Navigation is the Source

Panasonic CN-NVD905U
MSRP
$1,799.95

What We Like
navigation speed/performance and intuitive user interface

What We Don't Like
limited bluetooth capability and system features

Nav Features
30GB hard drive disk, sirius traffic-data ready, 12 million pois, voice guidance in english, spanish and french, coverage includes hawaii, canada and puerto rico

Audio Features
18 watts rms/50 watts peak x 4 internal power, 3 sets of 2-volt rca outputs, 7-band graphic equalizer, speaker level and time correction, srs cs auto sound processing, mp3/wma playback

Extras
DVD video playback, 1 - a/v input and 1 - video output

What To Connect To It
ipod, xm, sirius, tv tuner and bluetooth modules (requires additional expansion module for two or more), rear seat entertainment system and rearview camera

To an inexperienced consumer, all navigation products probably look the same. After all, they all look like a computerized map on an LCD screen. Those of us who have experience with different navigation systems know that they are far from being created equally, despite their similar appearances. Accuracy, speed and ease of use are three of the main criteria that differentiate the entry-level products from the serious players, and the Panasonic Strada CN-NVD905U is a serious player. Although Panasonic is relatively new to navigation in the U.S., they own a large portion of the market share for navigation in Japan.

The CN-NVD905U impressed me right out of the box with it's quick "wake up" time (the time it takes from the moment the unit receives power to the time it's ready to take commands) - taking only about half the time it takes other units I've tested and installed. The design of the user interface and ease of use is a strong point of this unit, along with its responsiveness to touchscreen commands. Vehicle position accuracy and route calculation times were very good, likely due to the fact that its 30GB internal hard drive is dedicated solely to navigation. One of the features that I appreciated was the CN-NVD905U's ability to input additional destinations, even if you've already entered your final destination. For example, if you've already entered an address for a business meeting and decide swing by and pick up some Starbucks beforehand, you can search for the nearest Starbucks and add it to your route without having to cancel the original destination.

The very natural sounding voice prompts of the CN-NVD905U are as good as any system on the market, and I felt that the timing and detail of the voice prompting was better than other units, giving you more time to safely make maneuvers such as changing lanes at freeway interchanges. With all the construction that takes place in Los Angeles and Orange County, I liked the CN-NVD905U's ability to register and store up to 10 "areas to avoid" so that the route guidance system can stay clear of known traffic hurdles. The addition of Sirius real-time traffic data should make the navigation experience even better, but wasn't available at the time of this test.

As an audio unit, the CN-NVD905U has a lot of features and expandability. One key feature these days is iPod compatibility, and when connected to the optional Panasonic CA-DC300U iPod adapter, control and speed are very good. Another cool feature is the "Traffic" button that allows quick and easy access to a preset XM or Sirius traffic station from any audio/visual screen. The lack of a "mute" button and a remote control interface was a bit disappointing. The Bluetooth hands-free cell phone interface put a ding in the CA-NVD905U's armor, lacking on-screen controls and only allowing outbound calls to be placed to the last number received. Despite a few shortcomings, the Strada CN-NVD905U is very solid performer in the competitive double-DIN navigation category. - Chris Yato
Grade: B+