TomTom ONE XL Review

What the reviewers like:

• Wide screen
• Celebrity voices
• Supports dozens of languages

What the reviewers don't like:

• Doesn't route as well as Garmin and Magellan
• XL unable to speak street names (XL-S adds this feature)

TomTom ONE XL review highlights

The most comprehensive review of the TomTom ONE XL auto GPS appears in GPSMagazine.com; its testing and comparisons are unmatched. PC Magazine, GPSLodge.com and TrustedReviews.com also conduct thorough tests. Pocket GPS World.com and Lordpercy.com also contribute some information for consumers to ponder. Kiplinger's Personal Finance does a good job explaining which extra features are worth the extra price on entry-level units, including the ONE XL and XL-S. Additionally, Amazon.com readers have contributed more than 130 ratings and reviews, sometimes in great detail, of the real-world performance of the TomTom ONE XL and XL-S.

The TomTom ONE XL is larger than the TomTom ONE 3rd Edition (*est. $145), with a 4.3-inch display and a higher price tag. Reviews say the wide screen is a useful upgrade, making it easier to glance at the screen while driving. However, the ONE XL lacks one important feature: the ability to speak street names. The TomTom ONE XL-S (*est. $235) adds this feature, but critics are still more likely to recommend its widescreen competitor, the Mio DigiWalker C520 (*est. $270). GPSMagazine.com convincingly demonstrates that the NAVTEQ maps used by other brands of auto GPS receivers are better than the Tele Atlas maps used by TomTom. In its review, GPSMagazine.com found that Garmin nüvi and Magellan Maestro models provided more accurate routing than the TomTom ONE XL.

Also see full report: Auto GPS

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. GPSMagazine.com
TomTom ONE XL Review
Fletch
June 22, 2007

Reviewer "Fletch" conducted three road tests with the TomTom One XL, Magellan's Maestro 4050 and Garmin's nüvi 680; he found the TomTom ONE XL produced the worst routes despite having the newest map data. The review includes long lists of pros and cons, photographs, screen shots, and additional documentation.

2. PC Magazine
>> Details/Subscribe
TomTom ONE XL
Craig Ellison
July 6, 2007

Reviewer Craig Ellison had been eager to compare the TomTom ONE XL with the Mio DigiWalker C520, both competitors in the mid-priced widescreen GPS segment. But although the TomTom ONE XL navigates fine, Ellison finds it lacks a major feature that almost all of its competitors have: the ability to speak street names.

3. GPSLodge.com
TomTom ONE XL Full Review
Scott Martin
June 10, 2007

GPSLodge.com provides a comprehensive and objective review of the TomTom ONE XL, evaluating performance, usage and features. The review only makes one comparison, but it is very significant. Martin publishes periodic buying guides in which he identifies the best units in various categories; the TomTom ONE XL and XL-S are among the five wide-screen auto GPS models listed in Martin's most recent guide.

4. Trusted Reviews
TomTom One XL Europe
Jonathan Bray
July 9, 2007

This British website provides overly generous ratings in some product categories, but its GPS reviews and ratings are remarkably well balanced. Jonathan Bray tests the TomTom ONE XL throughout the U.K., reporting the unit did well in providing timely, accurate, directions. He describes and evaluates features, too, and some direct and decisive comparisons.

5. PocketGPSWorld.com
Review of the TomTom ONE XL
Tim Buxton and Mike Alder
May 3, 2007

In this review, the TomTom ONE XL is compared only with the original TomTom ONE. More performance evaluation would be very helpful, and the British perspective is a minor disadvantage, as graphics, maps and navigation are different in the U.S. Products aren't ranked, although a forum follows the review.

6. Lordpercy.com
TomTom ONE XL Review
LoEditors of LordPercy.com
May 13, 2007

LordPercy.com, an English gadget-review site, posts idiosyncratic reviews that are are either charming or time-wasting. This review of the TomTom ONE XL is typical: It is brief and far from comprehensive, and road testing isn't even mentioned. But Lord Percy's nitpicking may be valuable for some prospective buyers.

7. Kiplinger Personal Finance
>> Details/Subscribe
The Best GPS for $300 or Less
Bob Frick
June 2008

One worthwhile upgrade on an entry-level GPS unit is a wide screen, says Kiplinger Personal Finance senior editor Bob Frick. Frick recommends three budget widescreen models, including the TomTom ONE XL and XL-S -- the bigger screen makes it easy to glance at while negotiating heavy traffic, and it's easier on middle-aged eyes, he says.

8. Amazon.com
TomTom ONE XL Reviews
Contributors to Amazon.com

Amazon.com is by far the best source for owner-written, hands-on reviews of auto GPS units, and the TomTom ONE XL and XL-S have both amassed more than 130 write-ups by current owners. Their ratings overall are good, but fall a bit short of average scores for Garmin auto GPS units.

Also see full report: Auto GPS

TomTom ONE XL Review