TomTom ONE 140 IQ Routes Edition GPS unit

TomTom has refreshed its low-end ONE GPS units, and the entry-level unit is now the TomTom ONE 140 IQ Routes Edition. As its name suggests, this is the first low-end TomTom GPS unit to use the company’s new IQ Routes technology, and it also boasts advanced lane guidance and the EasyPort mount system.

The TomTom ONE 140 IQ Routes Edition is almost identical in design to the ONE (4th Edition) — with the exception of the colour scheme. The new model is all-black, with a thin silver trim surrounding the display replacing the silver and grey colour scheme of previous models. The compact design means the TomTom ONE 140 IQ Routes Edition fits snugly into even the smallest of shirt pockets.

TomTom's EasyPort mount, first introduced on the ONE (4th Edition) and XL, is employed once again. This window mount can be left attached to the unit and folded flat after use, meaning the ONE 140 IQ Routes Edition is easy to store with its mount attached. The circular lock means it's quick and easy to mount on your car window, and the well-crafted design allows titling in multiple directions.

The ONE 140 IQ Routes Edition's interface has seen a slight refresh. General ease of use and functions remain very similar to previous units, but the look and feel is slightly different, with smaller icons and a plain white background giving this unit a more professional feel. Our gripe with adjusting preferences remains: after adjusting certain settings and saving them, the TomTom interface goes back to the map display, so you have to navigate through the menu again should you wish to alter further options.

The IQ Routes technology employed in this GPS unit is based on real-life user data rather than the traditional maximum speed method. According to TomTom, the unit determines a route by considering all possible routes and then selecting the one that takes the least time. We did notice a few of the routes used frequently during testing have changed slightly and route calculation did take a little longer than usual.

Advanced lane guidance is another new feature. On multilane roads, an icon in the bottom left corner of the map screen highlights which lane you should be in, depending on your destination. At busy highway junctions this is enhanced by arrows indicating the lane direction combined with a static image of road signs. The signs are the same colour as the ones displayed on the road, so as to minimise confusion.

The ONE 140 IQ Routes Edition has text-to-speech technology, which means that it can say street names as you approach them. The pronunciation is fairly accurate, though it can struggle with longer names.

The general navigational experience remains superb, with highly detailed maps, clear voice instructions and quick rerouting times, while the preloaded fixed speed and red-light camera warnings are a nice addition. When searching, the ONE 140 IQ Routes Edition filters street names by suburbs, narrowing down your search results to a manageable number. The unit is also excellent at obtaining and maintaining a clear GPS signal, even with an obscured view of the sky.

The ONE 140 IQ Routes Edition supports TomTom's Map Share feature. In addition to corrections and improvements to the maps being uploaded every month by other TomTom users, Map Share allows you to make adjustments to maps through the unit itself. Users can add their own POIs, update road changes, edit phone numbers and add new streets. You can then share this information with other TomTom users by uploading the changes via the included TomTom HOME software.

TomTom's 'Help Me' safety feature is also included. This displays information and allows you to navigate (either by car or on foot) to a multitude of services including police stations, hospitals, mechanics, public transport and pharmacies. It also includes first aid, traffic regulation, and repair and maintenance information.

Battery life is rated at up to three hours. TomTom disappointingly doesn't include an AC charger in the sales package, so you'll have to charge the unit via the included USB cable or cigarette lighter adapter.