no turns, no sale

Funny enough that after I make a post about old nav screens, Garmin releases two new ones, the Drive 7.1" and 8.8" ultrawide.

At the time I write this, it's not available in the US market until September 14, so all I could do is look up info. Found a few official videos, watched them, then read over the PDF manual.

It was what I didn't find in the manual nor the videos that makes it a no-sale for me. No on-map turns list, which is a feature that's been around since the DriveSmart 50.

This is what on-map turns looks like using a Drive 53:

This is also available on the DriveSmart 66, 76, and 86.

The way on-map turns works is you start a route first, press the hamburger icon at bottom right, press Turns, and there it is. The hamburger icon at bottom right then changes to an X in case you want it removed to see more map.

Only Garmin has on-map turns with their navigators. It's the only navigation system where you get a map with visual and voice guidance and a list of multiple turns all at the same time. Brilliant setup.

Where does this come in useful the most? Upcoming close tight turns, that's where.

The above screenshot is a great example of this. Exit right in .4 miles (top text bar), then right after another mile, then right after another 7 miles, but directly after that an immediate left just two tenths of a mile after that, which by the way is less than 1,100 feet. I know that's coming up way in advance just with a quick glance and to prepare for it. Brilliant.

With map alone and only a singular instance of next turn info in the top text bar, I'm not made aware of that close tight turn until I'm basically on top of it. Not cool.

If all I did was only drive on highways with nice long exit ramps with no complicated connectors, then I wouldn't need on-map turns. But that's not how roads work where I am. I absolutely need that on-map turns list. And not just for highways, but anywhere I drive. There's bullshit aplenty with navigation in suburbia and in the sticks just like there is on the highway.

It is possible I've made a mistake and on-map turns is in the new Drive ultrawide models. But if it is, it's very well hidden. I saw it absolutely nowhere in the official manual nor in any of the videos showing the menus for the new models.

Until I actually see on-map turns either in video form or in a revision of the official manual, nope, not buying it. I'll stick with the models I have.