Escort Redline 360c Review

The new Escort Redline 360c ($749) is Escort’s new flagship radar detector. It is very well-rounded and offers excellent long range performance, the best false alert filtering available, arrows, undetectability, and it’s jam packed with tons of useful features. It has just about every feature you could want and is a strong performer across the board. If you’re looking for the best radar detector on the market, take a good look at the new Redline 360c.

Full disclosure: This is not a paid or sponsored review. (I never ever do those.) These are my actual thoughts and opinions, good and bad. I paid full retail for my Redline 360c and this article has affiliate links.

Redline 360c Review: Updated

This review has been completely rewritten. When the Redline 360c first launched (with firmware version 1.2), there were a bunch of critical problems: The arrows didn’t work, it lacked rear radar detection, the ramp-up didn’t properly communicate when you were getting close to the officer, the detector would sometimes start disabling radar detection on its own, etc. In short, initially this detector was pretty awful. You can see more in my initial impressions video.

Fortunately Escort quickly released a new firmware update (fw 1.3) that resolved the most critical issues and also added some additional useful features. Thanks to this update, the Redline 360c is now pretty fantastic. It’s not perfect and there are still a few issues that need to be addressed, but it’s much better than it was originally. In this review, I’ll be taking a fresh look at what it’s like now after this big update.

In a nutshell, you can now think of the new Redline 360c as a souped up Max 360c with longer range, fewer false alerts, and RDD immunity for $100 more.

Long Range Performance

When I think “Redline,” I think of two things: 1) Long range performance and 2) stealth. Let’s start with range.

Years ago the original Redline was the reigning champion of long distance performance. It was the benchmark until the Uniden R3 showed up and took the crown. Then the Redline EX showed up, but its performance lagged behind the original. Today the top performers are the Uniden R7 and Valentine 1 Gen2. Let’s take a look at my Redline 360c test results.

It looks like the Redline 360c is a high end performer like the V1 Gen2 and the R7. Escort claimed the new Redline 360c’s performance is “noticeably” better than those two which I haven’t found to be the case, but it does run head to head with the other two top tier detectors and is also able to outperform the Max 360c.

One weird thing that I and others have noticed is that the detector does have a propensity to be overdriven. When passing by a strong radar source (driving past an officer shooting you with radar), the detector may jump from showing just 1 signal to 3 signals. While this can also occasionally happen with other detectors too, it happens much more regularly with the Redline 360c. I hope Escort fixes this in a future firmware update.

Escort claims that the new Redline 360c achieves 2x the range of the Redline EX, but that hasn’t been my experience when testing with fw 1.2. They say it is 6 dB more sensitive which can theoretically lead to 2x the range in ideal conditions, but that doesn’t always happen in practice. Results will vary in the real world, but either way the new Redline 360c is a step up in sensitivity compared to its predecessors.

Range alone isn’t the only thing that matters. I do wish that it could handily outrange other detectors that cost hundreds of dollars less. If you’re wanting the longest range possible for the least amount of money, other detectors will be a better fit. However, if you’re looking for a long range detector that’s also very well-rounded and offers top notch false alert filtering, that’s where this detector shines.

False Alert Filtering

I think the Redline 360c has to be the quietest radar detector on the market. It does a fantastic job of filtering out false alerts and this is the primary reason I prefer it over the R7. Here’s a few of the ways it filters out false alerts.

BSM Filtering

The RL 360c does a great job of filtering out false alerts from nearby vehicles with radar-based collision avoidance systems (CAS) and blind spot monitoring (BSM) systems, especially after the latest update. It doesn’t filter out every single one, but it filters out the vast majority and many people, myself included, have been impressed with how quiet it is overall.

There is now a new K Notch filter that helps address many Honda/Acura falses. It filters out any weak K band signals between 24.190-24.210. Strong signals in this frequency range (like an approaching police officer) will still be alerted to which I like as a safety measure. It also does mean that Honda BSM’s in this range will alert at full tilt which I really don’t like, but for the most part it does a great job at filtering out BSM falses in the first place.

On Escort’s website they specifically state that when the Redline 360c goes off, its alerts are “Always True. Never False.” Unfortunately that’s not true. The Redline 360c falses against a variety of radar and laser sources, including BSM’s. Escort has been dishonest with their marketing and advertising for years and while this is a quiet detector that does a great job, it is not perfect. I wish Escort would stop setting unrealistic expectations and then underdelivering.

Automatic Lockouts

One thing I do like about Escort products is they offer automatic GPS lockouts. As you drive around, the RL 360c will learn the locations of stationary false alerts from fixed sources like drugstore door openers and speed signs. After seeing those signals several times, it will lock them out so you don’t get alerted again every time you drive by. It’s a great feature. There’s always some inherent risk to lockouts, but they are a great feature when driving in urban areas.

Detectors like the Uniden R7 and Radenso Pro M require you to do this learning process manually. The Valentine 1 doesn’t offer it at all, but there are third party apps that can add autolockouts through your phone. The Redline 360c can do it all on its own so it makes for a better plug-and-play experience.

