Home > Consumer Reviews > Garmin Nuvi 670 Satellite Navigation System With European & American Mapping
Garmin Nuvi 670 Satellite Navigation System With European & American Mapping
See it at Amazon.co.uk for £322.96Average Customer Rating
(4.5 out of 5)
Amazon Customer Reviews
Most Helpful First | Newest First | + Share32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
Not Perfect, but still the best portable Sat-Nav there is
(4 out of 5) by mark0000 on Apr 16, 2008 (Derbyshire, UK)I seem to have been on a quest for the perfect portable sat-nav for some time now. I currently own the Sony U93T (on which I have written a reasonably favourable review - but subsequent use has 'cooled' me a little on it - it seems very prone to crashing after using bluetooth and the speed camera database doesn't seem to have been updated since 2007) AND the TomTom 920T, so I feel that I can offer you a good comparison of the current 'top of the range' models.
I now believe - after using all three extensively - that the Garmin Nuvi is very much the superior unit. It uses NavTeq maps, which despite the publicity TeleAtlas (as used on Tom Tom) give themselves, are simply much superior. They are, for example MUCH more up to date (try finding the multi-million-pound Tamworth bypass link to the M6 toll on Tom Tom, for example) and routing algorithms are greatly superior. In addition, although the website is less slick than Tom Tom, and the product has less 'fun' options (no John Cleese voice), the Garmin works better where it counts:-
1/ The Garmin's screen is much brighter than the Sony and brighter than the Tom Tom
2/ The Garmin maps are more up to date (as above) and my personal belief is that NavTeq are better than TeleAtlas (many manufacturers fit the NavTeq in their own systems)
3/ The Garmin's volume is sufficient to be heard on a rainy M1 at 70MPH the same cannot be said of the Sony, and the TomTom's volume 'wanders' after using Bluetooth
4/ Garmin's speed camera database is direction-sensitive (not alerted by speed cameras that are actually set to trigger on the opposite carriageway to the one you are travelling on)
5/ Garmin's speed camera database has - overall - greater accuracy than Tom Tom and is regularly updated (unlike the Sony)
6/ The wires for power and TMC are built-in to Garmin's mount, so removing the unit is a one-handed, two-second job (unlike the Tom Tom which has an incredibly cheap mount and needs the wires unplugged manually)
BUT
1/ The TMC (traffic receiver) on Garmin is very affected by UV-reflecting windscreens and - though it claims to get its info from TrafficMaster - seems to have MUCH less information than the Sony (which is vastly superior in this respect) and a little less than the TomTom
THE CLINCHER
This must be the ability to update the unit, view and hear the unit, and navigate accurately, and in that respect, Garmin wins, hands-down. I tried to love the Sony, and have kept it as a back-up, but the Tom Tom is very poor - just try to use MapShare at the moment (their servers have been down for two weeks, or try to update the maps supplied (the updated ones don't fit into the unit!))
Stick with Garmin - the 770 is very similar and can be equally recommended, but the 760 has no TMC unless you buy the 760T version.
I now believe - after using all three extensively - that the Garmin Nuvi is very much the superior unit. It uses NavTeq maps, which despite the publicity TeleAtlas (as used on Tom Tom) give themselves, are simply much superior. They are, for example MUCH more up to date (try finding the multi-million-pound Tamworth bypass link to the M6 toll on Tom Tom, for example) and routing algorithms are greatly superior. In addition, although the website is less slick than Tom Tom, and the product has less 'fun' options (no John Cleese voice), the Garmin works better where it counts:-
1/ The Garmin's screen is much brighter than the Sony and brighter than the Tom Tom
2/ The Garmin maps are more up to date (as above) and my personal belief is that NavTeq are better than TeleAtlas (many manufacturers fit the NavTeq in their own systems)
3/ The Garmin's volume is sufficient to be heard on a rainy M1 at 70MPH the same cannot be said of the Sony, and the TomTom's volume 'wanders' after using Bluetooth
4/ Garmin's speed camera database is direction-sensitive (not alerted by speed cameras that are actually set to trigger on the opposite carriageway to the one you are travelling on)
5/ Garmin's speed camera database has - overall - greater accuracy than Tom Tom and is regularly updated (unlike the Sony)
6/ The wires for power and TMC are built-in to Garmin's mount, so removing the unit is a one-handed, two-second job (unlike the Tom Tom which has an incredibly cheap mount and needs the wires unplugged manually)
BUT
1/ The TMC (traffic receiver) on Garmin is very affected by UV-reflecting windscreens and - though it claims to get its info from TrafficMaster - seems to have MUCH less information than the Sony (which is vastly superior in this respect) and a little less than the TomTom
THE CLINCHER
This must be the ability to update the unit, view and hear the unit, and navigate accurately, and in that respect, Garmin wins, hands-down. I tried to love the Sony, and have kept it as a back-up, but the Tom Tom is very poor - just try to use MapShare at the moment (their servers have been down for two weeks, or try to update the maps supplied (the updated ones don't fit into the unit!))
