Top critical review
1.0 out of 5 starsFrustrating, infuriating, even dangerous when it doesn't work; fantastic when it does.
Reviewed in the United States on June 7, 2023
First: if you're not familiar with these types of devices, there's a very steep learning curve on this gadget and precious little guidance from TomTom. For example, it arrives with no guidance on where to simply plug the power cord in - the port is beautifully hidden and unmarked, and nothing in the literature that comes with it tells you where to find it. Finally I got out a screwdriver and pried open what looked like a possible port covering, worrying that I might be actually damaging the device. And there it was.
I needed to do some deep dives into TomTom's website to find the User's Manual. Once I finally found it (and the proper version - there are many) I was able to figure a few things out. Nothing in the literature that came with the device, that I could find, told me where to easily find the User's Manual online.
The online route planning software, once I found it, worked well - on my laptop. You plan your route on your computer and when you're sure you have the route you want, great - it will sync with your device. That is, if your device doesn't decide to blow you off and fail to sync. If you want to make changes to your route, you have to do it on your laptop online, then sync the edited route with the device. And note: if you aren't online, it won't sync. Several times on my trip the device unaccountably stopped syncing with my revised routes. I'd go to cafes, public libraries, hotels trying to find an internet signal so that my device would finally sync with the new route. Sometimes it worked, many other times it didn't, leaving me no choice but to use Google Maps instead.
Finally and most infuriating, I would find myself riding along on a perfectly lovely two-lane highway, exactly the route I chose, and the device would suddenly instruct me to turn off onto perilous side trips. Some were as short as half mile detours into the residential neighborhood adjoining the highway (because it adds to the enjoyment of my ride to check out the dilapidated homes and pot-hole strewn streets of rural America?) only to be brought back to the highway. Again and again my device would insist that I take these meaningless detours that added neither scenery or interest - even when I had my route set to least "thrilling" routes. Twice it insisted I enter private driveways, drive a quarter mile to a private home, and then make a U-turn back to the route. Other times - and this happened often - the device would have me going up very steep and treacherous gravel roads (even though I had chosen the "avoid unpaved roads" option) leading to dead ends or very challenging, corkscrewing logging roads climbing for miles up the side of mountains. I don't own an adventure bike and had checked the "avoid unpaved roads" option; nonetheless I would be drawn into these exceptionally challenging and frustrating side trips. Fortunately, I didn't drop my bike and got out safely.
It adds a great deal of unneccessary stress and distraction when you're on very remote country roads, riding solo, and you can't trust your navigation system. The TomTom was a huge fly in the ointment of my two-week trip for that reason.
On the positive side, when it worked well, it was nearly life changing. I discovered roads and vistas I never would have found otherwise, and had some of the best rides of my life on a 2,000 mile trip exploring California. I only wish it hadn't turned against me on a daily basis. I'll be trying to return it to the manufacturer for a refund.
UPDATE: I just spent two more frustrating hours trying to get support. The serial number on my device is not recognized by the chatbot. The account number it insists that I submit does not exist. I'm going around and around in a loop with a robot. No options for talking to a human are available. And for some unexplained reason, TomTom does not recognize my password. When I try to reset my password, it says it has sent an email to my email address to make the update but the email has not arrived in my inbox, neither in Primary, Promotions, or Social. I now have a completely useless, $340 piece of electronics that will not sync, will not allow me to log in, and will not function. The most expensive piece of uselessness I have ever purchased.
