Customer Ratings & Reviews

My only real complaint- Phone connection required detail is in small print on the back of box and is obscured by the anti-theft device. That means I can't pair my phone with the stereo and have traffic concurrently (can only pair 1 device to the phone at a time) or that I must run my phone battery down while connected via bluetooth. Yes, a traffic power cord is available... for $70! My last GPS, a TomTom, when advertised as traffic compatible, actually came with the traffic plug. Yes, I read the BestBuy website details beforehand, this fact is not mentioned or even alluded to anywhere! OK, done with the rant. When connected via bluetooth to my phone, the traffic feature works great! As a GPS it works fine, it knows exactly where I am even if it isn't sure about the easiest way to get where I am going. To be fair, Google maps on my phone does the same thing occasionally. Case in point, I was in south Georgia a couple weeks ago trying to get from one small town to another. The Garmin recommended route would have taken me the wrong way for nearly 20 miles to get back to the interstate instead of the direct route on small country roads with 50-55mph limits. Google wasn't any more helpful though. The Garmin does well in more populated areas. I haven't used voice command or bluetooth calling so can't comment on those but text and email notifications on screen from my phone are helpful. Current speed and posted speed limits on screen seem to be accurate which is the primary reason I own a dash mount GPS. I'm conflicted as to whether I would recommend it to a friend. The price point seems too high to not have the traffic receiver packaged with, but it does do a lot when paired with your phone.

I bought this for my nephew to navigate across the county this summer.and we didn't get lost!! One time on a country road in Nebraska, I think we confused "her", so she asked us to "Leave the Road...."!

Great ithem Excelent by best buy Nice Excelent Tnx best buy So happy

Good navi but some times give longer route...would recommend

I definitely recommend this it has the most amazing cualitty for the price

God did not give me the GPS chip so when the portable automobile GPS came out I was an early adopter and it's been life changing. My first auto GPS was a big brick of a Garmin that sat on the dashboard and was controlled with a handheld remote control. While that seems like a century ago this is only my 3rd GPS - I get used to what I have, get very good at using it, and don't like change. So when my post-brick GPS started giving me problems I was not happy to be changing to a new one despite the new features that it might bring! So it's been about 3 weeks, my emotional attachment to my old Nuvi is fading and I'm warming up to this one. So with that background here's the DriveSmart 51 good and the bad as I see it today: 1) The lifetime maps update is a definitely plus - the Washington Metro Area is ever changing - HOV lanes appear where they previously weren't (big fines for not having enough people in the car!); Businesses appear and disappear over night; and on-ramps, etc seem to be ever shifting so having the latest automatically update is great. 2) Size matters. The 5.1 inch screen is much larger than the Nuvi - I debated getting the DriveSmart 61 with the even larger screen but was concerned that it would block too much of the view. The Drivesmart uses a higher resolution screen, however, resulting in much smaller font. . It's OK during the day but at night I either need to make the screen much brighter or put my reading glasses on in order to read the information including arrival time, speed limit, etc. 3) The Drivesmart is capable of integrating traffic data and adjust your anticipated arrival time, find different routes, etc. based on how much traffic is impacting the route. Again, this is a KEY feature required in any metropolitan area - for example, my ride home from work should take 25 minutes but in rush hour traffic it takes 2+ hours. What they DON'T tell you is that you must buy another power cord with the traffic receiver on it (about $70) or you need to get the Garmin App on your smart phone, open location services, and start the app which then transmits the traffic data via blue tooth to the DriveSmart. Seriously?! My Nuvi CAME with the traffic receiver and was fantastic. If I need to use my Smart Phone why should I buy a Garmin ... I can just use the Maps function of my phone! By the way, when I asked the Geek at Best Buy whether or not I needed to buy a traffic receiver he said No, it's ready to go . 4) I may eventually purchase the traffic receiving power cord (again, the Nuvi's traffic receive is not compatible) but in the mean time I've been using the app. The upside to that is when I get a text message on my phone the Garmin recognizes that and the Garmin voice "reads" me my text message. 5) I like being able to speak commands - Navigator - Go Home. Navigator Read Message, etc. Unfortunately, she gets it wrong about 50 percent of the time even when I speak carefully.

This is the 5th Garmin GPS unit I've owned since 2006. After and upgrade I usually pass the used one to someone else. I like this brand as opposed to others because of it's simplicity of use. Also it offers just the right amount of info onscreen. Particularly, lane assist. Which shows you what lane of travel to be in when you're in an unfamiliar place. Too, It warns you of sharp curves and school zones. I've used these so long now I turn the sound down now because It's just easier for me to read the info. You can even sync this unit with your smartphone. I drive for a living so believe me when I say that this unit is invaluable. I would not consider a GPS that does not include Lifetime map updates. Lastly, I only write reviews for products I believe in. Safe travels.

This is my 2nd Garmin. The first one finally died after 10yrs of use and abuse. I'm not a gadget freak so I was a little skeptical about all the features especially after reading other reviews. But, I must say this thing is fantastic! I love the voice prompts, and it was easy to pair with my phone, love the hands free calling feature. Very accurate directions(compared to my old one), easy to view screen, easy to navigate settings. Only one minor negative...With the size of the screen, Garmin should include several options for mounting in the original box, Using the suction cup mount really creates a huge visual blockage. I ordered the vent mount and it solved the problem.

