VIOFO A329S 3CH review

If you want proof from every angle, the A329S is VIOFO's three-camera kit: front, cabin and rear. VIOFO lists a Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 8MP sensor at the front and IMX675 5MP sensors in the cabin and rear cameras, with HDR on all three. With everything running, the front records 4K at 30fps and the cabin and rear record 2K at 30fps. That's why it gets an A for night and evidence on our grades.

Worth knowing: the 4K 60fps figure you'll see in the marketing only applies when you're running one or two cameras with HDR switched off. With all three on, it's 4K at 30fps. The cabin camera has a 210° fisheye lens and four infrared LEDs, so it's built to see passengers after dark.

Here's the catch: parking mode needs power after the ignition's off. VIOFO says the HK4 kit handles the standard modes, and you'll want the HK6 for hybrid parking, cut-off voltage and the battery-voltage readout. Hybrid parking starts in a normal mode, then drops to low-power impact standby once a time or voltage limit is reached, which is kinder to your battery if your car's parked on the street overnight.

If you don't need the cabin view, we'd look at the A229 Pro 2CH first. And if built-in radar for overnight parking is the main reason you're shopping, the Thinkware U3000 PRO is the one to compare.

Who this suits

You want front, cabin and rear footage, say for a taxi, a private-hire car or a van with passengers.

You'll fit a hardwire kit so buffered or hybrid parking can run once you've locked the car.

You'd like the option of recording to an external SSD as well as a microSD card.

When another camera fits better

You only need front and rear. The A229 Pro 2CH does that job with one cable fewer.

You'd rather not hardwire anything. Parking mode isn't really there without a kit or a VIOFO battery pack.

What works well

• STARVIS 2 sensors on all three cameras, with HDR on each one
• Five parking modes, including a buffered mode that keeps the seconds before an event
• Records to microSD up to 512GB, or to an external SSD up to 4TB

What to watch for

• 4K at 60fps isn't available while all three cameras are recording
• The hybrid and cut-off voltage features need the HK6 kit rather than the HK4
• Three cameras means more cable to route than a front-and-rear kit

Common questions

Does the A329S record 4K at 60fps with all three cameras?

No. With all three cameras on, it's 4K at 30fps at the front. VIOFO lists 4K at 60fps only in one- or two-channel mode with HDR off.

Which hardwire kit do I need for the A329S?

The HK4 runs the standard parking modes. We'd get the HK6 if you want hybrid parking and the cut-off voltage setting, because VIOFO says those need it.

Should I choose the A329S or the A229 Pro?

We'd pick the A329S if you want a cabin camera too, and the A229 Pro 2CH if front and rear is all you need.