Looking for a small dash cam for your vehicle? The smallest dash cam for car usage I recommend is the Garmin Mini dash cam.
There are other smaller ones that you can buy at Walmart and on various Chinese ecommerce websites, but the Garmin has the reputation of the GPS manufacturing giant behind it.
In addition, the price is attractive and the warranty is extensive. And it’s really cute and minute, just the size of a car key remote.
Best smallest dash cam for car
Here’s why I say the Garmin Mini is the best mini dash cam for car use:
The Garmin Mini is NOT a front and rear dash cam (it records video to the front of the vehicle only). But this tiny dash cam for auto security and leisure has a generous wide-angle 140 degree vision. So it’s perfect for recording road trips and viewing what goes on in front of your car as it travels.
The video quality of the Garmin 010-02062-00 ( to give it the Mini’s official name) is great, delivering 1080P high definition footage. Automatic incident detection and recording comes as standard.
While the Garmin Mini is styled for cars, it’s also fitted to trucks, semis, RVs, pickups, buses, vans, utility vehicles, SUVs and even motorbikes. You can even mount it on a tree at a camping ground for surveillance against theft and vandalism.
Best of all, the smallest dash cam for car connects to wifi, sending footage to your smart phone. When you take delivery of your tiny Mini Garmin, just download the Garmin Drive app and connect. (Note: footage gets saved to the SD card you install in the dash cam. The SD card must be Class 10 or faster. Find one here.)
Also be aware that the Garmin Mini does not record video of the interior of the car, just what goes on in the road in front of the car. And the dash cam has not screen. It consists of is the small dash cam itself only– as the name suggests.
What is the smallest dash cam?
You get really tiny dash cams that are no bigger than a lapel button. However, I would not recommend any of them. They are too small to be practical and the quality is frankly dubious. Stick to reputable names such as Garmin, Nextbase or Nexar.
How can I hide my dash cam in my car?
Short of removing the dash cam from the windshield, mirror or dashboard and storing it in the glove compartment there is no way to hide your dash cam completely. But selecting the smallest dash cam for car means the camera will be as unobtrusive as possible. Unless someone is actively crouching down near the car and looking for the dash cam, he is unlikely to spot the cam.
Can a dash cam be hidden?
You cannot hide a dash cam completely no matter how tiny it is, although some people try. Some dash cam users even install dash cams in the license plate well to record aggressive tailgating and capture license plate numbers. But there are obvious security risks to this as someone could steal the dash cam while your vehicle is stationary at a traffic light. And there is the danger of a car tail-ending right into your dash cam.
What size dash cam do I need?
Use this guide to choosing the style and size dash cam for you:
• Smallest dash cam for car: For front viewing only, suitable for recording road trips
• Larger dash cam with interior view as well: Uber and RideShare drivers like these. Also used for recording important trips such as the trip to the altar or to the prom.
• Front and rear camera: Good for general 360 degree surveillance, footage usable in a court of law if necessary. Good for surveillance vehicles. Can include parking assistance and parking guard mode.
• Very expensive front and rear systems: Used in law enforcement vehicles and fleet vehicles such as large trucks, courier vans, etc. where extremely HD video is needed.
