(checked 2026-10-10)
Wirecutter's top pick: in its tests, the 4K video was as good as any dash cam it tried, day or night, and a supercapacitor handles heat better than a battery. On Amazon, some owners say the rear camera or the whole unit stopped working, and about 1 in 7 ratings are 1 or 2 stars.
Parking mode / hardwire kit: Needed for 24-hour parking mode; Viofo sells several kits, and which one you need depends on your car (Wirecutter)
Top complaints
- Some units or rear cameras fail
Amazon's review summary says reliability is mixed: some owners say it works great, while others say the rear camera stopped working after two days. It also calls Wi-Fi, recording stability and night vision mixed.
- Tall design and bright LEDs
Wirecutter says the vertical layout can take up viewing space on smaller windshields, and that two red and two cyan LEDs stay on all the time until you turn them off in the app.
Source: Wirecutter (dash cams) - Dim rear video through tint; no memory card included
Wirecutter found the rear camera's footage dim through tinted windows, especially at night, and notes you have to buy your own microSD card. Some Amazon owners also question whether it's worth hundreds of dollars.
What owners love
- Top-tier 4K video, even at night
Wirecutter found its footage as good as any dash cam it tested, with license plates easy to pick out at a distance, even at night. Amazon owners praise the crystal-clear 4K front footage.
- Built for heat
A supercapacitor instead of a lithium-ion battery lets it run from -4 to 149°F. After more than a year that included Death Valley, Wirecutter's camera gave only one brief heat warning, then rebooted and worked fine.
Source: Wirecutter (dash cams) - Easy setup and a capable app
Wirecutter calls installation easy (a sticky-pad mount plus a lever tool to pop it off) and the app easy to use, with a GPS map, clip trimming and fast 5 GHz downloads. A polarizing filter is included.
Source: Wirecutter (dash cams)
- You have a small windshield (tall, vertical body)
- You want the cheapest 4K camera
- Your rear window is darkly tinted
- Reading license plates at night
- Hot climates (supercapacitor, no battery)
- Adding rear and cabin cameras
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Wirecutter (NYT): Top pick (updated 2026-05-21): it gives you the best chance of reading another car's plate in the widest range of conditions. Its flaws aren't dealbreakers: an unusual vertical design, dim rear video through tint, and LEDs that are annoying until you turn them off.