Garmin StreetPilot C340

The Garmin StreetPilot C340 is the top-of-the-range satellite navigation system from the Garmin StreetPilot "C-range" of in-car GPS satnav systems.

The StreetPilot C340 has a bright, 3.5-inch diagonal, TFT display with an intuitive touch-screen menu system.

The dual internal speakers make the high-quality voice prompts clear and audible and an internal lithium-ion rechargeable battery allows the user to plan the route in the comfort of their home or office prior to commencing the journey. This portability also allows the C340 to be easily transferred from one vehicle to another.

The StreetPilot C340 from Garmin offers all the benefits you would expect from a top-of-the-range satellite navigation system.

One of the C340's main features is it's “text to speech” functionality. The C340 is able to tell the user the name of the street or road to turn into e.g. "turn left in London Road in 200 yards". This is a great improvement over other units which simply prompt you to “turn left in 200 yards”. Where a number of roads are close together it is not always obvious which road to turn into - some systems show the road name on the screen but it is important, from a safety point of view, that the driver keeps their eyes on the road as much as possible and is not distracted.

The StreetPilot C340 comes pre-loaded with a “Points of Interest” database, including the details of such amenities as airports, post offices, petrol stations etc. It is also possible to upload customized POI lists such as speed camera and school speed zone databases that are available from the internet. This is really easy to do thanks to the free software, POI Loader, which you can download from the Garmin website.

Entering destinations is straightforward with the touch-screen controls and the system automatically calculates a new route if you should stray off the initial track.

Notification of traffic delays is a c340 option that lets drivers see congested areas via a colour-coded map. This feature lets users avoid traffic by simply pushing a button that will calculate a new route to avoid the congestion.

Traffic information is possible via the new Garmin GTM 10™ FM TMC receiver which connects to selected Garmin street navigation products. The GTM 10 receives digital data from specific FM broadcast stations in select major metro areas throughout the United States and Europe and is available as a separate unit to purchase.

The Garmin StreetPilot C340 is an excellent, professional system.