Low Speed Muting

The integrated GPS also gives you low speed muting to keep the detector quiet in parts of town you haven’t been in before yet. This is a pretty common feature. One unique thing for the RL 360c is when connected to the cloud via Escort Live, it can mute your detector when you’re driving below the speed limit. Otherwise it mutes below a pre-set speed which is how most other detectors behave. The only other detector that can do this is the V1 with the third party JBV1 app.

Auto Mode

Escort’s Auto Mode is also helpful for filtering out certain false alerts. It raises and lowers your detector’s sensitivity based on speed so you get a quieter detector around town as well and a longer range detector on the highway. Auto mode is especially helpful for filtering out shopping center door openers while driving in parking lots.

Stealth to Radar Detector Detectors

One other big selling point of the Redline series of detectors, and one big advantage of the Redline 360c over the Max 360c, is its stealth technology. If you drive in an area where radar detectors are prohibited, you will appreciate that the detector is undetectable by radar detector detectors.

Here’s a quick test with the Redline 360c against the Spectre III RDD.

Now the detector itself is physically large and the mount is pretty bulky as well so it’s possible for an officer to visually spot the detector on your windshield. However, as you drive by, he won’t be able to pick up your RL 360c with his Spectre.

MultaRadar Support

The Redline 360c offers the ability to detect the low powered MultaRadar guns used for photo radar applications around North America. The RL 360c can detect both the MRCD and MRCT, but it doesn’t support Strelka detection (used in Russia) or Gatso detection (used in Canada) like the previous Redline EX does.

I don’t have any MultaRadar here in the Seattle area and I haven’t seen any testing done yet of its MultaRadar detection capabilities, but turning the feature on, I do find quite a few MultaRadar false alerts.

Redline 360c alerting to MultaRadar

When the RL 360c alerts to MultaRadar, it says “M” on screen and all the arrows flash. It doesn’t specify if it’s alerting to MRCD or MRCT. There is also no directional indication for MultaRadar alerts (like with the Uniden R7 or Radenso RC M).

I’m very curious how well the detector can pick up legitimate MultaRadar sources so I’ve mailed my detector off to some fellow testers in Canada and will update this review with more info once it’s available. 🙂

Escort Live

Another big selling point for Escort products is their cloud functionality with Escort Live. The Redline 360c can connect to the cloud over Bluetooth or WiFi and share alerts in realtime with other drivers. Escort offers many detectors now with this capability and they all work together to give you an extra layer of protection. It’s similar to Waze, but the detector can report alerts for you automatically so you don’t have to mess with your phone while driving.

Redline 360c alerting to a recently detected Ka alert ahead

I find Escort Live works better with the detector connected via the WiFi hotspot in my car than through my iPhone over Bluetooth. The detector doesn’t always automatically reconnect through my phone every time I get back in the car, but it does consistently reconnect via WiFi.

WiFi

The Redline 360c is a “connected” detector, hence the “c” in the name like the Max 360c and iXc. This means it allows you to connect to the cloud over WiFi instead of just Bluetooth.

Now besides the cloud alerts, the detector can use its WiFi connection to notify you of updates available to the detector’s built-in redlight / speed camera database or for the detector’s firmware. When updates are available, the detector can update itself while you drive (it takes a few minutes) so you don’t have to plug it into your computer periodically to update. Again, another convenient feature.

Redline 360c prompting to update firmware over WiFi

Laser Jammer Integration

If you’re looking for protection against both radar and laser threats, the Redline 360c can also integrate with Escort’s wired ZR5 laser jammers and wireless ZW5 laser jammers (which I run in my wife’s car). This way you can get an integrated package for both radar and laser protection.

While these are not my favorite laser jammers from a performance and feature perspective (read about the best laser jammers here), Escort has finally added the much-needed AutoJTK feature to allow the jammers to automatically disarm after several sections, giving you enough time to adjust your speed without raising suspicion.

Conclusion

The Redline 360c is exactly the type of detector that I’d personally want to run. It’s a feature-packed high end detector with all the bells and whistles. It offers long range performance, great false alert filtering, arrows, integrated GPS, autolockouts, MRCD/CT support, automatic updates, the speed limit right on screen, realtime alert sharing with other drivers, RDD immunity, and a solid and sturdy feel.

Escort marketing claims of “artificial intelligence” or having “2x the range of the Redline EX” or claiming its alerts are “always true, never false” are simply not true, but the detector itself is nevertheless a strong performer across the board.

At launch it was riddled with unacceptable problems and that has definitely turned a lot of people off to this detector altogether, but I think now in its current form it’s easily one of the best detectors on the market. It isn’t perfect and still needs some work, but it is the only detector on the market offers long range detection, excellent blind spot filtering, and integrated GPS with autolockouts right out of the box. Plus it has arrows, cloud alerts, stealth, easy and automatic updates, etc.

There’s definitely other (and cheaper) that can do many of the things the Redline 360c can, but there is no other detector that offers all these capabilities. Personally I love the fact that I can stick this on my windshield and it does just about everything I need. The Redline 360c is the closest thing we currently have to the ultimate radar detector.

You can purchase a Redline 360c here.

Summary

Reviewer

Vortex Radar

Review Date

2020-07-03

Reviewed Item

Escort Redline 360c

Author Rating

5

Product Name

Escort Redline 360c

Price

USD 749

Product Availability

Available in Stock