Best Backup Cameras of 2024
1. BEST OVERALL BACK UP CAMERA
WOLFBOX G840S Mirror Backup Camera
PROS
- Ultra-clear image, day or night
- Built in dashcam
- Records and takes pictures, even when parked
CONS
- Have to hardwire, and wire back-to-front
The Wolfbox G840S is Car and Driver’s top pick for backup cameras, and we wholeheartedly agree. It’s packed with features: A huge 12-inch display that doubles as a mirror, a dashcam built into the display so you can record what’s going on in front of you and (most importantly) a high-quality camera with a solid performance, day or night.
Instead of your typical video feed on your dash, this backup camera actually attaches over your rearview mirror. When it’s non-active, it’s a perfectly fine rearview mirror, but when you turn it on and put your car in reverse, it turns into a high-definition rear- and front-facing camera. Video feed comes from either the 1080p rearview camera or the 4k dashcam built into the mirror attachment.
Car and Driver found set up to be pretty straightforward, though it does require running a cable though your vehicle. The camera is hardwired into your car’s fuse panel, and the video is sent over a cable that ends into a mini-jack that plugs into the overhead mirror display. The mirror display is powered via a 12-volt plug that’s the cigarette lighter, which also charges the internal super capacitor so you can grab photos even when your car is off too.
2. BEST VALUE BACKUP CAMERA
LeeKooLuu Backup Camera Plug and Play
PROS
- Easy to install
- Affordable
CONS
- Image quality could be better
Wiring these cameras into your car can be hard. According to our friends over at Car and Driver though, this backup camera was refreshingly easy to install. They ran the camera cable from the trunk to the front of the car, plugged it into the display and then plugged the display into the 12-volt charger. Done and done. Plus, with a whopping 30-foot cable it should be plenty long enough to reach even the back of RVs and pickup trucks.
Though they did find that the image quality could be better, especially at night, it was more than clear enough to see any reasonable obstacles with relative ease. Between the “plug and play” installation that makes set up a snap and the great price, this product is for sure worth the drop in camera quality.
3. BEST WIRELESS BACKUP CAMERA
EWAY WiFi Magnetic Hitch Wireless Backup Camera
PROS
- Zero cables
- Stick-and-go design great for trailers, RVs and old trucks
CONS
- App set up can be confusing
When you’re looking for a system with not a single wire hanging around, this is the one for you. Car and Driver says it’s basically a use-as-needed camera that’s magnetically attached to the back of your vehicle (or anything you’re towing). It’s battery-powered and rechargeable via USB-C cable. The feed uses a local Wi-Fi connection to display the backup image on your smartphone through the camera’s phone app.
The wide-angle lens did give the testers at Car and Driver a comprehensive view of the backup area, even more so when they mounted it higher on the vehicle. You do pay for the ease of wireless set up though: Every time you want to use the camera, you have to attach the camera and then connect it to your phone’s hotspot. A bit clunky for sure, but it’s better than running your truck into the fence because you can’t see over whatever you’ve got loaded in the bed. Car and Driver did note that physical installation is straight forward once you find the correct app (there’s one for Android and one for iOS), though they found the instructions confusing.
4. BEST BACKUP CAMERA FOR RVS, MOTORHOMES AND TRAILERS
Garmin BC 40 Wireless Backup Camera
PROS
- Extremely wide field of view
- Good daytime imagery
- Almost no lag between camera and display
CONS
- Requires separate compatible Garmin GPS display unit
- Poor night imagery
If you’re driving anything wide or long, like a motorhome or anything on a hitch, you know the pain that is attempting to back up with all that extra bulk. If you’re sporting an older RV, you might even just have to stick someone outside the vehicle to give you the all clear. Garmin might be known for their GPS systems circa a time before map applications on our phones, but they also make some pretty sweet backup cameras.
This tiny camera is wireless between the camera and the display when it’s hardwired into a 12-volt power source, though the display does have to be one of Garmin’s compatible units, which are sold separately (for Car and Driver’s test, they used the DriveSmart 65 GPS). They found that in daylight conditions the view was almost 180 degrees, meaning that everything in the plane of the backup camera was visible. Despite the wireless connection, they found there was almost no lag between the camera and the display. While the sensor stands up both day and night, Car and Driver found that the image quality dropped dramatically at night, noting flares from any light behind the camera. When they blocked the stray light, they did find the image quality improved, however.
While the experts at Car and Driver note that this is not the backup camera for you if you need solid images at night, it might make sense if you have a Garmin display or are okay with shelling out the cash for one.
