Coyote Max test (1 month): should you go for a paid speed camera warning when Waze exists?

At the beginning of November, Coyote launched its new Coyote Max alarm. If the speed camera warning has had its heyday, the advent of free applications like Waze has transformed the market. But Coyote continues to believe in it. The company believes in its model and, above all, in its community of 5 million users.

For a month we therefore integrated the Coyote Max into our driving equipment. Is it worth investing when free solutions exist? Response after several hundred kilometers traveled.

A great technical development

Let’s start with the case. The Coyote Max marks a real technological evolution compared to its predecessors. Under the hood, an eight-core processor clocked at 2 GHz and 6 GB of RAM allow smoother navigation in the different menus.

4-inch IPS touchscreen (800 x 480 pixels), 0.5 inch larger than the Coyote Up, offers excellent readability. For greater comfort, the display automatically adapts to the ambient brightness, with the possibility of manually forcing day or night mode.

The interface has been completely redesigned for clearer reading of essential information. The left part of the screen permanently displays the speed in real time as well as the limitation in force. The right side shows a graph of community reports.

This visualization extends over 30 kilometers outside urban areas and is reduced to 500 meters in town in order to offer a vision adapted to each driving environment.

A sophisticated alert system

The notification system is probably the Coyote Max’s greatest achievement. Alerts are now prioritized according to color code and distinct shapes: red triangles for permanent controls, orange triangles for temporary controls, pale orange squares for road events and blue squares for weather conditions.

The sound alerts have also been enriched, switching from two to four different tones depending on the position in a control zone. The adjustable sound volume allows you to stay informed without taking your eyes off the road. The voice assistant has been improved, making it easy to report dangers with a simple “Hey Coyote” followed by voice command.

All of these improvements aim to correct the main criticisms made to previous generations. Coyote explains that it collaborated with its most loyal users to build the new interface as well as the alert system.

The objective was simple: continue to warn users effectively without distracting them. After a month of experience, we can assure that the mission is perfectly accomplished.

The new alert system is in fact much more discreet and progressive, which avoids having to look away from the road or being startled at each alert. The choice of sounds is also softer, which corrects the anxiety-inducing side of previous versions. A real success.

Some points to improve

Despite these advances, several points frankly spoiled our experience. Starting with 30 second boot timevery frustrating on a daily basis. This slowness requires you to anticipate the start-up before each journey, a fault that is not found in the free applications available on smartphones.

Even more annoying: we noted several inaccuracies in the display of speed limits, especially in construction zones or on recently modified roads. Although we can correct these errors manually, they call into question the reliability of a device supposed to protect us from fines.

Finally, autonomy limited to two hours proves restrictive. Without permanent power, the Coyote Max quickly becomes unusable. This problem is all the more annoying since the charger is not included in the basic pack.

The painful question of price

The price positioning of the Coyote Max undoubtedly raises the most questions. Marketed at 299 euros, or 49 euros more than the Coyote Upit can only be used if you subscribe to one of the three subscriptions offered by the company: the monthly offer at 14.99 euros with a one-year commitment, the annual offer at 179 euros, or the bi-annual plan at 359 euros. Quite an investment.

This price is all the more questionable as the contents of the box are reduced to the strict minimum: no mounting support, no cigarette lighter charger, no screen protection. These essential accessories must all be purchased separately: count 30 to 35 euros for a support, 25 euros for the charger, 15 euros for the screen protector and 20 euros for a protective cover. “That’s a lot there anyway.”

Our verdict after a month of use

From a purely technical point of view, the Coyote Max is undeniably a successful product. The quality of manufacturing, the clarity of the interface and the relevance of the alerts demonstrate true know-how. Regular updates and technical support also demonstrate the seriousness of the brand.

However, its pricing positioning is difficult to justify in a market where free or cheaper alternatives have become equally effective. Our comparative tests with Waze did not reveal a significant difference in the relevance of the alerts. Coyote’s community argument (5 million members in Europe) also struggles to convince in the face of the 5 million daily users of Waze in France.

The question is no longer so much whether the Coyote Max is a good product – it undoubtedly is – but rather whether its premium positioning is justified in 2024. With an initial investment which can exceed 400 euros (accessories included) plus a subscription mandatory, the Coyote Max is mainly aimed at users attached to the box format and ready to pay for a dedicated device.

For the majority of drivers, the Coyote app (9.99 euros/month) or free solutions like Waze offer significantly better value for money, with the added benefit of GPS navigation and CarPlay/Android compatibility Auto.