Stick with Garmin - the 770 is very similar and can be equally recommended, but the 760 has no TMC unless you buy the 760T version.
32 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
Lost without it?
(5 out of 5) by LegendaryMrDude on Dec 3, 2007 (Essex, UK)Setup is a doddle. Stick the windscreen mount on your windscreen, plug the power cable into your cigar lighter and clip the unit to the mount. It takes about 15 seconds to load the maps, which seems like an age, but considering the extent of coverage isn't all that bad really. After accepting a disclaimer that Garmin aren't responsible for your rubbish driving you're at the main menu.
From the main screen, you can set a destination, view the map or open your "travel kit". The first two are obvious, the last one contains all the features I haven't used (MP3 player, picture viewer(!), calculator, language guide etc, etc).
As you will primarily want to use a sat-nav to get somewhere, the Garmin gives you plenty of ways to find a place. Address, points of interest, intersections, cities, by browsing the map or by entering coordinates(!). You can also set a home location to give you one-touch return to home. My most frequently used method has been by entering an address. Enter the country using the keyboard displayed on the touch-screen, enter a full post-code, then a house number. After that it's simply a case of pressing "GO". You can also view the map to fine-tune things, or save it to your favourites.
Once you've hit GO route calculation happens pretty swiftly - usually within 5 seconds. The map can display either top-down or isometric view and your route is highlighted in pink. As you approach junctions, the map zooms in to show you exactly which exits to take (or avoid).
Should a delay appear on your calculated route, a little yellow warning triangle will appear on the display telling you how long the delay is and adjusting your ETA accordingly, which is handy if you need to tell someone you're going to be late. As soon as it finds an alternative route that it thinks will be quicker than the current (plus delay) it will divert you. Most of the time, it works well. I've enjoyed several diversions so far, most end up being slightly quicker than the previous route plus delay.
I've only encountered one situation where the Garmin gave up trying to divert me after both the first route and secondary route were subject to closures. So I headed off into the countryside without instruction, and it wasn't long before the Garmin had figured out a new route that avoided large stretches of the M25. The moral of the story is not to become over-reliant on the instructions... particularly in bad jams, it can benefit from a navigational "nudge".
You don't have to have an address to navigate to. The Nuvi 670 has thousands of Points of Interest included. Food (chinese, burgers, chippys etc), Banks and cash-points, hotels, shops, parking, entertainment, attractions, hospitals and transportation are the main ones and you can sort them by nearest to current location or nearest to some other point. Once you've picked one, just press "GO" and you're off. I've used this feature several times now and have been impressed every time. I have noticed that some entries are out of date - particularly small, independent petrol stations that have closed down.
Oh and, of course you can subscribe to Speed Camera databases from all countries that allow such things, at a reasonably modest price of £30 a year. The speed camera warnings are direction and speed sensitive so they don't get too annoying (unlike some other warning devices).
As a deterrent to thieves, it also includes Garmin's "Garmin Lock" technology, which should see the device rendered useless if stolen. Basically, you set a 4-digit PIN that needs to be entered every time you turn the device on. You must also take the unit to a "secret location" that you register with the Garmin Lock. After 3 incorrect PIN entries, the device locks completely and can only be unlocked by taking it back to the "secret location". A neat idea - just don't set the secret location to "home" or something really, really obvious. Or somewhere that you might not be able to get back to (like the middle of the English Channel on a ferry).
