NaviGadget

Mio 268 and Mio 269 Navigation Systems Australian Review

Mar 4, 2006 gps navigation, reviews

…The Mio 268 and 269 navigation systems use mapping software that’s contained on a single SD memory card or is preloaded on an internal hard drive, are completely portable and in addition to being supported by a cigarette lighter power feed, have inbuilt rechargeable batteries. Swap the 268’s memory card for a card with MP3 files instead of maps, and you can play music through either the small in-built speaker or earphones. The 269 does even better with its built-in 2.5GB hard-drive that can also show video.

And all at a price that starts from a RRP of AUD$899.

So how good are the current systems? We put the Mio pair to the test and were disappointed. Simply put, the Mios are not even in the same ballpark as the old VDO Dayton system – and are much worse than the factory nav systems we’ve experienced in any car.

The Mio 268 and 269 are visual twins. Both are a compact (138 x 72 x 26mm) size and have a light mass. The small size and weight lets either be easily supported on the supplied suction cap windscreen mount that has a bendable wand to allow you to angle the screen how you want. However, when compared with a built-in nav system, this location straight away causes problems.

Despite being brightly backlit, the screens aren’t a match for the intensity of the Australian sun shining straight on them. Yes, you can still see the display – but only just. Their readability is also made more difficult by the very small font size used on the screen. Especially in current cars with steeply sloping windscreens, the Mio is often too far away to read the information (like actual speed, direction, etc) placed along the top of the screen.

And there’s another downer in having to mount the Mio on the windscreen. At night, the display reflects terribly in the glass. You can’t move the Mio to the interior of the car – not without buying the optional external GPS antenna, anyway. At night the display – and its reflections – were so distracting that we ended up mounting the unit in front of the passenger… which causes yet another problem. In cars with a passenger side airbag, having the Mio literally sitting on top of it is a recipe for crash danger… via