Maps - reviews - 2013 group test
Maps have raised their game to compete with hi-tech, 21st century sat-navs, and we pick from 10 top buys
If you don’t want to use a sat-nav, the latest road atlases are packed with features, like fuel station locations, speed camera spots and points of interest, plus basics like detailed town maps. But as each publisher produces a bewildering number of maps, which is best to guide motorists in the right direction? We tried 10 to find out.
How we tested them
A4 atlases were preferred to A3 books, as they fit in a glovebox or seatback pocket. Of course, A3 maps are easier to read due to their bigger miles per inch (mpi) scale. The lower the mpi figure, the more page space is given to each road. Most of our atlases have spiralbound spines, which make folding over pages easy, while fabric strips or cover flaps also help with bookmarking. Essentials were detailed town maps, top-quality paper and clear diagrams for complex junctions. We quote cover prices, but there are discounts online.
Verdict
A-Z won our road atlases test in Issue 1,188, and holds on to its crown here. Its atlases continue to set the standard, and the A4-sized Great Britain Road Atlas is our Best Buy, ahead of the massive Great Britain & Northern Ireland Super Scale in second. Third place was fiercely contested, but the unique flexispine Michelin atlas just gets the nod, ahead of the AA’s pricier A4 spiralbound.
1. A-Z 2014 Great Britain Road Atlas
