Why should you pick up a sat nav in the age of the smartphone? Well, as great as even the best smartphones are, they simply don’t come close to offering the same level and quality journey-enhancing features.
The best sat navs have large and refined screens, big enough to clearly display detailed maps. They offer continuous route optimisation and traffic scanning, and will alert you when you’re heading towards difficult or unusual road layouts. Many offer Bluetooth connectivity to ensure that the convenience afforded by smartphones is not lost, with phone calls and messages being displayed on the sat nav itself.
There are even those that will keep your friends and family up to date with your ETA, and find you a parking space for your arrival. It’s also not uncommon for WiFi connectivity to be in-built, allowing for the all-important map updates to take place without a computer.
Of course, such valuable and essential features can come at a cost. To help you maximise the potential of your budget, we’ve rounded up the very best sat nav deals around. We keep an eager eye out to ensure that this guide remains up to date, bringing you the very best prices on sat navs of every ilk.
Here’s the current selection of the best sat nav deals:
The best sat nav deals
1 of 6TomTom Car Sat Nav GO 6200 Sat Nav
The TomTom GO 6200 Sat Nav is an industry-leading device, with a six-inch screen, a World map database, and abundant user-friendly features. Also includes built Wi-Fi and SIM card for ultimate wireless connectivity.At a glance: Lifetime free world map updates via in-built WiFiLifetime traffic and speed camera alertsHandsfree calling and smartphone messagingAccess to TomTom MyDrive appCompatible with Siri and Google NowRRP £339.99
£291.64
2 of 6Garmin DriveSmart 61LMT-D 6.95 Inch Sat Nav
Garmin's DriveSmart 61LMT-D is loaded with essential features, and more than a few luxurious extras, including parking information and TripAdvisor rankings. The screen measures in at just under seven inches, and lifetime map updates are included.At a glance: Lifetime free UK and Europe map updates via in-built WiFiLifetime traffic and speed camera alertsDriver alerts for hazards such as speed changes, - dangerous curves, and railway crossingsFatigue warningLive parking information and TripAdvisor dataHandsfree calling and smartphone messagingRRP £259.99
£249.99
3 of 6Garmin DriveAssist 51LMT-S EU 5" Sat Nav Full Europe Map, Dash Cam & Case
The DriveAssist 51LMT-S brings the feature-heavy operation users are accustomed to with Garmin products, and bundles in a full-HD dashcam. This device really does take care of you.At a glance: Lifetime free UK and Europe map updatesLifetime traffic updates via smartphoneSpeed camera alerts and updatesHands-free calling via BluetoothDriver alerts for hazards such as speed changes, dangerous curves, and railway crossingsVoice-activated navigationIntegrated full-HD dash cam with G sensor, accident detection and lane departure warningRRP £259
4 of 6Garmin Drive 51LMT-S 5 Inch Sat Nav
The Garmin Drive 51LMT-S features a five-inch screen, driver alert features, and live traffic tracking when linked with the Garmin smartphone app. Garmin Real Directions is a useful feature providing detailed guidance using landmarks and traffic lights.At a glance: Lifetime free UK and Ireland map updatesLifetime traffic and speed camera alerts when paired with the smartphone appDriver alerts for hazards such as speed changes, dangerous curves, and railway crossingsLive parking informationGarmin Real DirectionsLiveTrack updates friends with location and ETARRP £119.99
5 of 6TomTom Car Sat Nav Start 52
The TomTom Start 52 is a great little entry-level sat nav, offering a good five-inch screen and clear information displays. UK and Republic Of Ireland maps can be updated for free via a computer connection.At a glance: Lifetime free UK and Ireland map updates via computer connectionThree months speed camera updatesEnhanced lane guidanceAccess to TomTom MyDrive appRRP £129.99
6 of 6TomTom Car Sat Nav GO Basic
An excellent 6-inch option from TomTom, the GO Basic offers a great display as well as handy features like traffic congestion avoidance and speed camera alerts. It covers all of Europe and can be updated for free thanks to built-in WiFi. At a glance: Built-in WiFi will keep the maps up to date at all timesThree months speed camera updatesAccess to TomTom MyDrive appTraffic congestion avoidance RRP £179.99
Related: The best dash cams
Just in case there’s nothing in this list to your fancy, we’ve found that the sites listed below are the most reliable places to find a great deal on sat navs. You may also want to take a look at our selection for the best sat navs, regardless of budget.
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William Lobley is a Senior Content Writer and reviewer for WhatsTheBest, specialising in technology, gaming and the outdoors. He also writes for Empire Online.
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