It supports Bluetooth so you can use it as part of your in-car phone system to dial numbers etc, but I don't use a mobile when driving (even hands-free) so haven't tried this. Nor have I tried the MP3 player - you can get music on to the device by loading it on to an SD memory card and plugging it into the expansion port on the side. If you do use it for playing MP3s you can get it to play them through your car's stereo by making use of the built-in FM transmitter, which can work on a huge range of frequencies. The neat thing about this is that it will speak directions louder then your music (rather than the more usual situation of music being louder than the directions).
There's probably a load more I could tell you but I'd be reciting the manual and there's no real value in that... Suffice to say that I am more than happy with the device and have had no hesitation in recommending it to colleagues. So I've no hesitation in recommending it to you, dear reader.
If you are in the market for a richly featured, slim-line Sat-nav system that can automatically re-route around traffic jams and covers the whole of Europe and North America then you can't do much better than the Garmin Nuvi 670.
From the main screen, you can set a destination, view the map or open your "travel kit". The first two are obvious, the last one contains all the features I haven't used (MP3 player, picture viewer(!), calculator, language guide etc, etc).
As you will primarily want to use a sat-nav to get somewhere, the Garmin gives you plenty of ways to find a place. Address, points of interest, intersections, cities, by browsing the map or by entering coordinates(!). You can also set a home location to give you one-touch return to home. My most frequently used method has been by entering an address. Enter the country using the keyboard displayed on the touch-screen, enter a full post-code, then a house number. After that it's simply a case of pressing "GO". You can also view the map to fine-tune things, or save it to your favourites.
Once you've hit GO route calculation happens pretty swiftly - usually within 5 seconds. The map can display either top-down or isometric view and your route is highlighted in pink. As you approach junctions, the map zooms in to show you exactly which exits to take (or avoid).
Should a delay appear on your calculated route, a little yellow warning triangle will appear on the display telling you how long the delay is and adjusting your ETA accordingly, which is handy if you need to tell someone you're going to be late. As soon as it finds an alternative route that it thinks will be quicker than the current (plus delay) it will divert you. Most of the time, it works well. I've enjoyed several diversions so far, most end up being slightly quicker than the previous route plus delay.
I've only encountered one situation where the Garmin gave up trying to divert me after both the first route and secondary route were subject to closures. So I headed off into the countryside without instruction, and it wasn't long before the Garmin had figured out a new route that avoided large stretches of the M25. The moral of the story is not to become over-reliant on the instructions... particularly in bad jams, it can benefit from a navigational "nudge".
You don't have to have an address to navigate to. The Nuvi 670 has thousands of Points of Interest included. Food (chinese, burgers, chippys etc), Banks and cash-points, hotels, shops, parking, entertainment, attractions, hospitals and transportation are the main ones and you can sort them by nearest to current location or nearest to some other point. Once you've picked one, just press "GO" and you're off. I've used this feature several times now and have been impressed every time. I have noticed that some entries are out of date - particularly small, independent petrol stations that have closed down.
Oh and, of course you can subscribe to Speed Camera databases from all countries that allow such things, at a reasonably modest price of £30 a year. The speed camera warnings are direction and speed sensitive so they don't get too annoying (unlike some other warning devices).
As a deterrent to thieves, it also includes Garmin's "Garmin Lock" technology, which should see the device rendered useless if stolen. Basically, you set a 4-digit PIN that needs to be entered every time you turn the device on. You must also take the unit to a "secret location" that you register with the Garmin Lock. After 3 incorrect PIN entries, the device locks completely and can only be unlocked by taking it back to the "secret location". A neat idea - just don't set the secret location to "home" or something really, really obvious. Or somewhere that you might not be able to get back to (like the middle of the English Channel on a ferry).
