Product Review: Knight Rider GPS by Mio

In 2008 NBC revived its popular 1980s television series Knight Rider. Only this time around K.I.T.T. (Knight Industries Two Thousand) was a Ford Mustang, not a Pontiac Trans Am. And David Hasselhoff was replaced by lead actor Justin Bruening. Maybe you've seen the show, maybe not. Bottom line, if you're looking for your very own K.I.T.T. personal navigator, the Knight Rider GPS system by Mio should be top on your list.

First things first, the Knight Rider GPS by Mio talks to you. That's right; it gives you turn-by-turn directions in 16 different languages, and will even greet you every time you turn on your car. The best part? The voice is that of Mr. William Daniels. You know, the original voice of K.I.T.T.

After setting up the system, and requesting it respond to me by the name “Jonathan” (it can recite 300 different names), the Knight Rider GPS personally welcomed me every time I turned it on. “Jonathan, where would you like to go today?” Unfortunately the system was unable to transport me back to the 80s. You know what? That’s probably a good thing. It was, however, able to help me find my way to the nearest bank. It also helped me navigate to the closest fast food joint. According to Mio, the system offers up more than 4 million points of interest including restaurants, gas stations, emergency services, and bank ATMs.

As for visuals, all the action takes place on a 4.3-inch TFT anti-glare touch screen. Just like the original K.I.T.T., this GPS unit features two LED indicators which flash as Mr. Daniels, a.k.a K.I.T.T., speaks to you through a built-in speaker. In terms of technology, the system utilizes a 20-channel SiRFstarIII with SiRF InstantFix II GPS receiver. This is said to result in faster communication to the satellite which results in a faster fix on your position. It's also said to help out in dense areas surrounded by skyscrapers or rocky terrain.

You can charge its battery using a car charger or, better yet, a USB cable connected to your computer. I kept my test unit charged daily by taking the system into my office and hooking it up to my computer. The system was fully charged and ready to go when it was time to hit the road at the end of the day.

Depending on your personal preferences, the system can be mounted to your windshield or your dash board via a mounting kit with suction cup.

No doubt, this GPS system is full of great features. Best of all it conjures up many 80s television memories. All things considered, there are other systems on the market that might provide more features for the price, which varies between $199 and $299.99, depending on where you shop. Then again, the other models don't carry the Knight Rider name, nor the voice of William Daniels. That, in a nutshell, is what makes this product so attractive.

If you're a fan of the original show, or have always wanted your own Knight Rider Mustang, this product is a great buy. If you're not a fan, you're better off purchasing one of Mio's other portable GPS systems such as the Mio MOOV 310. You'll get many of the same great features with less overall cost.