“Turn right in two miles,” says the friendly voice with a calm British accent.
My wife, sitting in the passenger seat of the Land Rover LR3 test vehicle, smiles and nods in agreement.
She knows I won’t ask for directions unless I’m lost. And I haven’t been lost. Ever.
The voice is from the Land Rover’s in-dash navigation system, standard equipment on the $56,100 luxury sport utility vehicle—a hefty price for sure, but probably worth every penny in marital peace.
Navigation systems are more popular than ever. Premium brands like Land Rover and Lexus now offer them as standard equipment in some models. When they are optional, about 75 percent of buyers are choosing the systems, says Lexus spokesman, Sam Butto.
Most systems keep track of where you are and tell you where to go with a combination of DVD-based maps and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites. Some systems use a hard drive instead of DVDs. The results usually are displayed on a 7-inch screen in the middle of the dash. It’s common for the screens also to show settings for your audio system, pictures from your back-up camera, or the workings of your hybrid engine system.
They still aren’t found very often on little economy cars, though they are becoming more common. For example, a nav system is a $1,200 option in the Toyota Camry.
Most navigation units will show you where you are on a map and give directions—both on screen and by voice—to a destination you enter into the system. Many databases also list gas stations, restaurants, lodgings, and points of interest. When linked with a cell phone or subscription service like General Motors’ OnStar, you can even make reservations en route.
In vehicles sold in North America, you can program the systems in English, French, or Spanish. Some high-end vehicles, especially European models, give you a larger language menu.
Frills include the ability to play MP3 music or use your cell phone with the system.
For bargain hunters, or folks who want to move the nav system from car to car, or even take it hiking in the backwoods, there are portable units.
