TomTom Via 52

Tomtom via 52 purchased 27 march, 2020 for $149.25 (includes discount because of previous faulty GPS which they would not fix)

I have used TomTom for many years and until the last couple they have been fairly good - but this Via 52 takes the cake as the most awful, hard to use, difficult to navigate GPS I have ever had the displeasure to use.
The company will not help in any event, no matter what.
The batteries are Absolutely hopeless. (((appalling)))
The road maps are overall not too bad, however the speeds are long out of date and of no use

Awkward to use, awful system to record favourites, frequently detours you through housing estates to save 2 seconds even though you are on a main road. We have had TomToms for 15 years, they just keep getting worse. Now it has stopped working. It is reasonably new so it may be under warranty. My wife spent ALL DAY trying to download upgrades but it never finished them it just sat there trying to do ...something. Then the worst part of all is the TomTom website and the 'help' system, they are determined never to be held to account. What a nightmare, it looks brand new but it will a pleasure to smash it with a hammer.

I purchased the unit about 2.5 years back and I have basically sent it to the bin to be replaced by a very old unit that has old maps (but works). The touch screen has to be pressed hard and really can't be used on the move. Absolutely nothing appeals to me with the unit so it now is sitting in my e-waste bin

not tomtom’s usual quality. very poor, and i would never buy it again. very awkward and doesn’t do what you want it to do. wish i never bought it in the first place.

I have a Garmin from 2014 which I use for work and has served me well in all that time. Thought I would treat myself to a new GPS perhaps with updated features which I could use on our next road trip holiday. Straight out of the box I could tell that the interface is really clunky. Once I started to load it up with road trip routes and POIs via their much vaunted MyDrive Connect, it became even clunkier. Seriously, in 2020 I expected much better than this. No wonder smartphones are killing this segment. In hindsight I would prefer not to have spent this much money on a GPS.

Due to the WNRO I have been advised that my model can't be updated and TOMTOM have kindly sent a discount offer to purchase a new unit. WNRO is something that has not come out of the blue but has been known for decades--why would TOMTOM design devices that are upgradeable via software updates of any other reason than to make as much money as possible? Cynical I know!
This is despite the fact that my current unit was recommended by TOMTOM 2 years ago to replace my previous unit that TOMTOM advised was no longer supported that again was purchase

This model is far harder to use than my previous model which could no longer support upgrades.
The route maps are totally useless. My previous model had detailed routes which you could modify if needed. for example, avoid a very busy intersection. With the Via the map is like a child's drawing. It is also very hard to add addresses, the keyboard is quite unresponsive and addresses have to be entered and reentered often. Very tedious.
It holds no charge, unlike the previous model where I could enter an address while still at home, check the rout

The maps are somewhat OK but not great! If you travel countryside, be careful, it may navigate to some random roads!! The voice navigation also misled me a few occasions. The speed limits were inaccurate in many occasions.