AN increasing number of cars are being supplied with SatNav as standard but the vast majority of these electronic atlases are sub-standard compared to standalone units produced by the specialists.

By Peter Jenkinson

THE SatNav market has exploded in the past few years with many manufacturers jumping on the bandwagon and making lofty claims about accuracy and performance - some might be responsible for large lorries getting stuck in small spaces.

Here's a crowdpleasing line-up for your perusal. SatNavs sent out on real journeys and returning with high-scores on all counts.

Premium Product - TomTom GO 920 - £286.70 at www.handtec.co.uk

The joy of using this TomTom starts with its super responsive and crystal clear 4.3-inch touchscreen - none of the lag that I've come to expect from this technology.

Inside there's 4GB of memory ready to guide you with maps of 41 countries - including our fair isle - down to detail.

There's also a new MapShare technology. This allows you to correct and update maps and share your maps with the rest of the TomTom community. Fallen fence? Cattle loose in road? Let them know.

Travel Companion - Garmin Nuvi 250 - £119.99 from www.carphonewarehouse.com

This compact SatNav unit offers up clear and concise mapping details and is ultra simple to get started, from switch-on you'll get offered "Where to?" or "View map".

Its size and the offer of added extras on SD cards such as city guides and phrasebooks makes the Nuvi worth serious consideration as a holiday guide.

Feature Filled - Medion GoPal P4425 - £249.99 see www.medionworld.co.uk

Claiming the title of first SatNav with owner identification security this unit has a built-in fingerprint recognition sensor meaning only authorised users can switch it on.

In addition you'll find street level mapping for the UK and all of Europe offered in arrow-based, 2D or 3D visual guidance. There's access to all the menus using "touchless" technology so you can access all menu options via a spoken command.

Style and Substance - Sony NV-U93 - £248.99 at www.sonystyle.co.uk

Just 2cm thick yet managing a widescreen 4.8in display that puts many others to shame to steer you squint-free from A to B.

An interesting safety feature on this unit is Gesture Command. By just drawing a line or shape on-screen with your fingertip it'll recognise any frequent destination - like "home" or the "nearest petrol station" and take you there.

All this in an outer case that'll proudly grace any dash from family runaround to something altogether more sporty.

Pictures perfect - Navman S90i - £174.99 from www.thenavigationcompany.com

Featuring NavPix technology, this is a feature that'll be of great appeal to some, allowing you to navigate using pictures rather than just an address.

Take your own images with the integrated digital camera or browse through their exhaustive online image bank for places of interest.

Not a single button on the outside to confuse and this is an overall easy to use device - from the inputting of addresses to menu access and clear guidance instruction when on the road.

Information Overload - Mio C520t - £257.33 at www.handtec.co.uk

This solid looking SatNav has a widescreen 4.3in touchscreen and that "t" suffix means this model comes with a TMC traffic info receiving cradle and works when plugged into your 12v socket and the TMC aerial plugged in.

For road warriors this could become an invaluable tool at helping you claw back wasted hours sat in gridlock going nowhere as it works very well.

Set up this unit to your own preferences with a full-screen display or information presented on a side bar. 3D landmarks and elevated route display almost bring the fun back to driving.