Magellan Maestro 4700: Review

Posted to GPS 2009-11-15

Magellan Maestro 4700 review:

The Magellan Maestro 4700 GPS is Magellan's latest entry in its excellent Maestro series of portable GPS navigators. The unit features a 4.7 inch color display with touchscreen interface, spoken street name guidance, Bluetooth capability and voice command. Additional features include multi-destination routing, highway lane assist and complete Navteq maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

The unit also includes a one touch favorites menu, built-in AAA tour book and free AAA roadside assistance. The unit features a database of 6 million points of interest, predictive traffic, which analyzes past traffic problems to help avoid delays and 3D landmarks, which shows a visual indication of landmarks such as bridges and stadiums. There's also a highway exit POI search, which shows gas stations, hotels, etc. near upcoming exits.

Rating:

4.0 out of 5

Features

The Maestro 4700 feature set is a bit above average for GPS units in this price range. The voice command capability is one feature that stands out, however. Most of the competition do not have this feature at this price. Bluetooth capability is also an added plus. The display and user interface is slick and very easy to use. Large, well-spaced buttons are provided for the touch screen, and the unit has a slightly larger display than most of the competition.

Ergonomics

The Maestro 4700 gets high marks in this category due to its well-done display and user interface and the concentration on hands-free operation. The voice command feature makes hands free use a reality, and the Bluetooth capability combined with the voice command allows you to make hands-free calls with your Bluetooth compatible cell phone. The menus are very intuitive and navigation is a snap. You won't need the manual to locate most of the features on the 4700.

Summary

If you're concerned about keeping both hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road, the Magellan Maestro 4700 makes an excellent choice in a portable GPS navigation device. Magellan has done their homework in allowing for true hands-free operation, and the excellent menu system and large, bright display require little distraction from driving to use the unit in hands-on mode. All in all a very good offering from Magellan.

Pros

4.7 inch color LCD touchscreen
Bluetooth capability
Voice command capability
Includes AAA roadside assistance and built-in Tour Book
Lane assist feature

Cons

There are no cons for this product