Garmin Nuvi 360 GPS Review

The Garmin Nuvi 360 GPS possesses the same features as the Nuvi 350, and adds Bluetooth functionality for hands-free cellphone calling while driving.

The added hands-free feature works well and makes the Nuvi 360 GPS a very powerful and user-friendly navigation system.

This Garmin automotive GPS retains all the great features of the Nuvi 350 model. It is small and very lightweight, and with the bright 3.5-inch screen is big enough for most navigational needs.

Garmin nüvi 360 3.5-Inch Bluetooth Portable GPS Navigator with Text-To-Speech

It comes with pre-loaded maps of the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Plus, a very large database of points of interest, makes finding restaurants, hotels, and other attractions easy.

As with the Garmin Nuvi 350, this Garmin portable GPS has text-to-speech voice prompts which greatly reduce the need to look at the screen while driving.

The Travel Kit with MP3 player, audiobook player, and picture viewer among other things, add some fun and useful extras.

What sets the Garmin Nuvi 360 GPS apart is the Bluetooth hands-free feature. This allows you to use the device to make and receive calls easily while driving.

After pairing it with your Bluetooth cellphone, you can dial numbers using the touchscreen. Then you simply conduct your phone conversation through the Nuvi's microphone and speakers. The unit will also display the caller ID for incoming calls.

Pairing is quite simple and fast, although some phone models make it a little more difficult.

A really nice feature is that the list of points of interest includes phone numbers, so you can look up a restaurant or hotel and then dial it directly by touching the screen. How cool is that?

Upon first pairing it with your phone, the Garmin Nuvi 360 GPS will download your address book so you can call your contacts easily. It also supports voice dialing.

Unfortunately, these features only work with certain cellphone models.

The Nuvi 360 has the same drawbacks as the Nuvi 350. Search-by-name is slow, state name input is less than optimal, and many of the extra features require additional purchases.

This Nuvi GPS lacks multiple-destination routing, making it less than ideal for salesmen and delivery drivers.

The speaker quality could be improved for hands-free calling. Although it works well most of the time, road noise can make it difficult to hear the caller. Turning the volume up results in some distortion.

Final Thoughts

Is it worth the price? Yes. The smart, simple, easy-to-use design; portability; and enhanced navigation make the Garmin Nuvi 360 GPS a great value for a mid-priced automotive GPS system.

If you don't use your cellphone much while driving, you may want to consider the less expensive Garmin Nuvi 350. However, if you often find yourself talking on the phone while behind the wheel of your car or truck, the extra bucks for the Nuvi 360 will be well spent.

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