Navigon 70 Plus Live

July 2011

Price: £199.99
Contact: www.navigon.com

German sat-nav giant Navigon, which is celebrating its 20th birthday this year, was recently bought out by rival Garmin. One of the last devices made under independent ownership is the 70 Plus Live, which we put to the test.

There’s an impressive array of features on offer for its £200 price. Up-to-date traffic notifications, a function that tells you which lane to be in, and European mapping are all included.

While rival systems are slightly easier to use, the 70’s menus are logical. The maps are simple to understand, and the unit accurately guided us to our destination.

It warns of live safety cameras, and text-to-speech is included as standard to read aloud street names. In addition, there’s a sightseeing function and MyRoutes technology, which gives you three route choices before setting off. You can even import Point of Interest info from another device, too.

We’re not too keen on the windscreen mount, though. It looks good, but you have to stick it to the glass before securing the sat-nav unit. It also doesn’t offer as much adjustment as rivals.