Navman EZY30 GPS unit

The Navman EZY30 GPS unit is targeted at first time sat nav users, with an easy-to-use interface and a relatively low price. However we encountered some issues when entering addresses with the touchscreen and with GPS reception in heavy CBD areas. Its small screen makes input a chore, so we suggest opting for a larger screened sat nav if you can stretch your budget.

The EZY30 GPS unit may be an entry level model in Navman's sat nav range, but it does borrow some design cues from the company’s more expensive product line; namely its attractive, gloss black bezel contrasting with a silver rear. The window mount is similar to the one used with other Navman units and is easy to put into position and adjust. The power switch on the top of the EZY30 sat nav enables you to put it into sleep mode when it is not in use, but we didn’t like its slider style button — it's too easy to accidentally slide it to "reset" rather than "off". Thankfully, the EZY30 only takes a few seconds to power up after being switched off.

The Navman EZY30 GPS unit has a small, 3.5in resistive touchscreen. The display has a matte finish so it’s reasonably readable in direct sunlight, although its viewing angles aren't the best. In our tests the touchscreen was responsive overall, but we found entering addresses using the on-screen keyboard was often a hit and miss affair — we had to repeatedly tap the screen to make a selection.

Entering a destination on the Navman EZY30 is done via a single "Find" menu where you can search using keywords, POIs (points of interest) or postcodes, or by picking an area on the map screen. For example, you can search for "Star City" or "Casino" to bring up similar results, which is a time-saving feature. Navman also includes a "Near me" menu, which uses your GPS location to quickly find the nearest food, petrol, parking, hotels, ATMs or emergency services, simply by tapping the appropriate icon. Regular address entry is a three-stage process of city, street, then the house or building number.

The Navman EZY30's screen is easy to read, but the small display does affect the look and feel of the maps. Street names are clear and a small yellow arrow points to each street to minimise confusion. Tapping anywhere on the map brings up an options menu where you can adjust the voice volume, bring up zoom controls, see SUNA traffic information (available via an optional accessory), see an overview of your route or cancel the route. The route overview displays a list of all the turns, a complete overview of the route and information including distance to go, ETA and average speed. Voice guidance is clear and comprehensive and the EZY30 includes an Aussie text-to-speech voice that deals with Australian pronunciation quite well. Audio is loud and clear, but it could have use a boost when we were driving in busy city traffic.

Navigation performance is adequate but the EZY30 does suffer from a few niggling issues. The EZY30's Navteq maps tend to miss a number of 'no right turns', and also didn't warn of some red light cameras that we passed, although we were alerted about speed cameras, railway crossings and accident black spots without any issue. Using the EZY30 in Sydney's CBD, we encountered the occasional loss of GPS signal, with the large number of tall buildings affecting the device's ability to gain and maintain a GPS fix. Though this only happened occasionally and for a few seconds at a time, it isn't ideal. School zone warnings have been improved from the earlier models and are now time relevant, so the warnings only appear when it's between 8:00-9.30am and 2.30-4:00pm in NSW (and appropriate times when used in other Australian states).

Despite being an entry-level unit, the Navman EZY30 includes lane guidance, 3D junction views and speed sign and limit alerts. Junction views and lane guidance are very useful when entering and exiting unfamiliar freeways and motorways. Traffic light locations are incorporated into the voice guidance (for example "turn left at the traffic lights"), which helps you keep your eyes on the road and surrounding traffic.

Navman Environmental Information.

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