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Today's Best Rearview Cameras: A 2012 Family Vehicle Review

A growing number of family vehicles of all kinds have rear view cameras. Consumers in the market for one of these safety and convenience technologies have a lot to choose from. But which rearview cameras are the best and which 2012 family vehicles have them? Here we take a look at a few of what we consider to be some of the best rearview cameras.

2012 Infiniti FX: Around View Monitor

The 2012 Infiniti FX35 and FX50 luxury crossover SUVs have one of the best rearview camera systems available in the Around View Monitor with front and rear sonar system. Infiniti's Around View uses four exterior wide-angle cameras, located on the front and rear bumpers and both side mirrors, providing the driver with a virtual birds-eye 360-degree view of the surroundings and an enhanced 180-degree rearward view. When backing up, if you get too close to an object, there's a warning displayed on the 7-inch in-dash monitor screen and an audible tone also sounds. Around View is available as part of the $3,950 Premium Package on the 2012 Infiniti FX35 (and FX35 AWD) and standard on the FX50 AWD. Other Infiniti vehicles with Around View either standard or available include the large seven-passenger QX56 (standard on two- and four-wheel drive models), and the compact EX35 Journey and EX35 Journey AWD (part of the $2,700 Premium Package).

2012 Honda Odyssey: Multi-Angle Rearview Camera

In the 2012 Honda Odyssey minivan, the Multi-Angle Rearview Camera with guidelines is available as standard equipment on the Odyssey Touring and Touring Elite models and optional on the Odyssey EX-L model with Honda Satellite-Linked navigation system, with starting price of $36,875. The Multi-Angle Rearview Camera provides visual guidelines and multiple views (wide, normal and top) to help enhance visual accuracy when backing up or parallel parking. The Multi-Angle Rearview Camera is also standard on the 2012 Honda Pilot EX-L (two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive) mid-size SUV models with Honda Satellite-Linked navigation system, with starting prices of $36,570 (2WD) and $38,170 (4WD) and 2WD and 4WD Touring models.

2012 Toyota Sienna: Panorama Camera

Available on the eight-passenger FWD XLE and seven-passenger Limited models of the 2012 Toyota Sienna minivan, the Panorama Camera is Toyota's answer to the best rearview cameras. The Panorama Camera features an integrated backup camera with two views (regular and wide-angle) and on-screen backup guides. Of course, it's part of an optional navigation package or more expensive premium package that costs $3,295 and $6,225, respectively, on XLE and $2,500, $4,915 and $6,715 on Limited (navigation, and two premium packages), respectively.

2012 Chrysler Town & Country: ParkView Back-up Camera

The 2012 Chrysler Town & Country minivan comes in three models: Touring, Touring-L and Limited. In the base Town & Country Touring model, a ParkView Back Up Camera is standard, while the Touring-L and Limited models include SafetyTec as standard. The ParkView Rear Back Up Camera displays a wide-angle view of the area behind the Town & Country and displays it on the media center radio screen with on-screen.

SafetyTec adds Rear Cross Path Detection that monitors left and right when the driver is backing out of a parking spot, alerting when cars are passing by but ignoring parked vehicles, and Blind Spot Monitoring, ParkSense Park Assist and more. SafetyTec is also available as a $1,500 option on the Touring model.

The ParkView Back Up Camera is also available on the 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan minivan, a $695 media center option on SXT and standard on Crew and R/T models. It's also available on the 2012 Dodge Durango mid-size SUV, part of a $1,395 popular equipment package on Durango SXT, and standard on Crew, R/T and Citadel models. Citadel also includes Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross-Path Detection standard.

2012 BMW X3: Rearview Camera (Top View)

The 2012 BMW X3 compact luxury crossover offers a rear view camera with top view as part of an optional $3,200 technology package on both the X3 xDrive28i and xDrive35i that also includes a navigation system and park distance control, among other features. The rear view camera with top view is automatically activated when shifting into reverse gear, or manually by pressing the parking assist button. The color display shows a real camera image that may include static or track lines to help when parallel parking or backing up. The camera also has a zoom function as well as a docking line guiding the approach to a trailer towing hitch. The rear view camera with top view is also available on the larger 2012 BMW X5 line, part of optional packages that range from $3,200 in the X5 xDrive35i Premium to $3,500 in xDrive35i Sport Activity, xDrive35d and xDrive 50i.

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: Surround Camera

The 2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque compact luxury crossover features the surround camera system with towing assist as a $1,900 Vision Assist package on the base Evoque model called Pure. Vision Assist is standard on Prestige and Dynamic models.

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This article originally appeared in Family Car Guide.

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