Navman iCN 630

Improved satnav - now with 3D views

Pick up the latest version of Navman's iCN 630 (originally reviewed in T3 87, 3/5) and you'll be joining something of an exclusive club. The key feature of the 2004 version is 3D mapping, which enables you to get an "above and behind" view of the road ahead. The Japanese have had this feature for years, of course, but it's still something of a rarity in Europe - unless you're prepared to buy a high-spec Nissan car or plump for a £2,000 Pioneer AVIC-900DVD.

The major advantage 3D mapping has over conventional 2D systems is that your designated route spreads out in front of you just like real roads do, sometimes giving you a much better of idea of where you are and how the unit plans to get you to your destination. Nissan's quirky Birdview satnav even includes little 3D models of buildings and notable landmarks - handy if you're driving in town - although this Navman's software is more rudimentary than that. The updated version, SmartST 2.0, still makes it a breeze to find your way around, though.

Simply load up the maps from your PC via USB, type in the destination, street name or postcode (another new feature), press OK and you're off. With the device fixed to your windscreen using the sturdy mount that's supplied, it's easy to glance at the bright 3.8-inch display without taking your eyes off the road, while a ten-fold increase in colour reproduction gives you a better sense of individual details. This, along with regular voice prompts, will get you to your destination hassle-free most of the time, but there are a few niggles that may have you shouting at the box in disgust.

The first quirk is that, should you miss a turn, the redirection option recalculates your route only as far as forcing you back onto the original route at every possible opportunity - it doesn't map out a completely new journey. Another is route avoidance. While you can choose not to drive through urban areas, there's no way to ditch certain road classifications such as motorways, for example. Oh, and the "points of interest"? One test route through Bristol not only revealed some glaring omissions, but occasionally showed objects in the wrong place on the 3D map.

But even these flaws are forgivable, with the iCN 630 remaining one of the best satnavs we've ever seen. It's a definite bonus that you can swap it from car to car with a minimum of fuss, and the new software works a treat.
Rob Mead

KEY FEATURES:
262,144-colour 3.8-inch TFT widescreen display (320 x 240 pixels), 12-channel parallel GPS receiver, 64MB system memory, 64MB flash memory, SD/MMC card slot (128MB card supplied), SmartST 2.0 navigation software with 3D view, turn-by-turn instructions, route avoidance, points of interest, supplied with CD of maps for 15 European countries (additional maps available), 12V car adaptor, optional external GPS antenna for metallic-coated windscreens (£50), dimensions: 160 x 71 x 36mm, weight: 342g