Hi

 

Title says it all really. I have been disappointed by factory-fitted sat navs in the past and am about to order a new Octavia. Is the Columbus worth the money? For example, can you accurately navigate to a full 8-digit postcode and / or street name & number? 

 

Thanks for guidance...

Mike

I love the Columbus. Hasn't let me down yet. And yes, it does full post codes etc. The big screen is well worth it.

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Edited 28 January, 201511 yr by JoseDB

The Columbus has its faults but it's many times better than a Tom Tom IMO

I'm really satisfied with it. It's also faster than the standard nav.

Never had to complain about the Amundsen ´slowness ´. I think the nav functions are the same. You mainly have to make your mind about wether the increased screen size is worth the price.

Google maps is considerably better than the Columbus sat nav, in NZ anyway. But I like the rest of the Columbus / canton set up.

Columbus does not only have bigger screen. The resolution is double, the maps are on internal storage (vs SD card) and the maps have 3D mode. The guts of the system are different and the whole interface feels more responsive compared to the demo I drove. Also latest Columbus has iPod interface over USB so no need for Mitsumi.

Most of it has been discussed in http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/262990-amundsen-vs-columbus/

The Amundsen now has a bigger screen than it used to. I was going to go for the Columbus but two dealers said it was slower and didn't feel it was worth so much extra. I thought they would push the more expensive unit for their extra comission!

Yes, hard to justify the additionnal price in my opinion.

Put it this way.....

I have Amundsen, I like it and think its OK but only because it came with the car.

Unless you have money to burn Amundsen is not worth 700 quid. It is after all just a Bolero with SD based nav capabilities.

I think the Columbus looks awesome and is great in terms of cabin look and feel but 1500+ quid on a vRS.....please.

In the same way an Amundsen is not worth 700 quid, nor is the Columbus. The only way you can justify its purchase is if you must have it and insist on integrated nav. Financially speaking neither option make fantastic sense as they'll only add v limited resale appeal/value to the car....it would be something ultimately you'd be buying just for you and for your own gratification alone.

Portable units have their faults/quirks but when youre spending perhaps only late 200's on a fairly high end TomTom/Garmin with 3D traffic and guaranteed map updates I could forgive them any ills....a columbus after all would fund several good portable nav units.

Also the money would buy a few other (arguably better and more useful) factory options....Canton would be the first id recommend as the stock audio is not v good.

The Columbus is better just for the looks surely!

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the main downside for the factory nav units is the lack of speed camera alerts in my opinion. i have Amundsen and i am perfectly happy with it but the Columbus does play video files as well as music. whats an extra grand when you are paying £25000 plus for a car?

I'm happy with the Amundsen - I used Google Maps in my last car and while the convenience of searching internet for destination was good, the routing is a bit random and there was too much lag in the display for my liking.  I much prefer Amundsen to Google.  I looked briefly at Columbus, I thought it was a bit better in most ways but not worth paying more for.

I dismissed purchasing the Columbus after playing with one at the Dealers before ordering my car. The screen is lovely, but the sat nav was horribly clunky and lacked the most basic and essential features - post code search. I went for the base Bolero and use google maps via my phone. Google naivigation is excellent, maps are updated almost daily, audio direction works fine through the car speakers via bluetooth, and location search is the most powerful in the world - it can find any location that is worth finding. Just buy a decent phone mount for ~£20 (and a decent phone if you need one) and save the money.

 

Biggest reason to go for Columbus is the screen. The sat nav is more basic than a 10 year old TomTom.

We ran my Tom Tom and Columbus side by side during a 500 miles drive across the continent last year , both operated the same , same route , columbus is easier to use but the tom tom is funnier as we Brian Blessed as the voice:)

lacked the most basic and essential features - post code search.

 

It does have postcode search - you just have to know where to find it (which, I'll admit, is a UX fail).  And it's not basic, it has lane guidance and built-in traffic (albeit TMC only), and pretty much all the features that TomToms have nowadays.

 

But yes, you can't add the stupid celebrity voices like you can on TomToms...

The Amundsen now has a bigger screen than it used to. I was going to go for the Columbus but two dealers said it was slower and didn't feel it was worth so much extra. I thought they would push the more expensive unit for their extra comission!

 

Well.... see, the Mk 2 Amundsen looks great, but no-one seems to have a clue when it's coming to the Octavia.  Ordered mine about 3 weeks ago, hoping against hope I'll get the new version.

Can you really do full postcode searches? Perhaps there have been updates since I first tried it (16-18 months ago), but back then even the dealer could not get the Columbus to recognise my full home postcode.

With Google I just say the postcode or "Eifel Tower" or wherever I want to go and it immediately lists the route options. Much better than my old Garmin, which was better than the Columbus when I played with it.

Edited 29 January, 201511 yr by Orville

Can you really do full postcode searches? Perhaps there have been updates since I first tried it (16-18 months ago), but back then even the dealer could not get the Columbus to recognise my full home postcode.

With Google I just say the postcode or "Eifel Tower" or wherever I want to go and it immediately lists the route options. Much better than my old Garmin, which was better than the Columbus when I played with it.

Mine does its just a bit of bad interface design as its not exactly where you would expect it to be. The nav is generally pretty accomplished and easily on par with my parents Garmin nav they have. Doesn't match google maps but I'm not sure anything can!

The big screen is much nicer than the other units and I found it more responsive than the standard unit in the demo car I tried.

Video isn't really relevant as you can only play when your not in motion.

I think its well worth it but thats just my opinion

Just curious about the post code stuff...

 

How exactly do post codes work in the UK?

 

(Here in Finland a post code determines the post office responsible for your mail, so navigating to a post code makes no practical sense. It would either lead you to a post office or a dozen kilometer radius around one.)

Enter Destination - Address

Press Postcode (bottom left)

Change to Letters (as defaults to numbers despite all UK postcodes start with a letter)

Enter postcode flipping between letters/numbers as needed

Press OK

It will ask for a street with a list to pick from (if there is more than 1 option for that postcode)

It will ask for a house number (if it has the info for that street)

Edited 29 January, 201511 yr by JoseDB

Thanks to all replies; most helpful.

So the nav capabilities are the same, and both units can do a full postcode search (maybe). Am inclined to spend my grand on something else when I order my new (2nd) scout...

Just curious about the post code stuff...

 

How exactly do post codes work in the UK?

 

(Here in Finland a post code determines the post office responsible for your mail, so navigating to a post code makes no practical sense. It would either lead you to a post office or a dozen kilometer radius around one.)

 

Postcode narrows down to either a street, one side of a street, a few streets (usually in rural areas), or even just one building if it is an office/apartment block.

In my (rural) case, it actually pins down my house :-)

OK, so a slightly random question: can the Amundsen sat nav display your altitude above sea level? I know the columbus can (I can see it in the picture on skoda's website)