Whistler XTR-260 Radar Detector Review

Driver’s Experience Test

The Third Radar Detector tested for my “Low Priced Radar Detector Review” is the Whistler XTR 260

The XTR 260 retails for around $89.00 and is advertised as an all band radar detector.

I installed the Whistler programmed in highway mode in Tombstone Arizona for our 245 mile trip back home. This trip also included the normal 85 mile test that I normally use for the driver’s performance test.

My first impression when powering the unit up was the ease in being able to notice its visual bright blue display with the periscope LED eyes on top of the detector.

During the entire trip the XTR-260 seemed much quieter then the XTR-185 when it came to false alert reporting.

As we entered Benson the Whistler began alerting to a Ka band alert. Less than a half mile away, I observed an Arizona Department of Public Safety Trooper parked at a gas station.

Ka alert number two came just outside of Tucson, however I was somewhat surprised that the detector was alerting on what I felt was a K band ADOT speed trailer. To confirm my suspicions I plugged in my Bel STi which gave the correct alert of K band.

From experience I have witnessed this same behavior before in lower priced radar detectors in misreporting bands; however I’m not overly concerned as the detector did alert.

Just outside of Tucson, the detector alerted three times to laser within a three mile stretch. It was still mid morning and we were driving west with the sun behind us, so I can only assume that this false was a reflection of some type that caused the detector to alert.

Once in the Phoenix metro area, the detector did give adequate warning on K band to a parked DPS cruiser on the shoulder of the highway.
My overall impression with the XTR-260 was fair. The detector did alert within reasonable limits for a detector in its price range. The filtering was good and the ease of reading the display was good.

Later this week I hope to do the range performance testing on my full arsenal of low priced detectors.

Radar Roy’s Badge Rating – Two Badges