Customer Ratings & Reviews

It was time to upgrade my navigation device as my older one's battery kept failing to hold a charge. The Garmin had a larger screen and a handy dash mount. Loading the software and map updates went smoothly. This one has a few different menu items than my previous one, but was easy to program locations destinations. I really liked that I could save addresses and delete them one by one as necessary. I couldn't do that with my older model. So far it is working well!

This Garmin is really an improvement over previous versions. It's fast, accurate, and saved our butts in the mountains around Telluride with no cell service. We'd still be lost, if it were not for the Garmin. Battery life is very limited, as explained by a very nice Garmin rep, so leave it plugged in when not in use or it will die. The price for exceptional technology I guess.

This GPS is much faster than the unit it replaces at connecting to satellites, although that could have to do with new satellites in orbit. In general, it works very well, like every Garmin I've owned. I have not explored many of its extra features, but those I have are quick and intuitive. My only disappointment is with the traffic function, which requires linking to an app on your smartphone or a $60 accessory cable. However, that's not a huge issue for me, and I have not even set that up yet. The huge screen makes things easy to see and access. I like it!

I like my GPS but I wish someone at Best Buy knew this product. They told me I did not need any extras but it would not give me life traffic with out a special cord per Garman. I told Best Buy I did not have a smartphone and they said I did not need one to get it to work. They were wrong.

As a long time Garmin GPS user, This model is a step backward due to the change in user interface. Entering an address is complicated by the auto complete feature. It sucks. Until you learn how to bypass the auto complete feature, you will likely never find the location you are trying to find. While the display is truly amazing, the requirement to bypass the auto complete is irritating inefficient and Wastes time. More on the new UI, I don’t mind giving up the change in the right side menu, the reduced number of options is not a game changer. I personally like the old UI better, period. Next: The local traffic info interface is much less usable than my old Nuvi. I have used it locally where my old Nuvi worked just fine. I have not got the new unit to display traffic yet. Now I know one of the stated features is the phone app. I don’t use or want a GPS with a phone interface and purchased the traffic antenna which is not as integrated or usable as my old Nuvi traffic and route display. In summary, this purchase was a huge step backward. The upgrade in display quality is really a great feature, but the downside is the UI. At the end of the day, I can’t return the unit. All I can do is share my experience and continue to use this GPS. With time I hope to figure out how to get all the pieces working together. Of note: Outside of my local area, I have only used the unit on a trip to Pensacola FL. I don’t know if traffic info is available there. So the jury is still out on the real-time traffic info integration. The UI still sucks. As to the future, I still need to transfer the POIs to the new unit. I have many years stored in my old unit, copied from each old unit as it was replaced. Some positives: I have found the utility of a windshield mount GPS invaluable, both on my personal vehicle and in rental cars. Traveling alone while using rental cars in a new city is much less stressful with a GPS.

This GPS is so nice. It has a great screen with no bezel and the mount is very secure. I love the ability to use talking instructions to program my destination or find info while along the route.

I love the screen size, the smart link is awesome, the ability to use cameras linked to it is great also. Finding intersections is a bit tedious, the voice recognition is kind of quirky too. I do miss the security lock however.

Great Navigation tool, excellent, easy to use, easy to see, great directions, nice notifications voice. Very pleased. Sometimes the suction cup lets go and unit falls off. Otherwise it's great.

This Garmin sports a large, incredibly resolute screen. It has blue-tooth to connect your phone for hands-free usage, which is great for rental cars. It warns you of traffic tie-ups ahead and automatically gives you alternate routes to avoid them. It clearly shows which lanes to be in when getting on and off the expressways. This model doesn't yell at you for not following directions: it just automatically reroutes! I love my Garmins!

The unit works as well as any other GPS unit however it has so many other features that are awesome! Reviews, Bluetooth, traffic, phone connectivity, etc. Great machine and size, looks slick!

Our new Garmin is perfect and just what we needed. The maps, traffic conditions ahead, easy entry of addresses, up to date restaurants and gas stations, etc. made our recent trip much easier.

Easy to read , very nice screen . Easy to use as a basic GPS. No problem updating through wifi. The other features are tough to learn and use for me, but I am tech challenged. Wish it had an adapter to plug into wall socket so you can charge and update in the house. The spoken directions are different than my old nuvi , they take some adjustment . A little pricey if not on sale. I bought the extra fm cord for traffic , it is not great . I haven't tried the sync with phone traffic yet.

Had it for about a little over a month and it still amazes me with so many perks and features. A couple times I got hungry and within my line of travel I was able to find food with no issues.

Device was a little larger than expected. Large screen is nice for “quick looks.” Voice command is very good. I have not connected the device to my iPhone. I have a “traffic” able power cord that works well. I like the way traffic delays are displayed; shows distance and estimated delay time. The lane assist works well too. Pros: Easy to read screen large screen Traffic alerts work well Voice commands work well Cons: Large size, it’s a pro too.

My job requires a lot of traveling and so I needed a good reliable GPS device. Garmin has always had a good reputation. I decided, after reading several reviews, that the Garmin DriveSmart 61 with the 6.95" was the ideal GPS for me. I like the larger screen (easier to glance at quickly) and the Bluetooth capability (voice prompted commands). I also enjoy and need live traffic updates. GRANTED, it is pricey, but I think it's worth every penny.

This unit works so well compared to the 10+ year-old Garmin we’ve been using. The screen is clear and bright. And big! The size might bother some with really small cars if it seems to occupy too much windshield space. A couple nice features: this GPS tells you the speed limit continuously and warns when it changes - which our old one didn’t do. And on a trip into Canada it even translated kilometers per hour into mph!

So far I have just used the basic functions of inputting an address and going to the address, but it was easy to use. There are so many other functions and it works with a smartphone.

Awesome unit - clear, fast, detailed & super easy to use

This is best navigation on the market. Nice display, very fast, accurate, perfect size , easy to use.

I purchased a Garmin - DriveSmart 61 LMT-S with a 6.95" screen. It would have been great for a RV, but I feel it is a little too big for the dash of my car. The features are phenomenal, especially the school zone alert (public schools only). My wife liked my GPS so well that I bought her a Garmin DriveSmart 51 NA LMT-S with a 5" screen. I found it difficult to compare sizes and features of the different Garmin GPS's, all with similar names. A chart showing all of the features for each GPS would have been very helpful. I have had Garmin GPS units for more than to decades. Overall, this is an outstanding unit and I would recommend it to anyone.