New GPS Ratings for summer road trippers, dads and grads

Consumer Reports just posted new Ratings of GPS navigation units (available to subscribers)—just in time for summer road trips and shoppers looking for Father's Day gifts or presents for grads just finishing school and starting to find their own way on the road of life.

The good news: There are plenty of excellent performers among the 67 portable GPS models we’ve tested and rated.

Top-performing GPS models with plenty of features such as big screens, text-to-speech capabilities for spoken directions, wireless Bluetooth, and real-time traffic reports can still be rather pricey. For example, three of the CR Recommended GPS units (available to subscribers)—two Garmin Nuvi models and one Tom Tom Go model—cost $400 and up.

But you’ll also find good choices among CR’s Best Buy recommendations—models that offer the best value for your money. Even better: Two of the four CR Best Buy GPS models—a Tom Tom Go unit and a basic Garmin Nuvi model—cost less than $150.

You’ll find more details about these and other notable GPS units in the Dads and Grads – New GPS Ratings post in our Cars Blog. And for further help on deciding which GPS unit is right for you or a loved one, check out our free Buying Guide to GPS navigation systems. —Paul Eng