VIOFO A229 Plus Duo review
VIOFO A229 Plus Duo Dash Cam (2K front and rear)
By Tom Calder
The value pick for the evidence layer: 2K cameras front and rear, GPS on the file, and a buffered parking mode that keeps the seconds before an impact, which is when the useful footage happens. Most cameras, including Nextbase's 622GW, start recording at the bump. Parking mode needs VIOFO's HK4 hardwire kit, £14.95 extra, and you'll need a microSD card. There's no independent UK lab test of its parking mode yet, so that claim is VIOFO's.
- Best for
- Front and rear footage, including the seconds before a bump
- Skip it if
- You'd never wire a camera in
as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.We earn a commission if you buy through the retailer links on this page. It doesn't change our verdict. How we make money →
Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- Buffered parking mode (maker)
- Front and rear cameras
- GPS, dual-band Wi-Fi
Worth knowing
- Hardwire kit and card cost extra
- No UK lab test of parking mode found
- Doesn't stop a theft
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Our review
VIOFO's two-camera kit records 2K at 60 frames a second through the windscreen and 2K out of the back window, both on Sony STARVIS 2 sensors with HDR, plus GPS, dual-band Wi-Fi and a supercapacitor in place of a battery. The feature that decides it is buffered parking: wired to the fuse box, it saves the 15 seconds before a knock as well as the 30 after. It suits a street-parked car whose owner will fit a hardwire kit.
What the numbers mean
2K here is 2,560 by 1,440 pixels, about 1.8 times the detail of 1080p, and the front camera records it at 60 frames a second, which gives more frames to pause on when a plate flashes past. The rear records the same 1440p at 30. Both use Sony's 5-megapixel IMX675, a STARVIS 2 sensor VIOFO says has 2.5 times the dynamic range of the original STARVIS, and HDR runs on both channels for headlights at night. The front lens is f1.8 across 140 degrees, the rear f1.9 across 160, and a 2.4-inch screen lets you aim and check without a phone. Cards up to 512GB are supported; none is included.
Parked on the street
VIOFO offers three parking modes: auto event detection, which keeps footage from 15 seconds before a detected event to 30 seconds after; time-lapse at 1 to 10 frames a second without audio; and low-bitrate continuous recording in smaller files. All need power with the ignition off. VIOFO UK says a compatible hardwire kit or VIOFO battery pack is required, and VIOFO's FAQ names the HK4 kit, sold separately. The HK4 takes 12 to 24 volts, has a 6-metre cable and four voltage cut-off options to protect the car battery. Fitting means a multimeter at the fuse box to find a permanently live fuse and a switched one, fuse taps, an earth to a metal screw and the Type-C lead into the GPS mount. If that reads like a job for someone else, book an auto electrician.
How it compares
The Nextbase 622GW records sharper 4K but from the front only, with a lithium battery, a top operating temperature of 45°C according to DashCamTalk's table, and a parking mode that saves a 45-second clip starting at the impact. The Nextbase iQ 4K adds 4G alerts and a cabin camera for a subscription from £69.99 a year. Among the two-camera kits on our dash cam comparison, the 70mai A510 pairs a 2.7K front with a 1080p rear, comes with a 64GB card in the Amazon kit and carries a 12-month warranty, so it wins on the box and loses on rear detail.
Living with it
VIOFO UK's box holds the main camera on its GPS mount, the 2K rear camera and cable, a car charger, a Type-C data cable, mount pads, a trim tool, a warning sticker and the printed guides. Wi-Fi runs on 2.4GHz and 5GHz, Bluetooth is built in for an optional remote button, and voice commands cover recording, photos and Wi-Fi, with spoken warnings for card errors. The front unit is about 99 by 58 by 46mm, the rear 67 by 34 by 28mm. VIOFO UK gives an 18-month warranty, 24 months once registered, and a 30-day guarantee: the camera must be returned complete within 30 days of delivery, memory cards are excluded, a handling and inspection charge is deducted and you pay return postage unless it is faulty.
Heat, batteries and the windscreen
There is no lithium cell: a supercapacitor holds just enough charge to close the last file when power drops, which is why VIOFO rates the camera for -20°C to 65°C in use and up to 70°C in storage, a wider band than the 622GW. Our dash cam guide sets out the Highway Code and MOT rules: mount it high behind the mirror on the passenger side, out of the wiper strip in front of the driver, and finish every setting before you set off.
Our verdict
Buy the A229 Plus Duo if your car lives on the street or in a shared car park, you want the moment before a knock and the car behind you on file, and you will have the HK4 fitted. Skip it if the car sleeps on a private drive and you will only ever use the 12V socket, because then a cheaper single camera from the comparison gives the same driving cover. Budget for a high-endurance card either way.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 21 Oct 2026. Sources: VIOFO: A229 Plus 2CH product page and specifications; VIOFO UK: A229 Plus 2CH (box contents, warranty, parking mode power); VIOFO: A229 Plus landing page (parking modes, buffered 15/30 seconds); VIOFO blog: A229 Plus and the Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor; VIOFO: HK4 Type-C hardwire kit; VIOFO UK: warranty and returns; DashCamTalk: VIOFO A229 Plus specification table.
Who shouldn't buy this
Don't buy it if you'd never wire a camera in: without the hardwire kit there's no parking mode, so a simple plug-in camera does the same driving job.
Key specs
| Type | 2K front and rear dash cam, GPS |
| Security rating | n/a: evidence, not a lock |
| Fits | Windscreen; hardwire kit and card extra |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
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Best for Alerts on your phone when someone tampers with the parked car
as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Best for Making a Nextbase 622GW's parking mode actually work
as of 21 Oct 2026, 10:37 BST · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Questions
Does the VIOFO A229 Plus Duo come with a hardwire kit or memory card?
No to both. VIOFO UK lists the camera, GPS mount, rear camera and cable, car charger, data cable, pads, trim tool and guides. The HK4 hardwire kit and a microSD card are sold separately, and every parking mode needs the kit or a VIOFO battery pack.
How does the A229 Plus's buffered parking mode work?
In auto event detection the camera keeps recording while parked and, when the G-sensor or motion detection fires, saves the 15 seconds before the event and 30 seconds after. It needs constant power from the HK4 hardwire kit.
Does the VIOFO A229 Plus have a battery?
No. It uses a supercapacitor, which VIOFO UK describes as in-car reliability without an internal lithium battery. VIOFO rates it for -20°C to 65°C in use, and with no battery it cannot run parking mode on its own.
Is the A229 Plus rear camera also 2K?
Yes. The rear unit records 2,560 by 1,440 at 30 frames a second on the same Sony IMX675 sensor as the front, with HDR and a 160-degree lens.
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