Garmin nüvi 2599LMT-D review

Garmin nüvi 2599LMT-D review: A decent mid-range satnav for socialites

Garmin’s nüvi 2599LMT-D satnav isn’t one of the company’s most expensive models, yet still packs plenty of decent features for a reasonable price. Not all of them are hits, but the nüvi gets the basics right and proves a dependable car companion.

For a start, the nüvi’s 5-inch touchscreen is responsive and supports pinch-to-zoom, handy when you want to see how far you’ve travelled. Helpfully you can split-screen to get different views on tricky upcoming turns and there’s voice support too, if you’d rather keep your hands on the wheel (and although you’ll need to turn the stereo down for this to work, it seems to do a decent job with regional accents).

Then there’s Garmin’s traffic updates, which are essential if you’re obsessed with avoiding rush hour snarl-ups. You get a fair bit of warning when you’re on track to hit stationary traffic and the service is thankfully provided subscription free, along with map updates for life.

Garmin’s maps and directions are pretty solid although I did hit a few hazy spots when roaming around. For instance, one time I was told to go straight ahead when there was a solid wall in front of me. What I actually needed to do was turn right and then take a left after 30 yards. Still, these little mishaps are relatively rare and to be fair they seem to blight most satnavs.

One of the Garmin nüvi 2599LMT-D’s big features is its Foursquare support, which can recommend services such as restaurants in your local area. Of course, how useful this service is depends on your area’s Foursquare support. My local town’s best pubs and eateries were missing in action, although if you live in a big city you should be well covered.

Rounding up the features is Bluetooth support for hands-free calling. Mounting the Garmin nüvi 2599LMT-D is a simple action and it’s reasonably compact, for storing away when you’re parked up.

You can pick up the Garmin nüvi 2599LMT-D right now for £179.

Specification

Type	Standalone
Screen size	5-inch
Map updates	Free for life
Traffic updates	Free for life