TomTom – New Spark3 / Runner3 Announced

Lots of announcements today of new stuff from TomTom. Let’s start with the SPARK 3 / RUNNER 3.

The previous version in the UK was the similarly-looking RUNNER 2 which itself followed the UK’s original RUNNER product. The RUNNER 2 was released in the US as the SPARK (Sept 2015). To cut a long story short, there is no SPARK 2 just a SPARK 3.

The SPARK3 / RUNNER 3 remain watches for serious runners.

The RUNNER2/SPARK was highly successful and I would argue was a key reason why TomTom quickly grew its MySports user base beyond a million users. Expect more growth with the improved v3 product. Here’s why:

Latest v3 advertised features-

• Route exploration (GPX upload+follow and breadcrumb modes)
• Compass
• Customizable straps (thinner than current/V2, better for 247 wearability)
• Sleep tracking
• Built-in music player (still a rare feature in the market)
• Built-in cardio sensor (optical HR – TomTom have a sound oHRM)
• GPS tracking
• 24/7 activity tracking
• Multisport mode
• 3 weeks of activity tracking
• 11 hours of GPS tracking
• Water resistant (40m/130FT)
• Interval training
• Race mode

The feature set marks an incremental and creditable upgrade from the v2 product BUT also with a whole new set of ROUTING/EXPLORATION functionality. Whilst the new product is similar-looking to the v2 there are further options to customise the appearance with alternative, thinner straps.

FIRST THOUGHTS

I’ve not seen the device yet close-up. It looks to build hardware and features around what runners are looking for. So: it builds multi-sports around what a runner might want; it builds activity tracking around what a runner might want; it builds music around what a runner might want; and it builds routing/exploration around what a runner might want. It’s called the RUNNER3 because it is a watch designed for runners in every respect.

So you won’t get power meter support (you will get speed/cadence), you won’t get a true triathlon-mode (you will get successive multisport modes), and you won’t get turn-by-turn navigation.

The price points are competitive mainly because, for the full feature set, there is no other product that can do the same for the same price! It’s a unique product.

You can pre-order now for delivery in October:

There will likely be many variants to exclude certain features such as music, headphones &/or optical HR as well as options for different band/wrist sizes.

More to follow.

Last Updated on 16 January 2026 by the5krunner

the5krunner

tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors.