MANGOAL Dual STARVIS 2 Dash Cam for Honda CR-V Review: The Dash Cam That Looks Like Honda Installed It

Most dash cams are a box stuck to the windshield with a wire trailing down to a 12V socket, or a hardwire kit that sends you digging through the fuse panel. MANGOAL builds its cameras differently. Each one is molded for a specific vehicle, so it sits behind the rearview mirror as if it were part of the car. We installed the Front 4K and Rear 2K MANGOAL Dual STARVIS 2 model made for the 2023 to 2026 Honda CR-V in our own CR-V and have been driving with it for about two weeks.

Installation is where a vehicle-specific camera either pays off or doesn’t, and this one pays off. The front camera is simple. It replaces the plastic cover behind the rearview mirror, and MANGOAL includes a trim pry tool, so you don’t have to hunt for one in the garage.

Power is the clever part. Instead of running a wire to the fuse box and working out which circuit to tap, the camera plugs into a Y-adapter at the overhead console, right above the interior lights and the sunglasses holder.

You lower the console, plug the adapter in line, and tuck a short length of wire across the headliner. That’s the whole electrical job. If fuse taps are the reason you’ve put off buying a dash cam, this removes the excuse.

The rear camera takes more effort. The cable has to run the length of the cabin, tucked under the headliner and trim, and then through to the tailgate, and that’s where most of our time went. All in, front and rear took us about an hour. Someone who has routed cable through a car before, or who has a second set of hands, will get it done faster. None of it is difficult. It’s just the slow part.

Once it’s in, the camera blends into the car. The housing matches the CR-V’s interior trim and follows the factory mirror cover’s shape, so it looks like it was always meant to be there.

Passengers haven’t noticed it. That’s the opposite of the bulky cameras we’ve used in the past, which hang off the glass, block a little of your view, and tell anyone walking by that there’s something worth stealing. The unit has no screen and nothing dangling. From the driver’s seat, you mostly forget it’s there.

Quick Specs:

• Model: MANGOAL Front 4K & Rear 2K HDR Dash Cam, Dual STARVIS 2 (Model B, Gray)
• Fits: Honda CR-V and CR-V Hybrid, 2023 to 2026 (sixth generation)
• Front camera: 4K 2160p, Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 sensor
• Rear camera: 2K 1440p, Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor
• HDR: HDR 2.0 on both front and rear
• Audio: Built-in microphone
• GPS: External GPS module included, logs location and speed
• Wi-Fi: 5GHz
• App: SkyCamm for iOS and Android
• Storage: 128GB card included, supports up to 512GB
• Power: Y-adapter that plugs in at the overhead reading light console, no fuse panel wiring
• Parking monitor: Yes
• In the box: Front camera, rear camera, rear camera cable, GPS module, 128GB card, reading light power Y-adapter, trim pry tool, two straps, user manual
• Warranty: 24 months
• Returns: 30 days
• Price: $379.99

The footage is great, which is probably the most important part for a device meant to capture footage of your driving. The front camera records in 4K and the rear in 2K, both on Sony STARVIS 2 sensors with HDR, and the video is very clear.

Plates and street signs are easy to read in daylight, and the night footage held up much better than we expected, with headlights and streetlights well controlled and detail still visible in darker parts of the frame.

The built-in microphone also records what’s happening inside the car, which is useful if you ever need a record of a conversation at a traffic stop or after a collision. It’s also worth remembering before you sing along to the radio.

Everything else runs through the SkyCamm app, which connects to the camera over Wi-Fi and works well. You can watch a live view, pull clips to your phone, and change settings without touching the camera. The included GPS module adds your location and speed to each recording, so a clip shows where you were, how fast you were going, and what happened. It offers plenty of options, including a parking monitor that keeps watch while the car is parked.

We had a hard time coming up with complaints. The fair one is that $379.99 buys more features elsewhere. Universal cameras from Viofo, Vantrue, and BlackVue at or above this price add extras like cloud connectivity or a third camera pointed at the cabin, and you won’t find those here. Fitcamx sells a similar factory-look design and is the closest direct competitor. We’ll take the trade.

A camera that disappears into the car and plugs in without a fuse tap is worth more to us than a longer feature list, and we’d make that choice all day.

You’ll probably be happy with this camera if you own a 2023 or newer CR-V and want front and rear coverage that looks factory-installed, or if you’ve been avoiding dash cams because of the wiring. It’s also a good pick if you’d rather not advertise that you have one.

Look elsewhere if you want cloud features, an interior camera, or if you change cars often. This camera is shaped for one vehicle, so it won’t follow you to the next one unless that’s another sixth-generation CR-V.

Check out some screenshots from the SkyCamm app:

After two weeks, we recommend the MANGOAL Dual STARVIS 2 Dash Cam to any CR-V owner who asks. The video is sharp day and night, the app and GPS do what they should, and the install avoids the part everyone dreads. It gives up a few extras to pricier cameras and looks better than all of them. And keep in mind that MANGOAL makes similar dash cams for many types of cars. Check their website to confirm if they make one that fits yours!

The MANGOAL Dual STARVIS 2 Dash Cam for the Honda CR-V retails for $379.99; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer-supplied review sample

What I Like: Looks like a factory part and blends in with the CR-V’s interior; Front camera install is simple; Power plugs in at the overhead reading light console, with no fuse panel wiring; Very clear footage, even at night; 4K front and 2K rear cameras, both with STARVIS 2 sensors and HDR; Microphone records audio inside the car; SkyCamm app works well and has plenty of options, including a parking monitor; Included GPS module adds location and speed to recordings; 128GB card included; 24-month warranty

What Needs Improvement: Routing the rear camera cable takes some time and patience; Lacks some of the extras that pricier universal cameras offer; Built for a specific vehicle, so it won’t move to a different car