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Navigon has got some cojones, entering into the saturated UK sat-nav market after most manufacturers have consolidated or shipped out.
It already has a wide range of products on sale here, but the high-end 8110 has a couple of talking points that might just see it get on people’s Christmas lists this year.
Full metal front
Firstly, in true Stuff fashion, looks. It has a solid metal front and hefty feel that shames other best sellers. Not so good if you’re leaving the car and want to keep it in a pocket or in your bag, but it’s nice to spend nearly £400 on something that feels well-made.
Its windscreen cradle is massive, a solid, long item that seems preposterous but actually suits most modern cars that have steeply raked windscreens and deep dashboards. If, on the other hand, you have a classic Mini, you’ll have to lean back to see the screen. But it holds solid on the glass.
One gripe is that the 8110 won’t charge through its own USB port once it’s plugged into the cradle; you need to plug into the difficult-to-reach USB port on the cradle. Presumably, the TMC aerial is built into the cradle, and also needs powering.
Panoramic views
The 8110 also manages to have useful hardware buttons for volume and muting, without messing up its lines. Even with a TomTom, the established master of simplicity, it can occasionally be a pain to adjust the volume through on-screen sliders.
The second talking point is in the software. In addition to standard 3D viewpoint, the 8110 renders terrain, so you see hills, valleys and tunnels just as they are out the window. Navigon call it Panorama View 3D.
This is unique: some 2008-onward sat-navs register the height difference between bridges and the roads that pass under them, but not the rolling landscape. It works very well, although it’s more clever and stylish, than useful for navigation.
Speedy processor
We were concerned that landscape rendering would slow the 8110 down, but it has a Samsung 533MHz processor and a dedicated graphics accelerator and managed very well.
Which actually leads to a gripe: if you miss a junction the 8110 so quickly re-routes and re-renders your position you often miss the fact that it has done so – there’s no audio feedback when it does so. (Many sat-navs audibly sigh, announce that you’re an idiot and ponderously re-calculate your route.) With the 8110 you might not realise that you had missed a turn and added time to your journey.
Average software
Elsewhere the software is decent, if not up to class-leading standards of Navman, Garmin and TomTom. The menu colour schemes are grey and orange, reminiscent of the now-departed-from-these-shores Sony Nav-U devices.
The on-screen keyboard is a little fiddly, but there is a stylus slotted in the back of the device if you prefer. Some key functions are difficult to access, but none dangerously so. The speaker is strong, and the voice instructions mostly clear if occasionally a couple of heartbeats later than was comfortable when approaching complex junctions.
So, does the 8110 arriving in the UK pose a problem for rivals? Very nearly. It’s a solid lump of technology with Panorama View 3D smarts that might make it irresistible for gadget fans, but it isn’t quite special enough to threaten TomTom, Garmin or Navman. If we were them, we’d be more worried about the Navigon 8110 v2.
Comments
timnjul
2 years ago
I endorse everything said by those above!
timnjul
2 years ago
Absolutely CRAP product.....absolutely CRAP back-up service. German technology? Give me a break!
jimmyb4
3 years ago
i bought one of these about 6 months because of the looks,features,and at nearly £400 it must be great....err NO this was the most useless sat nav i have ever had the misfortune of buying. constant screen locking,re-setting,and generally trouble from the start. i sent it back to the company for a refund after 5 days of frustration. maybe the firmware has been up-dated,but if not i strongly advise you to keep well clear of this so called flagship navigon sat nav.
henk0987
3 years ago
It seems like a nice device with very useful options like TMC, Bluetooth en a FM transmitter. And I suppose that there's nothing wrong with its design. As long as it's functioning. . . About a month ago I purchased the Navigon 8110. From the start it wasn't doing what it was supposed to do: navigating. No gps reception, no gps receiver icon on the screen. So, after two days of failed trials and resets, I tried to contact the support desk. After an overall waiting time of 50 minutes, I tried another option: the sales dept. Within 3 seconds the phone was picked up! The employee promised me to mail me the details for having the device picked up for repair. I wanted a new device because in this one I had no faith anymore. Next day: no mail received. Once again I called the support dept, this time it took me 3 times; and this time I was more lucky. The device was picked up the same day. After 2 weeks I received the same device. Now I had a gps icon on the screen! But . . no gps reception, not after leaving the device for more than 20 minutes in the open air. Next day: no battery power, and after recharging it, no more gps reception and no gps icon. I have reset it over and over again without any luck. So I called the support dept. again and demanded a new device. Because after 3 weeks I had received a mail from the company, saying "As long as your NAVIGON PRODUCT is more than two weeks old, all we can do, is repair and send back to you." I sent the device back within 3 days!!! Now I just sent back the device for the second time (even this was quite frustrating). And received an e-mail that - again - I cannot expect a new device. The reason this time: the device must be sent back AT LEAST 3 times before they CONSIDER to send me a new device! (Even then I cannot claim a new one!) The device itself seems OK, with the options I just need. But so far the support has been very bad and I haven't had the pleasure of using the navigation. After waiting for almost one month I have had it. The way they react is very opportunistic and cannot exactly be called professional. There's always a way to dissatisfy a customer . . .
lehenaghmore
3 years ago
I bought the 8110 in June because I was going to Europe on holidays.My son has a Navigon and is very pleased with it.I had never heard of Navigon until he told me about it.Anyway I looked up Navigon and saw that the 8110 was now due on the market so I waited and got one. This is an excellent unit,easy to use,. The only proble I have had with it is the screen freezes - movement on the screen stops completely sometimes,The only way I have found to correct this is to reset the unit,with the reset button at the bottom I notice in signal area's near radio masts or marine signals,I am putting this down to my cars windscreen I have read there is some kind of shield in the screen that can effect sat navs. I have just got an external antenna unit from Navigon I have not tried it yet.I am going to the UK in December and will have the antenna fitted,I will be travelling much the same route so hopefully I will be able to keep the signal.I will report on this. The Severn Bridge was one unexpected place where the screen froze. Note when the screen freezes the voice command stays on so the navigon does not leave you without a guide Would I buy another 8110 yes I would