Garmin nuvi 755T review

Garmin rolls out another winner

The Garmin nuvi 755T is a member of the high-end nuvi 7x5 series, a second-generation nuvi 700 line that adds lane assist, 3-D buildings and lifetime NAVTEQ traffic to an already significant feature set. The 755T has a 4.3" wide touch-screen, pre-loaded maps of the U.S. and Canada, and text-to-speech, so you''ll hear "drive one-half mile, then turn left on Oak Street," instead of just "drive one-half mile, then turn left."

Stepping up to the nuvi 765T gets you all these features plus stereo Bluetooth. To see how the 755T compares to other nuvis, check out my Garmin nuvi comparison chart.

Compare prices on the Garmin nuvi 755T

Let's look at the newest features on the nuvi 7x5 line...

Lane assist

To me, the lane assist feature is the nicest addition to the the 7x5 series. It shows up in two places on the device. The flashiest is for major freeway interchanges, as shown below. This screen appears as you approach your exit.

Just as useful, and perhaps more so, is the lane indicator shown in the upper left portion of the map screen (see below). These don't just show up on interstate highways; I found them to be ubiquitous in downtown Atlanta.

While the lane assist feature was very helpful, I only saw it appear in Atlanta. It did not show up during my testing in the smaller cities of Greenville, SC and Asheville, NC.

3-D buildings

This feature adds some flash, but in my mind is less helpful than lane assist.

I'll give Garmin credit for making the 3-D buildings transparent, but the feature can still obstruct navigation somewhat, as shown below.

Ad-supported lifetime traffic

Without a doubt the most controversial feature on the nuvi 7x5 series is the ad-supported lifetime NAVTEQ traffic, yet I found the ads to be low key and unobtrusive. I only saw ads appear when my vehicle was stopped; they showed up in the following places:

• On startup at the top of the main menu
• At the bottom of the traffic menu page
• On the map screen once you have reached your destination

If you touch the ad, you'll go to a screen showing the nearest locations for that advertiser. Choosing a location will take you to the detail screen. In the case of the BP gas ad below, a click on the coupon gave me a number to text to enter the contest.

The ads are so low key that I would much rather have them and free lifetime traffic than pay $60 a year for traffic service. The biggest problem I have with the ad-supported traffic is the limited coverage (see image below). With data for only 50 U.S. cities, NAVTEQ coverage lags far behind that of other traffic services. Detailed coverage maps are available on the NAVTEQ website.

There is also an option to add MSN Direct traffic service (which includes gas prices, weather and more), but you'll need to buy the receiver, which comes with a one year subscription.

If you enable the traffic map, the moving map screen goes to greyscale, so that traffic flow (indicated in yellow or red) will show up better.

Here's an incident detail screen...

New customization options

New to the 7x5 series are customization options for the lower right field on the map screen. Press this field to bring up the options listed below. When not navigating, the options are:

• Direction of travel (default)
• Elevation
• Time of day

When navigating, the options are as follows:

• Estimated time of arrival (default)
• Distance to destination
• Estimated time to destination
• Direction of travel
• Elevation
• Time of day

Garmin nuvi 755T mount

The nuvi 755T mount has an integrated power/traffic receiver connection, so you don't have to plug a cable into the device each time you mount it. Unlike the nuvi 2x5 series, all you need to do is snap it into the mount.

Other nuvi 755T features of note

The nuvi 7x5 series has inherited some other features of note from the 2x5 and/or 800 series units.

These include a redesigned map screen that adds a third data field (current speed). And while photo navigation is not a feature that I find useful, you can download Google™ Panoramio™ pictures via Garmin Connect™ Photos and navigate to them.

