command works well, too. It has more features than I'll need, but it also has all the features I really do need. Bluetoothing it over to my phone was easy, but you have to have the Garmin Drive app on your phone. But that makes it great for getting traffic and hazard updates. I'm pleased for what I've paid for it. So I'd say it's a good value.

I took it on a trip to Maryland and it did very well. One thing I didn’t realize is that by default the notifications for email, phone calls, texts, etc. are all on, so you have all these dings popping up while you are driving. But this is easily turned off, and the maps are good so far, as well as giving you plenty of warning for upcoming turns, along with a picture of what you are looking for. It also has a built in warning for traffic backups and road closures. It will tell you when the road ahead is blocked. It’s a better GPS than the one I replaced.