The entry level arena has traditionally been a bit of a tricky market when it comes to GPS devices, but we've seen a few recently that suggest consumer research is finally paying off. Although not as well known in the UK for its prowess in the portable navigation market, Binatone Carrera does have a decent range.

As for the X350 on test here, it certainly ticks the right boxes in terms of a budget no-nonsense solution. You won't find a lot in the box aside from the traditional windscreen mount and cigarette lighter charger, but it's worth noting that the mount feels particularly sturdy and well designed, making it very easy to make small adjustments on the move.

The navigator boasts a simple black and silver exterior, and just about gets away with not looking too cheap despite appearing a little bland. There's an SD-card slot for updating the map software and a TMC connection for attaching an optional traffic antenna. You'll also find a removable stylus built in, the lack of which has often left rival devices found wanting, but ironically we thought the controls were large and easy enough to use on the X350 to comfortably do without it.

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The unit starts up quickly and gives you the option to adjust some basic settings or access the built-in picture or document viewers. There's not a lot else in terms of extras but we're not surprised considering its entry level nature.

When you enter the main mapping application you'll see a simple location-oriented menu that allows you to navigate to address, postcode, POI or go straight to map view to browse around manually by pressing and dragging around on the main screen. You'll also find you can navigate directly to previously saved locations, view recent journeys and set up a multi-trip route by entering a series of destinations.

We thought its performance on the road was extremely good. To begin with the main display is pretty clear and you're given a decent amount of information (such as speed, distance, ETA, etc.) as you go. Voice prompts are clear and accurate and we didn't have too much trouble working out which turn-off to take even at busy junctions.

If you do get in trouble you'll find all of the most important features, such as volume, POIs and route itinerary just a click or two away. There's also an innovative ‘alternative route' feature which recalculates the next half to three miles of your current journey; handy for avoiding unexpected traffic jams. This, along with the automatic night-mode and a handy instant map browser that activates when you touch the main map view, gives this solid navigation solution an extra bit of impact to make it one of the best around at this price point.

When you consider Binatone's success with the X350 along with the impressive Acer V200 we featured recently, it's fair to say the entry level market has been pretty much cracked. As to which we’d recommend out of the two? Well, despite a similar range of features and functionality, Binatone Carrera just edges the Acer with its lower price point.

Binatone Carrera has called in with a highly effective entry-level solution that features solid performance, an intuitive interface and some well thought out additions to a standard feature set that make it very rewarding to use.