10 Best Gps Units For Cars 2025 in the United States

The Garmin DriveSmart 86 is a solid choice for anyone looking for a reliable car GPS unit. Its standout feature is the large 8-inch high-resolution display, which makes it easy to read maps and navigate. With voice assistance and hands-free calling, it adds convenience, allowing you to stay focused on the road. The device comes with comprehensive map coverage of North America and includes live traffic updates, which can help you avoid delays and find the best routes in real time. Additionally, it has smart notifications when paired with a smartphone, giving you access to traffic, weather, and even parking options right on your dashboard.

One of the key benefits is the extensive Points of Interest (POI) feature, including Tripadvisor ratings and a national parks directory, making it great for road trips. The driver alerts for school zones, sharp curves, and speed changes are also beneficial for safer driving. Plus, built-in Wi-Fi ensures that you can easily update maps and software without needing a computer, which is a nice touch.

The Garmin DriveSmart 86 is a feature-rich GPS unit that excels in navigation and safety features, making it ideal for regular drivers and road trip enthusiasts.

The Rand McNally RANDTAB7 is a GPS unit made especially for truck drivers, offering tailored routes that consider the size and weight of your truck and cargo. It features a bright and easy-to-read 7-inch touchscreen, which makes navigation clear even on long drives. The device comes preloaded with 2025 maps covering the USA and Canada, and it provides live updates on traffic, weather, fuel prices, and speed camera alerts to help you stay informed on the road.

One of its standout features is the detailed warnings about truck-specific challenges like weigh stations, narrow roads, and engine brake restrictions, which are not common in regular car GPS units. It also includes a wide range of points of interest such as truck services, parking, and restaurants, tailored to meet the needs of drivers on the road. Connectivity options are versatile, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C, and a magnetic mount for easy installation and power supply. Battery life is around 5 hours, which is decent but might require charging during longer trips. The inclusion of a built-in camera is a unique bonus for capturing images while on the move.

Some drawbacks include the 7-inch screen, which might feel a bit small compared to larger GPS displays, and the Android 8 operating system, which is slightly outdated and may affect future software updates. For truck drivers needing reliable, customized navigation with live updates and strong connectivity, this GPS provides a solid, truck-focused solution.

The Garmin DriveSmart 66 is a solid choice for a car GPS unit with its bright and sharp 6-inch high-resolution touchscreen, which makes maps easy to read while driving. It covers North America with up-to-date maps and includes a large variety of points of interest like national parks, Tripadvisor-rated spots, and a history database, helping you find interesting places along your route. It offers live traffic updates, fuel prices, parking info, and weather through smartphone pairing, which can make your trips smoother by avoiding delays.

The built-in voice assistant and hands-free calling via Bluetooth let you keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, enhancing safety and convenience. Mounting options are flexible, with both dashboard and windshield suction mounts included. One downside is the short battery life of about 1 hour, so it’s best used while plugged into your car’s power. The device also supports Wi-Fi for easy map updates without needing a computer, and it has dual USB ports to charge your phone or other devices.

Although it does not have some advanced features found in premium models, this unit balances useful functions and user-friendly design, making it a good fit for drivers who want reliable navigation with helpful extras but prefer not to rely solely on their phone’s GPS.