TomTom 340S Delivers: Reviewers Praise The TomTom XL 340S

Looking for an entry-level automotive GPS navigator that will meet all your travel needs? The TomTom 340S (or XL 340S) is budget-priced but rich in features. It stands as the successor to the TomTom One, and should prove to be equally popular. This wide-screen TomTom is easy to use and includes a number of outstanding features more typical in higher-end GPS units.

One advanced feature is TomTom IQ Routes. Drawing on data supplied by actual GPS users in real traffic situations, IQ Routes calculates average travel times and uses these to make route recommendations. This is a great help in choosing the best route to take, as opposed to relying on distance and posted speed limits alone.

Text-to-speech (TTS) functionality means that what you hear during route guidance are actual street names, spoken aloud, as opposed to just “turn left at the next intersection″ style instructions. TTS was a big deal when it first appeared on the GPS scene, and the XL 340S is one of the first budget GPS devices to fully incorporate this feature. Users can choose between a number of voice options, including English and French accents and various celebrities.

This navigator incorporates TomTom Map Share technology, by which street names and maps, driving information and points of interest are constantly being updated (and errors corrected) by actual TomTom GPS users. The preloaded software includes over 7 million points of interest.

You won′t be stuck in the exit-only lane when you need to be going straight, thanks to the TomTom Advanced Lane Guidance system. The wide 340S navigator screen shows all lanes clearly laid out on the road ahead, with flashing arrows that direct a lane change if needed. Once you pull off the freeway you can even scan for cheapest gas using a fuel price feature.

The TomTom 340S delivers a lot of high-end features for an entry-level GPS. You can buy newer and much more expensive models and, unless you are a pretty demanding and experienced GPS user, not notice much difference in overall quality. Reviewers have praised this unit and deservedly so: it remains an outstanding value. Consider a factory refurbished unit for even greater savings, or simply check for lowest new navigator price on a retail site like Amazon.

Learn more about the TomTom XL 340S and other TomTom GPS navigators at GPS Update and Review.