Kenwood DRV-A601W – Premium Integration for Kenwood Users
Kenwood is a legend in car audio, and the DRV-A601W is their entry into the dash cam market, designed to integrate seamlessly with Kenwood head units. Priced at £130 to £160, it offers 1440p recording with built-in GPS and Wi-Fi. While it functions perfectly well as a standalone dash cam, its unique selling point is the ability to view footage, adjust settings, and control the camera directly through a compatible Kenwood multimedia receiver.
Image Quality
The DRV-A601W records at 1440p (2560×1440) at 27fps – an unusual frame rate but the quality is solid. Daytime footage is crisp with good colour reproduction and balanced exposure. Number plates are legible at typical urban and motorway speeds. The dynamic range handles UK lighting conditions adequately. Night performance is mid-pack: good on well-lit roads but struggling somewhat on unlit roads where noise becomes more apparent. The 143-degree lens provides standard wide-angle coverage without excessive distortion. Overall, the image quality is competitive at this price point, though not class-leading.
Features and Kenwood Integration
The headline feature is head unit integration. When connected to a compatible Kenwood receiver via the supplied cable, you can view live footage, playback recordings, and adjust camera settings through the head unit’s touchscreen. This is genuinely useful and eliminates the need to fiddle with a phone app or tiny camera screen. Built-in GPS logs speed and location. Wi-Fi allows connection to the Kenwood Dashboard app for standalone use. Advanced driver assistance features include lane departure and forward collision warnings. Parking mode is supported when hardwired. The camera supports microSD cards up to 256GB.
Installation
Installation is standard for the camera itself with an adhesive mount, but the head unit integration cable adds complexity if you are connecting to a Kenwood receiver. This may require removing the head unit and routing the cable behind the dashboard – best left to a professional installer unless you are comfortable with car audio work. As a standalone camera, installation is straightforward with the included 12V adapter and cable routing tools.
Verdict
The Kenwood DRV-A601W makes most sense for existing Kenwood head unit owners who will benefit from the integrated control and viewing experience. At £130 to £160, the 1440p recording and GPS are competitive, but the camera’s full value is only realised when paired with a compatible receiver. For standalone use, there are better-value alternatives. For Kenwood ecosystem users, it is the obvious and excellent choice.
