A review of the Delphi NAV300 Portable Navigation System
Navigation systems are one of those things that you don’t realize you need until you actually use one. It’s not that hard to find out directions before you go somewhere, but being able to navigate on the fly can be a benefit on unfamiliar roads or when mapquest steers you in the wrong direction.
Last year Delphi Automotive launched their first portable navigation system, the NAV200. It featured a compact design, relatively low base price of $399.99, and a wide array of features including an optional Real-Time Traffic Kit. For 2007, Delphi has launched an updated version, called the NAV300, that now features text-to-speech capabilities and Bluetooth integration. We recently sampled a NAV300, and were pleased with how it performed.
Features
The NAV300 features a 400 MHz processor, 64MB of RAM, and a 2GB SD card with maps of USA and Canada. Information is displayed on a 3.5-inch touch screen. In addition to its navigation capabilities, the NAV300 also plays movies and mp3 files from the SD card reader, and features Bluetooth hands-free calling, although only for AT&T and Verizon phones. Navigation features include 3D or 2D maps, various options for route calculations, and a text-to-speech function so that audible directions give actual street names.
Design
The NAV300 is slightly narrower and heavier than its predecessor at 4.6 x 3.1 x 1.1 inches and 7.6 ounces. It’s definitely small enough that it can be easily transferred between cars without much trouble, and the mounting system allows it to be attached to either the windshield or the dash. The 3.5-inch touch screen is big enough, although the buttons on the touch screen are just a little small. A stylus is included with the kit, but there is no where to put it and as a result went mostly unused. Navigating through the menus is fairly easy, and plugging in directions is simple once you know how the system wants information to be inputted.
Pros and Cons
The first negative we encountered was the start up time of the GPS. It generally took a minute or two for the system to get completely warmed up, which could be frustrating if you were in a hurry. As mentioned before, the stylus pen can’t be stored anywhere on the device so it went unused, and the letter and number pad is just a little too small for fingers. However, a majority of the time we were able to correctly type in correct addresses.
Our likes definitely outweighed our dislikes, and the NAV300 performed well a majority of the time. The 3D map is a cool feature, with the direction you are headed always facing forward on the map. For those who have trouble with directions, this made it easy to tell exactly which way you are supposed to go. The screen itself displays a wide range of information - everything from estimated driving time, estimated arrival time, your current and next road, which direction your next turn will be, and even which lane you should be in are all displayed on the screen. Some might complain about all of the data on the screen, but the extra bits of information were actually one our favorite features of the system. The Points of Interest feature was also a great, showing well known coffee shops, restaurants, gas stations, and even car dealerships. We even used the system to find a local pizza shop.
Two features we didn’t experience were the ZAGATSurvey guides that provide survey-based dining information and the optional traffic information service provided by Clear Channel. The ZAGATSurvey guides will be available starting September 2007, and the traffic information services is an optional package costing $100 with the purchase of the NAV300, or $199.99 separately.
The NAV300 is priced at $399.99, or $499.99 with lifetime traffic data. For more information, visit http://shopdelphi.com/consumers/mobilenav/nav300/
 The NAV300 offers a wide range of information that is displayed on the 3.5-inch screen |  You can search for points of interest such as restaurants and coffee shops |  Searches can be started by inputting the city, street, or zip code |
 NAV300 Specifications | | |
