Google Maps is the GPS navigator for Android and this gives it a significant advantage over the others: it is the application you will use by default if you do not install anything. However, I think it is a great application that I can use both on foot and by car, directly from the phone or with Android Auto. Of course, when driving, I have always preferred Waze: I liked its colorful interface and I consider its community to be its most valuable asset.

But there’s life beyond Google Maps and Waze: Who would have told me that I would go back to TomTom? Because before we had a mobile phone or a car infotainment system, there were navigation devices that would help us get from point A to point B, and one of the most respected brands was precisely TomTom.

In the current scenario, TomTom continues to exist as a device but also as a browser and what a browser: I tried it and was convinced, given the experience of the company, the fact that it is free and compatible with Android Auto. I am not so sure anymore My most used navigation app while driving.

Neither Google Maps nor Waze: I’m back to TomTom

I like the look of Waze better than Google Maps, but TomTom is another story: I love it clear and uncluttered interface, free of confusing clutter. In fact, and this is a plus, although all three are free, it is the only TomTom without ads, which can be annoying because they sometimes hide relevant content or can be confusing if you are looking for something specific. Only what is important is there, and it is displayed with colors and sizes to identify it at a glance.

I underline how good it is in this sense. Combine colors and thicknesses of paths to avoid errors and prioritize what’s relevant (for example, if you’re over speeding). I like that it’s more basic than Waze but more tonally balanced, and that it only includes what’s necessary and nothing more.

So, it has light and dark mode depending on the moment and in both cases it shows the speedometer, indicators, cursor and if present in front: Warns clearly and powerfully against radars visually and verbally so you can skip them. First, with a fairly large and overlapping icon. Then, are you exceeding the radar speed limit? It notifies you with sound. By the way, it includes both fixed and mobile radars.

TomTom has been committed to this for years and it shows in its maps.: Maybe it is not so striking since Waze and Google Maps also have the most complete cartography in the city, but it will not be the first nor the last time that Google applications will slip in the middle of nowhere with a winding road where there is no or is a goat path. At the moment I am quite satisfied with TomTom in this sense, it seems to me that it has a comprehensive and up-to-date map database.

Google Maps and Waze are loaded with options, which is good for personalizing the experience, but after using them for years, it’s clear to me that I need far less than what they offer. In that sense, I love the simplicity of TomTomlimits these settings to changing the display mode, volume, and the ability to avoid tolls, ferries, motorways, and unpaved roads. Of course, you can also leave notifications so the community is aware of road events like roadworks, traffic jams, or speed cameras.

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Cover | Eva Rodriguez de Luis

Xataka on Android | I tested the legendary TomTom on Android Auto and it did not disappoint: the free version is capable of competing with Waze and Google Maps