I purchased this model believing it will provide everything and more than my old TomTom would do. I was mostly right. Now I get free lifetime map updates, a larger screen and it is able to determine delays ahead assuming I have provided access to my phone and activated the SmartLink application. Unfortunately, this feature doesn't help all that much when the delay occurs in the moment. It is at this point I wish I could easily ask the Garmin to provide an alternative route. The only other negative I found is when looking up favorites, the addresses are listed based on relative position to your current location. So you have to scroll through the list of addresses to find the one you want or if you do know that exact name that you assigned to it, you can perform a search and find it faster. Overall, I like the product. Like everything else, it takes a little time to get use to especially when you may be use to how a different product use to work.

This is the 3rd Garmin GPS product I've bought over the last 15 years and all have performed wonderfully for my needs which is basic navigation. I've found that Garmin makes the most reliable and highest quality GPS units and wouldn't purchase any other brand. For whatever reasons, I prefer to use Garmin's versus a factory installed or smart phone app based GPS service. That's just me. The product works well and the voice command feature is a nice upgrade from my last model. I like the lane assist and the add'l 'banner' info for upcoming rest stops, gas, food every 30 minutes or so. I actually like seeing that info on extended drives which is most of my travel (2K-3K miles per month). I do wish they would include printed directions for tech items like these but that is no longer the way of the world so I won't hold that against Garmin. The graphics are good and the screen size is perfect. Don't see the need for the larger screens for these types of devices on the market, they would just seem to create a bigger blind spot.

The product is very well made. Simple to use the gps has many advanced features and uses a quick processor. POIs by Garmin are up to date as well are the maps. I have not used the traffic feature. The glass front does not show finger prints or disrupt any viewing with glare. Nice unit.

I bought this GPS unit for my wife because she wanted to have a GPS in her car to help her getting around town. The lifetime maps and traffic updates are a nice bonus. This unit is easy to use and has several different options to personalize to your liking.

This is a good product, the Bluetooth works really well And Connect really fast. The screen is well lit big enough to see and it’s great Features

Perfect size GPS for smaller vehicles. Fits nicely in the windshield without creating a lot of excess obstruction. Voice command option is very convenient and easy to use.

Has a great touchscreen, voice command works very well. Only giving 4 stars as it tried to send me down a unpaved truck route in Upper Michigan !

First and foremost, download Garmin Express to your computer and set it up. Mine did not work until I did this despite the instructions saying it is "Ready to go out of the box." The unit is very accurate and responds well to Voice Commands. The voice prompts are friendlier than previous versions and the Lane Assist and WiFi are welcome additions. With WiFi, you don't have to be connected to your computer for updates. When connected via Bluetooth to your cell phone, much more opens up. However, you must be aware that you will be using your Data Plan. If you are on a limited plan, you may want to watch your data usage closely. Garmin doesn't use the Traffic/Power Cable with my model like my old Garmin Nuvi 1300 did. Not sure if it does for other models. Traffic and other features are utilized by the use of your cell phone. Hands free calling is available and works really well. This model is compatible with the Garmin Back Up Camera which can be purchased for about $150 (on sale) and installed by Best Buy for $60. I am considering it for use with my Sienna. In order to fully utilize all the extra features available, they are acquired only on a subscription basis. For example: Live Traffic Cams and Traffic Lights that have cameras (works in some areas without additional charge). Info can be found on www.Garmin.com. This model was the correct choice for me, though sometimes I wish I upgraded to the model with the Dash Cam built in. All in all, I'm happy with my purchase. The reason I didn't give it a 5th star is that the cell phone is heavily utilized (though it can be used without it) and the built in battery only lasts about an hour. I have mine plugged in all the time. Bob K.

This GPS by Garmin was a lifesaver on my Florida vacation with my 2 grandsons. It kept me out of traffic jams, construction areas and toll roads. It actually told me when and where to turn and showed me where restaurants and attractions were while we were driving. I'm 71 and not necessarily tech savvy, but this GPS was so simple to use. It was the best money I've ever spent.

Have used these for years, this is my 4th Garmin. Like the glass screen with capacitive input on this model, very easy to see and use the touchscreen. I have Android Auto in my car with a large screen and I can use google maps or waze, but I don't always plug in my phone. I like having the freestanding GPS on the dash. My car has a switched power point, and so I never have to worry about turning on / turning off the GPS, it just comes on when I start the car, and off when I stop the car. Its all good except... why can't Garmin be as useful with voice commands / requests as is Google maps? I am constantly frustrated trying to enter a destination (either touch input or voice) compared with the absolute simplicity of asking Google for the same thing. Fortunately my main reason for having the Garmin actually isn't for directions, but rather just being able to see where I am and what is coming up. For directions I often get frustrated trying to find what I want in the Garmin and just use Google.

Using the GPS for tech work I visit many homes a day. The GPS works very well overall and is far more accurate than my previous 2 models. The voice commands are next to useless because it never understands you unless you are telling it some big box store. The new interface to me is slower than on previous models and more annoying to use. I do however really like the sleek design, and bright screen and it's navigation is excellent

Previous owner of several GPS Units. Just purchased Garmin with Voice Command...Very easy, just plug in and go. The locator search is pretty much on point but turn off or down the radio to speak. The traffic update works just fine and is similar to other GPS Units I've used. I recommend the large screen for better visual use.