Editor's Note
• Original review date: September 2021
• Launch price: $259.99 / £199 / AU$369
• Official price now: around $199.99 / £165 / AU$285
Update: November 2024. Released in 2021, the Garmin Dash Cam 67W is a small, feature-packed dash cam that we think represents excellent value today. It shoots sharp, 1440p video with HDR across an extra-wide 180-degree field of view. The Dash Cam Mini 2 is newer, neater and cheaper, but the 67W has more features to speak of, including GPS, voice control and a parking mode. One of the main caveats at launch was the cost of the dash cam. Due to discounts, that’s no longer the case. While the 67W doesn’t rank among the best dash cams any more, we still think it offers fantastic value if you want a capable dash cam with a lot of features in 2024.
Anyone with a penchant for cycling, running, hiking or pretty much any outdoor venture will likely be familiar with Garmin’s family of computers, smartwatches and navigational aids.
The thread that runs through all of these excellent pieces of tech is an equally brilliant and simple-to-use Connect app – which is, arguably, one of the best hubs for general health and wellbeing out there.
Thankfully, the tech giant’s expertise in this field has carried over to its Garmin Drive app, which, while not quite as slick and all-encompassing as its lifestyle-focused Connect software, is still a long way ahead of some of its clunky dash cam rivals.
The reason for banging on about this so early in the review is that the major difference between the 67W and the 66W it effectively replaces is its ability to connect to a trusted Wi-Fi source and make the most of its newfangled connected prowess.
Once online (you can trust multiple Wi-Fi networks, so it will theoretically work when you pull up at work, home, your nan’s and so on), the camera will automatically upload any saved clips to Garmin’s Vault Storage, where they'll be saved for 24 hours… or longer, if you sign up for a storage plan.
What’s more, owners can open up the Garmin Drive app and receive a live feed from the camera, even when the car is parked. Again, and we hate to be the bearers of bad news, this requires a constant source of power, so you’ll have to invest in a separate cable and hard-wire it into the vehicle’s battery or fuse board. Fun times.
But let’s not get too negative here, because the Garmin 67W is still a very good dash cam, packing in all of the high-end features we enjoyed in the 66W. These include crisp, 4K 1440p video footage, captured in both optimal lighting conditions and on those grey drizzly days, thanks to an HDR (High Dynamic Range) feature, similar to those found on modern smartphone cameras.
As with most dash cams today, the diminutive Garmin will automatically commit footage to a microSD card (which isn't included in the box) when the built-in G-Sensor detects an accident or shunt. It also records on a constant looping basis, overwriting any old footage that isn’t saved by the system, or manually by the user.
Interaction with the unit is via four small buttons on the side – but, remember, the 67W is about the size of a matchbox, so those buttons aren’t very big. From here, it’s fairly self-explanatory; the buttons deal with numerous in-camera settings, including the ability to turn off the additional forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings and other, frankly distracting, warnings.
The screen is only 2-inches wide, so it’s great for initial setup, but you wouldn't really want to be interacting with the unit or looking at the screen whilst driving. Chances are, you’ll tuck the brilliantly compact 67W up near the rear-view window, route its cabling correctly, and then leave it. It’s so small that it's unlikely to attract the unwanted attention of thieves when parked up, either.
Amazingly, the battery life runs for around 30 minutes when power is disconnected, but the camera will try to turn itself off as soon it detects that the ignition has been turned off. That means any longer surveillance tasks will require a fair amount of hard-wiring, but this is the same as any other rival that offers those “constantly connected” features.
The big difference between them and the Garmin Dash Cam 67W is that in order to make the most of Garmin’s smartphone app, the camera needs to be on a Wi-Fi network, which is achieved via Garmin Drive. I had a bit of trouble connecting to my home network; it took a few attempts. But it’s an easy enough task to repeat a few times.
This can be repeated with other networks, should there be one close to where you park at work, for example. Another option is to purchase a mobile hotspot and keep that in the car. So long as it’s charged (or connected to power), it’s possible to remotely access the camera wherever you may be. It’s a neat feature, but it certainly isn't a unique one, since the cheap-as-chips Vava 2K Dual Dash Cam we tried also offered the same service. Alternatively, the BlackVue DR750-2CH LTE even accepts a SIM card, doing away with the need for a mobile hotspot.
Should you buy the Garmin Dash Cam 67W?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
- Check out our guide to the world's best dash cams
