Sony Nav-U NV-U50 satnav

Sony's satnav attempts get back on track.

Sony has learnt from the mistakes it made with its first in-car GPS, the NVX-P1, and come up with a top-value, tactile, user-friendly satnav system worthy of the company name.

This entry-level model contains UK, Ireland and partial, booze-cruise-friendly French and Belgium maps. It comes with a windscreen bracket, a cigarette lighter adapter, and a rechargeable battery that's good for about four hours of cable-free use.

The 3.5-inch touchscreen is superb. It's bright, responsive and has a light sensor that auto-adjusts for day or night conditions. Operation is initially tricky, but once you're familiar with the menus it gets easier. Unlike more sophisticated units, though, this doesn't support full postcodes, so rather than typing in "NW1 6NA" you have to input "NW1 6" and specify a cross street to pinpoint where you want to go. Nevertheless, navigation is reliable, with clear 3D mapping and swift recalculation.

This is a smart, easy to use, and the price should give TomTom collywobbles. At this rate of improvement, Sony's next one will be absolutely blistering!