It can also advise when you’ve driven for long enough and need a break, or give recommendations for places to visit from Foursquare and TripAdvisor.įinally, it’s also possible to buy an extra camera for the rear of your car (£130) and link it to the screen for better visibility when you’re reversing. If you want a constant chorus of alerts, you can have the 65 warn you when you’re near potential hazards such as schools. As with other satnavs, the DriveSmart 65 monitors your speed and warns you if you’re exceeding the limit for the road you’re on there are speed-camera alerts, too, which can be updated over Wi-Fi, just like the maps. The 65’s other extra features are more humdrum. If voice control is the feature you really want, you might want to wait until the Alexa version is released later on this summer. It’s reasonably effective but I found it struggled to cope with strong regional accents. You can use the touchscreen to control all this but it’s more convenient to employ Garmin’s own voice controls system, by saying “Okay Garmin” and then asking it to either make a call or set your destination. It’s also crammed with additional functions, including the ability to take and make hands-free calls, display text messages and alerts and allow you to dictate them. The Garmin DriveSmart 65 isn’t just a plain satnav, though. £198.50 Buy now Garmin DriveSmart 65 review: Other features It’s large enough and the screen sharp enough at 1,024 x 600 to clearly show details at tricky junctions, while at the same time remaining compact enough that it shouldn’t obscure the road once mounted on the windscreen. The DriveSmart’s 6.95in screen size is just about ideal for its purpose. READ NEXT: Our guide to the best satnav to buy right now Garmin DriveSmart 65 review: What you need to know For owners of older cars, however, the DriveSmart 65 offers a very tempting package.
If your car is relatively new, most of what this Garmin has to offer is probably already built in. So, if you’re even going to consider spending £230 on a separate navigation device, it’s going to have to be impressive.Įnter the Garmin DriveSmart 65, a dedicated satnav for your car with a sharp 6.95in display, which promises clear and uncomplicated directions, up-to-the-minute traffic reports, voice control and a long list of additional safety and other features.
GARMIN DRIVESMART 65 ANDROID
It’s the one in your phone and, whether you own an iPhone or an Android handset, it’ll be pretty good, too.
Chances are you already own a perfectly good satnav device.