If the dash cam has a Sony image sensor you know it is typically going to be superior in many ways from those with a generic image sensor. One of the top image sensor brands out there for dash cams is Sony. This is usually at the sacrifice of a crisp picture and good night vision.
Most cheap or low-end dash cams being sold use the lowest quality image sensors in order to drive the prices down. To record video in near dark or almost dark with the light of your cars headlights, it needs to have a decent resolution (1080p and up) paired with an image sensor that can properly process the low light setting. To get the best nightvision it is not so much related to the dash cams resolution, but what image sensor it uses.
While many people shopping for a new dash cam focus on features like the resolution and whether or not it captures video at 1080p HD or 4K, something often overlooked is how well the dash cam records video at night.