The best front and rear dash cams around do an excellent job of monitoring your vehicle as you travel from A to B. In the unfortunate event of a collision on the road, you’ll need your dash cam to provide high-quality footage that confirms exactly why the crash took place. This is key to settling insurance disputes and claims.
In our handy buying guide, we run through some of the most popular front and rear dash cams under £150. All of our top picks are available to buy today on Amazon. Alternatively, you can use our exclusive shopping links to browse front and rear dash cams from other retailers including Currys, Robert Dyas and The Range.
In this article:
- Front and rear dash cams: which features are important?
- Where can you buy front and rear dash cams?
- The best front and rear dash cams for 2023
- Premium & high-end front and rear dash cams for 2023
- How to install a front and rear dash cam
Cheap front and rear dash cams: quick guide
Don’t have time to explore our full guide? In that case, use our exclusive links to shop with Amazon, Currys, eBay, Robert Dyas and The Range. Before buying, check the quality of the camera (including night vision) and whether or not the device has parking mode.
Front and rear dash cams: which features are important?
Camera quality
This is obviously very important. A dash cam with a rubbish camera won’t be able to pick up key details from a distance, such as licence plates, road signs and turning signals. When you’re shopping for a front and rear dash cam, make a note of the video specs. You’ll get more detail from a 1080p camera compared to a 480p camera or 720p camera, for example.
FPS (frames per second) is also related to video quality, but it’s slightly less important. Just know that footage filmed by a front and rear dash cam at 60fps will appear smoother than 30fps.
Parking monitor
Shop for a dash cam with a parking monitor and you’ll be protected even when you’re not in your vehicle. A parking monitor will automatically record footage when it detects a bump, so if somebody knocks into your motor in the car park, you’ll know about it.
Night mode
If you do lots of driving in low light, try and pick out a front and rear dash cam with a dedicated night mode.
Where can you buy front and rear dash cams?
Shopping for a front and rear dash cam in-store has its benefits. You’ll be able to look at your options up-close and get a feel for the build quality. However, you’ll have lots more dash cams to choose from if you’re willing to take your search online.
There are no shortage of companies that sell front and rear dash cams online. Some of the most popular retailers for dash cams include Amazon, Currys, eBay, Robert Dyas and The Range.
Whatever retailer you trust your money with, get into the habit of checking customer reviews for the dash cams you’re considering. Also note the brand’s returns policy in case you don’t like the dash cam when it arrives at your front door.
The best front and rear dash cams for 2023
CHORTAU Dash Cam (£49.88)
This dash cam is one of the most popular picks on Amazon. It’s equipped with a 3-inch LCD display, a 1080p front camera and has a waterproof rear camera as well. The front-facing snapper flaunts a 170-degree lens, which aims to capture as much detail on the road ahead of you as possible. That’s crucial if you have a bump on the road and have to deal with an insurance claim.
The device is constantly recording, which means your old, unnecessary footage is automatically saved over when your storage card is full. A variable sensitivity G-Sensor in this front and rear dash cam also ensures it will immediately save footage in an emergency without you having to press any buttons. Videos taken by the rear camera are stored alongside those from the front camera on the same memory card.
Other features worth mentioning include a dedicated night vision mode and a reversing camera mode for safe parking.
Click here to buy the CHORTAU Dash Cam, or shop deals on eBay.
Claoner Dash Cam (£49.99)
Take a closer look at this front and rear dash cam if you’re aiming to spend around £50. This model has a 3-inch LCD display and a front-facing camera with a 170-degree, wide angle lens. This model can record continuously, meaning your older videos will be replaced by new clips when the memory card is full.
As this front and rear dash cam has a G-sensor, it’ll automatically save a clip when it detects a bump while you’re driving or in the car park. The rear camera is built to withstand the elements thanks to a waterproof design, plus is has LED lights that allow you to see what’s behind your car during an evening drive.
Click here to buy the Claoner Dash Cam, or shop deals on eBay.
IIWEY Dash Cam (£49.99)
The front-camera camera on this front and rear dash cam captures footage at an impressive 2K resolution at 30fps. Meanwhile, the rear camera shoots at 1080p resolution at 30fps. Combine those two cameras together and you get a dash cam package that has an all-round view of your vehicle in the event of a collision. The IIWEY Dash Cam is also equipped with a Sony sensor that helps the gadget record at night.
Like many of the other dash cams we’ve spotlighted, this model has a parking mode. If you’re out shopping and your car gets hits while you’re away, the camera will automatically save a video of when the collision took place.
Click here to buy the IIWEY Dash Cam, or shop deals on eBay.
Premium & high-end front and rear dash cams for 2023
Nextbase 222XR Dash Cam (£119.95)
Nextbase is a massive name in the world of dash cams and well-known for its intelligent, dependable front and rear dash cams. The Nextbase 222XR Dash Cam films at 1080p resolution (30fps) and has an intelligent parking mode that uses motion sensors for protection around the clock. You can watch back the footage through its 2.5-inch LED screen.
As for the rear camera, it has a 140-degree ultra-wide viewing angle to capture the whole road behind you. That includes the pavements on both sides of the road. When you fit the rear camera, you might want to tuck the wire underneath the roof lining of the car so it appears wireless.
Click here to buy the Nextbase 222XR Dash Cam, or shop deals on eBay.
Nextbase 522GW Dash Cam + Rear Cam Bundle (currently unavailable)
Here’s another feature-packed dash cam from Nextbase that we think is worth a closer look. The Nextbase 522GW Dash Cam has a fantastic front-facing camera that films 30fps videos at 1440p resolution or smoother 60fps videos at 1080p resolution. This bundle includes the brand’s Rear Cam, while you’ll need to mount to your back window.
The Nextbase 522GW has a 3-inch display and Quick-Link wi-fi, which means your files will be synced automatically to your mobile phone. From your phone, you can also edit and share your footage in just a couple of taps.
Click here to buy the Nextbase 522GW Dash Cam, or shop deals on eBay.
VANTRUE N4 Dash Cam (£189.99)
The priciest dash cam on our list comes courtesy of VANTRUE. This premium dash cam has three cameras: front (155-degree lens, 1440p), inside (165-degree lens, 1080p) and rear (160-degree lens, 1080p). In other words, you have a fantastic view of your vehicle in the event that an insurance company needs to check your footage.
There’s also a 2.45-inch LCD display, dual recording capability, infrared night vision, 24-hour motion detection and continuous loop recording.
Click here to buy the VANTRUE N4 Dash Cam, or shop deals on eBay.
How to install a front and rear dash cam
Believe it or not, installing a front and rear dash cam without having to call in a professional doesn’t always have to be super complicated. You can guide yourself through the process with the correct attitude and the right tools.
To prepare your new front and rear dash cam yourself, run through these steps:
1. Clean the inside of your front window
This is an important first step because it means the dash cam will have a clearer view of the road ahead. On top of that, you’ll probably find the gadget easier to install with a clean interior.
2 Attach your dash cam to its front mount and plug it in
Depending on the front and rear dash cam you’re using, it may come with either an adhesive sticker or a dedicated mounting kit. Either way, position the front-facing dash cam above your head and make sure the power input port is easily accessible. Then, plug in the dash cam and run the wire from the dash cam to your power source.
3. Clean the inside of your rear window
Repeat step one, but this time for the back of your vehicle. This is to prepare the surface for your rear-facing camera.
4. Attach your dash cam to its rear mount and plug it in.
Position the rear camera in the middle of the rear window, but make sure you’re happy with the view before you set it in place for good.
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