It supports Bluetooth so you can use it as part of your in-car phone system to dial numbers etc, but I don't use a mobile when driving (even hands-free) so haven't tried this. Nor have I tried the MP3 player - you can get music on to the device by loading it on to an SD memory card and plugging it into the expansion port on the side. If you do use it for playing MP3s you can get it to play them through your car's stereo by making use of the built-in FM transmitter, which can work on a huge range of frequencies. The neat thing about this is that it will speak directions louder then your music (rather than the more usual situation of music being louder than the directions).
There's probably a load more I could tell you but I'd be reciting the manual and there's no real value in that... Suffice to say that I am more than happy with the device and have had no hesitation in recommending it to colleagues. So I've no hesitation in recommending it to you, dear reader.
If you are in the market for a richly featured, slim-line Sat-nav system that can automatically re-route around traffic jams and covers the whole of Europe and North America then you can't do much better than the Garmin Nuvi 670.
30 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
Good maps, bad lanes
(5 out of 5) by Mr. MICHAEL O'CONNOR on Jun 6, 2007 (Cork, Ireland)I reciently bought the Nuvi670, Its got lots of features and great maps of Ireland. I used it in the USA, Wales and Ireland. I find it easy to use. I have previously used a TomTom whitch showed the lanes in multi lane trafic, a handy feature. The TomTom had poor Ireland maps when I used it, maybe they are improved now.
My Garmin 670 Gripes: (1) The Garmin seems just to have 1 purple line for all roads even if they are multi lane. (2)I also found the Garmin some times sends you up realy bad small windy roads thinking its going to get you there quicker than the main motorways because the actual distance is shorter. (3) The 670 is worth a lot more than a lower cost GPS so I worry more about its security if left in the car or if I damage it by dropping it.
My Garmin 670 Gripes: (1) The Garmin seems just to have 1 purple line for all roads even if they are multi lane. (2)I also found the Garmin some times sends you up realy bad small windy roads thinking its going to get you there quicker than the main motorways because the actual distance is shorter. (3) The 670 is worth a lot more than a lower cost GPS so I worry more about its security if left in the car or if I damage it by dropping it.
23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
Comprehensive and cool
(5 out of 5) by A. Sweeney on Sep 18, 2007 (UK)This is a superb piece of equipment with a very limited number of minor flaws. It has just about everything which the modern consumer wants. Key Plus points: comprehensive map coverage, great software and layout, routing of sound through your car audio via wireless FM for MP3 and navigation instructions, Bluetooth for your phone, traffic information, abilty to add your own SD card up to 8GBs which equals 3000 songs or days of podcasts ...there are just too many to list. You can tell this is designed by people who know what you want and have used the product. You can drive along the road listening to your podcast or music on your own car audio knowing that it will interupt you if there is a direction change coming up and if your phone rings in your pocket you can answer it with one finger on the unit. The sound of the phone call comes through your audio system and it will even read you out your text messages if you want.
I have used in a few sticky situations and it has proved its worth i.e. running out of fuel and it found me the nearest petrol station in a remote location.
My only complaint is that when you start it up it takes about 30 seconds to fully function because it is "loading maps". I know 30 seconds does not seem like much but it can be alot when you are in a hurry. Yes a small gripe but jus thought I would say it.
I have used in a few sticky situations and it has proved its worth i.e. running out of fuel and it found me the nearest petrol station in a remote location.
My only complaint is that when you start it up it takes about 30 seconds to fully function because it is "loading maps". I know 30 seconds does not seem like much but it can be alot when you are in a hurry. Yes a small gripe but jus thought I would say it.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
A great deal with excellent service
(5 out of 5) by Happy Traveller on Sep 3, 2008 (UK)Garmin Nuvi 670 Satellite Navigation System With European & American Mapping Ordered this sat nav to upgrade from my Nuvi 300 which i have been more than happy with. But i thought it was time to invest in those little extras such as bluetooth, traffic alerts etc.I was a little unsure when i read Refurbished but after reading the sellers reviews coupled with the price i went for it.
I received the order in less than 48 hours and am very pleased with the unit.I would highly recommend this seller and wouldn't hesitate in buying from them in the future.
I received the order in less than 48 hours and am very pleased with the unit.I would highly recommend this seller and wouldn't hesitate in buying from them in the future.