GPS systems are the hot new toy for tech fans and folks who actually have to know where they’re going and how to get there. But how much do you need to spend to get one that’s decent?

The answer, according to a recent test and review of systems by reporters at the Toronto Star, found that whether you spend a couple of hundred dollars for a stand-alone system or plunk down several thousand for one integrated in you car, they all do a pretty good job.

In fact, in some cases, the less expensive systems outperformed the snazzy build-ins.

A little background:

Following the shooting down of Korean Air Lines Flight 007 in 1983, President Reagan directed that the U.S. military’s global positioning system (GPS), be available for civilian use so that commercial aircraft wouldn’t stray into unsafe airspace.

Today, GPS devices are plopped on the dashboards of delivery vehicles, taxis and plenty of private cars -– a digital compass, if you will, that helps drivers navigate unfamiliar streets and cities. (I for one remember the actual floating compass my father attached to the dashboard of his robins-egg blue 1957 Chevy Nomad station wagon. Despite that little black ball swimming in the sunlight, my father — ever the refusnik when it came to asking for directions — always got lost.)

GPS navigation also allows men to avoid stopping to ask for directions – but women get to use it too.

And for businesses, a GPS system can mean the difference between on-time, on-target deliveries and goods that ride around in the back of trucks for hours, unable to reach customers when they’re needed.

Another cost-saving advantage: Sales and delivery folks won’t be wandering around lost, burning costly fuel while they search for their destination.

So when you’re looking to buy a system for your organization’s vehicles, whether it’s for sales folks on the road or pizza delivery to customers, don’t think you have to spend a fortune to get your money’s worth.

For a closer look at that Star story, visit this site.

Tags: cost, directions, GPS, mobile technology, travel, vehicles