Best Dash Cam 2019

A dash cam is an essential accessory for any car. The choice is huge, but we tell you which are the best models to buy.

If you haven't yet invested in a dash cam, it's very good idea to do so because you never know when you might be involved in accident. They record constantly while you drive (and some while you're parked) so you have video evidence showing exactly what happened, and a two-camera system will show the view from the back as well.

You can send the appropriate clip to your insurer to help your case and avoid a claim against your policy. In many cases the excess that you have to pay for a claim is more than most dash cams cost, so it can pay for itself very quickly indeed.

If you’re worried about installing a dash cam, they’re very simple and should take you less than 30 minutes.

The big question is which dash cam to buy. And that’s why you’re here. Below you’ll find our top recommendations for dash cams at all budgets. If you can afford it, it’s well worth choosing one with two cameras to capture the view out of the rear window as well as the front.

What to look for in a dash cam

All dash cams record video as short clips, and then begin overwriting the oldest clips when the memory card is full. However, look for one with a G-sensor which will activate when an impact is detected as this will protect the current clip so it doesn’t get deleted.

Some dash cams come with a second camera which faces backwards and records the view out of the rear window or the cabin. For most people, the rear view camera is well worth the extra money, though if you have a 12V accessory socket in your boot as well as at the front of the car it can work out the same price – or cheaper - to buy two separate dash cams, but you then have two memory cards with separate videos.

Don’t be swayed by a wider-angle lens: the higher the number, the smaller everything is in the centre of the image. We prefer a lens with a 140° field of view, or less.

Image quality varies and a higher resolution doesn’t automatically mean better quality. Read our reviews to find out how each model fares.

Manufacturers often talk of ‘night modes’ but this can be just as misleading as resolution. Again, refer to reviews to find out whether a dash cam is any good at recording at night.

Extras features such as GPS can be worth it as it will record your precise location and speed, so you can prove where you were and that you weren’t speeding.

Wi-Fi, on the other hand, is generally not that useful as it’s quicker to copy video clips by removing the SD card and inserting it into a laptop or PC’s card reader.

We’ve found safety features such as lane-departure warning or forward-movement alerts not too useful as they don't work reliably enough, but those which warn you of safety camera locations can be very useful.

Many models have a parking mode, but you typically have to get your dash cam hard-wired – connected to your car’s fuse box so there’s a constant power supply - in order to use these.

Finally, leave room in your budget for a microSD card as most dash cams don’t come with one.