
If you plan to use your TomTom GPS system in conjunction with your cell phone, to make hands-free calls, for example, you’ll need a unit that can connect via Bluetooth or WiFi to your phone. Having the most current maps, especially when traveling abroad, is of the utmost importance to any driver. This service is available for any maps that are utilized by your TomTom. That means you don’t have to pay a subscription fee, and you get the most up-to-date maps in real time.

Most people are looking for basic functionality in a TomTom GPS system. TomTom, based in the Netherlands, started as a joint venture with electronics giant Erickson in the 1990s. Read our shopping guide to learn about TomTom GPS systems and how to choose the best one for your needs, and check out a few of our favorites. TomTom makes that choice a thing of the past.


What’s more, if a call comes in while you’re using a smartphone GPS system, you’re forced to choose between your call and the GPS instructions. Adding a GPS app to that mix can drain a smartphone battery in the blink of an eye. Most phones have apps that run perpetually in the background, using precious battery life on long trips. One of the primary benefits of using a TomTom GPS system in the car is that it plugs directly into your vehicle’s power source without draining your smartphone’s battery. Consumers are returning in droves to external navigation devices, like those made by TomTom, to get them where they’re going. Using a smartphone for vehicle navigation has its benefits, but it comes with almost as many negatives. Just a few years ago, it was assumed that advances in smartphone GPS technology would render external GPS navigation devices obsolete.
