RAC200 Review

The Royal Automobile Club have come up with a quality product in their RAC200 satellite navigation system. This is a basic GPS designed to get you to your destination without going round the houses. The software it uses is Route 66 Navigation which is user friendly and simple. Maps are supplied by NAVTEQ which is arguably the number 1 in electronic mapping.

The unit has 7 digit postcode searching as well as SMS style Fuzzy Search™ which will find your required destination or point of interest even if you have used incomplete or incorrect spelling.

Literally thousands of searchable points of interest and the ability to store favourite addresses and locations make this a very useful tool on your travels. Choose your destination and find the quickest or shortest way to go about getting there. The satellite fixes are frequent and the reception good enough that it keeps a signal even in central London and other high rise areas.

The 3.5 inch touchscreen display shows both 2D and 3D maps and has a night view mode to make it easy to see in all situations. It weighs only 191 grams so is light enough to carry with you on walking tours, but the battery life is only 3 hours so beware of failure here.

Fixed safety camera alerts are included but these are not updated by RAC - however free updates are advertised as being available via www.66.com with a simple USB cable connection to your PC. Although it should be simple, the documentation that comes with the unit is seriously lacking and there have been many complaints regarding this, which show RAC in a bad light.

Maps of UK and Ireland are preloaded, it has spoken audio directions and dynamic routing. If you find yourself having taken a detour it will redirect you back on track. Although this is a useful feature to have, as in other models it is frustrating if you have intentionally taken a circuitous route and the voice keeps telling you to turn around as soon as it is safe to do so. Eventually it gets the picture though.

Hurray - a GPS with a human voice! How did RAC do what other manufacturers have found impossible? Whatever, the outcome is much more pleasant to listen to than the techno voice. As usual it is the accessories that let them down in the end. The cradle, although not part of the navigation system, is so important when it comes to actually using the unit, but some manufacturers treat it as a side issue - this one was very difficult to attach successfully, and there is not much point in a piece of equipment that you cannot see or use.

As a basic GPS system however, this is a robust and very usable tool. The RAC even offer a reduction in your breakdown coverage if you buy one - perhaps they discovered it is in their interest to know where to find you!