Best 5
Short answer: for most UK cars we'd pick the VIOFO A229 Pro 2CH, because it films front and rear with STARVIS 2 sensors. On a budget, the 70mai A810S is the cheaper 4K dual. The rest suit a screen, phone alerts or a small front camera. We work from published specs, not our own driving.
We picked these five by asking two things of what the makers publish: is it likely to pick up a number plate at night, and will parking mode keep recording once you've locked the car? Before you order a hardwire kit, it's worth reading the guide, the van guide, parking mode and hardwire, and method pages.
Updated September 2026.
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Illustrative image1Dual kit with STARVIS 2 sensors front and rear
If footage quality is what you care about, this front-and-rear kit is built around it: 4K and 2K STARVIS 2 cameras, with buffered parking once you've fitted a hardwire kit.
Spec grades
Illustrative image2Screen, polariser, and easy to buy in the UK
If you want the 4K 622GW with a rear camera from day one, this kit pairs it with a 1080p rear in the box. Parking mode only works once you've fitted a hardwire kit.
Spec grades
Illustrative image3LTE alerts and live view when a SIM is fitted
If you'd like cloud alerts and live view on your phone, the DR970X-2CH LTE can do both once a SIM's fitted, and it records front and rear. You'll need a hardwire kit or battery pack if you want parking mode once the ignition's off.
Spec grades
Illustrative image44K dual kit at a lower price
If you'd like 4K-class STARVIS 2 cameras front and rear without paying Thinkware money, this one's the value route. Parking modes are listed, but they only work once a hardwire kit keeps the power on after you've locked the car.
Spec grades
Illustrative image5Small front-only camera with a STARVIS 2 sensor
If you don't need a rear camera, this is a pocketable front camera with a Sony STARVIS 2 sensor. The catch: parking mode's off the table until you've fitted a hardwire kit.
Spec grades
If you need a cabin camera, 4K at both ends or phone alerts, these suit you better than the five above. We'd look at the VIOFO A329S or Vantrue N4 Pro S if you carry passengers, and the Nextbase iQ 1K only if you're happy to pay monthly for live view.
Illustrative imageFront, cabin and rear, all STARVIS 2
If you want the road ahead, the cabin and the back of your car all on record, this is VIOFO's three-camera kit with STARVIS 2 sensors on every channel. The catch: parking mode needs a hardwire kit, and the HK6 if you want the clever voltage features.
Spec grades
Illustrative imageThree cameras with an outdoor-rated rear
If you carry passengers or want the cabin on record, the N4 Pro S films the road ahead in 4K, the cabin in 1080p and the rear in 1440p, all on STARVIS 2 sensors. The catch: parking needs a hardwire kit.
Spec grades
Illustrative image4K front and 4K rear with a big screen
If you want 4K on the back of your car as well as the front, plus a big 3-inch screen, the S1 Ultra is built around that. The catch: Miofive doesn't name its sensors, and parking mode is an impact wake rather than a buffer.
Spec grades
Illustrative imageSmall 4K front camera
If you want sharp front footage from a camera that hides behind your mirror, the E1 Pro is a small 4K front cam with a STARVIS 2 IMX678. The catch: it's front only, and you can't add a rear camera later.
Spec grades
Illustrative image4G live view, with a subscription
If you want to check on your car from your phone, the iQ 1K is Nextbase's always-connected 4G camera, with a 1080p front camera and an infrared cabin camera in one unit. The catch: live view, Smart Sense Parking and cloud storage need a monthly subscription.
Spec grades
If you want front and rear cameras for car-park bumps, and published sensors that look well suited to night plates, we'd start with the VIOFO A229 Pro 2CH.
If you'd like a screen, a polarising filter and a brand that's easy to buy and get help with in the UK, we'd look at the Nextbase 622GW. Just so you know, the rear camera and hardwire kit are bought separately on that listing.
If you'd like cloud alerts and live view on your phone while your car's parked, have a look at the BlackVue DR970X-2CH LTE. You'll need a SIM and a hardwire kit or battery pack to go with it.
If you want a 4K dual on a tighter budget, we'd go for the 70mai A810S Front + Rear. Parking still needs a hardwire kit, mind.
If you only need a small front camera with a STARVIS 2 sensor, we'd look at the VIOFO A119 Mini 2. Just hardwire it if you want parking mode to keep recording once you've locked the car.
A very small 1080p camera such as the Garmin Mini 3 isn't in this five. It's easy to hide, but if evidence quality is your priority, it's a weak choice. You'll find it on the reviews index.
The letters are our grades for evidence, parking and night, worked out from published specs. They aren't averages of customer star ratings, and if you'd like the full rules, they're on the method page.
The Garmin Mini 3, Nextbase 422GW dual, Thinkware U3000 PRO and Thinkware Q1000 are on the reviews index. They each suit a particular situation, so we've kept our top five to five clear jobs rather than stretching the list.