Finally, as I mentioned earlier, the nuvi 755T has all the great features already found on the first generation nuvi 700 series. These include:

• Multi-destination routing
• Automatic sorting of multiple destinations to provide an efficient route
• Tracklog recording
• Speed limit display for many interstates and highways
• Automatic marking of your last position when the unit is turned off (to help you find your car in mega-mall parking lots)
• A "Where am I" safety feature that gives your current location, nearest address, nearest intersection, along with quick access to POIs for the nearest hospitals, police stations and gas stations

Conclusion and recommendation

The Garmin nuvi 755T is a superior navigation device and I highly recommend it. The only caveat is that it is more appropriate if you are in an area with NAVTEQ traffic coverage. The lane assist feature is the best reason to upgrade from the 2x5T series which, like the 755T, also has the lifetime traffic feature. Like all Garmin nuvis, the 755T is intuitive and a joy to use. Garmin has created yet another excellent product, and it's no wonder that they dominate our top ten GPS list and Amazon bestseller list.

More Garmin nuvi 755T reviews

• Several consumer-authored Garmin nuvi 755T reviews have been posted at GPS Now
• Owner-written Garmin nuvi 755T reviews are also being posted at Amazon
• GPS Lodge has posted a full Garmin nuvi 755T review
• PC Magazine gave an Editor's Choice award to the unit in their review of the nuvi 755T
• Cause and Defect gives an 8.5 out of 10 rating in their Garmin nuvi 755T review
• Garmin nuvi 7x5 reviews are being posted by owners at GpsPasSion
• ZDNet says the nuvi 755T is "the only GPS that should be on your holiday shopping list this year"

I'll be posting more hands on GPS reviews as they appear, but in the meantime, here are some...

Other Garmin nuvi 755T resources

• Confused about so many models and choices? Use this Garmin nuvi comparison tool or check out my own Garmin nuvi comparison chart
• There is a dedicated Garmin nuvi message forum at GpsPasSion
• The official Garmin nuvi 755T web page

Compare prices on the Garmin nuvi 755T at these merchants:

• Find the low price on a Garmin nuvi 755T at GPS Now,, where shipping is free on orders over $99 (and the upgrade to overnight shipping is dirt cheap!); order by 5 p.m. Central Time for same day shipment
• Check the current Garmin nuvi 755T deal at Amazon
• Buy the Garmin nuvi 755T Portable Automotive GPS System with Lane Assist & Lifetime Traffic at TigerGPS, where you get free shipping on orders above $250
• Get the Garmin nuvi 755T for an amazing price on eBay
• Check out our GPS deals site for current specials and rebates on a wide range of GPS receivers

Related posts:

• Our GPS reviews
• Auto GPS buyers guide
• Top ten auto GPS

Comments

[Bayne Linden]

Does the 755 have rest ares on interstates hwy

[Rich Owings]

Yes, all nuvis do.

[sam springer]

The 755T is not as good as advertised. The lane assist feature is helpful but barely stays on long enough to read it. It pops on and then off the screen in a split second. When are they going to improve this function?

[Rich Owings]

Do you find that it doesn't come up soon enough? Or does it go away before you get to the exit? Or both? Do you have the latest firmware?

[Nuvi24]

Greetings,

A fine review site. :-)

I have owned a Garmin Nuvi 350 for 2 years now with no issues.

I am ready to upgrade to another Garmin Nuvi model.

I am leaning toward the Garmin Nuvi 755T because of the lifetime traffic feature and the 3D view.

I wonder if the NAVTEQ traffic coverage will be expanded to more areas in the future?

The comparison charts for the Garmin models on this site are very well done too.

Any information or input is appreciated.

Cheers :-D

[Rich Owings]

I expect it will be, but at what rate, who knows?

Glad you're enjoying the site, BTW.

[helixrider]

Hi, thanks for your fine review ;-)
One thing is still open to me - the elder Garmin auto-navigation units only show POIs on the map, when zoom is at 80m or more detailed. How does the 755t handle this? Can POIs be shown in, let's say, 800m zoom?
Cheers

[Rich Owings]

I can't say for sure as this varies by model line. You may want to ask at http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=116177

Sorry!