Amazon
One place that heat can make itself known? Your car.
Though it’s best to park your car in the shade rather than direct sunlight to keep it cool, sometimes parking or driving for long periods in the sun is unavoidable. Luckily, there is one simple addition you can buy that’s designed to keep your car below triple-digit temperatures (and keep everyone and everything in it safer from the heat): a car shade. Car shades can cool your car by about 8% to 25%. In FOX10 News’ test, where they measured the temperature of a car with a sunshade and another without one, the sun shade cooled the car by about 20 degrees.
Car shades are available for both your windshield and your windows, and many of them are simple to install and remove as you need, not to mention affordable. Some are made of reflective material to repel sunlight from entering through your windows, others are breathable mesh that won’t disrupt your visibility out of the windows and many are easily foldable store them when needed without fuss. If you don’t already have a sun shade or two in your car, and you’re tired of burning yourself on an overheated steering wheel or seat, then here are some of the best options on Amazon to keep your car cool.
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Amazon
A reflective, foldable windshield shade with a bonus steering wheel shade
This Magnelex windshield shade is made of a reflective polyester material, which reflects away light and blocks out heat and UV rays. It also comes with a steering wheel sunshade to keep your steering wheel cool and protected. The sunshade is foldable and can fit inside the provided pouch for easy storage when it's not in use. It's available in six sizes, and while there is a size chart provided in the images on Amazon, many reviewers advise measuring your windshield yourself to make sure you get the proper size for your car.
Make sure to clip the coupon to get a 40% off discount applied at checkout.
Promising review: "You guys. Your search ends here.
You cannot beat this product, especially for the price. I've purchased this twice now - first, for a road trip to Texas in late July, and was so happy with it I bought another for my other vehicle when we returned. We have are a Ford Freestyle (2007) and a Ford Edge (2019) - the large fits both. Be sure to enter your car in their search engine so you are certain what size you ought to get.
People. The temperatures in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas on our trip were over 100 degrees, every day. The last few days it got up to 104-106. Record high temps, but this snazzy little piece of plastic saved our poor thighs and backs from getting the skin peeled off of them after being parked out in the sun. Even after a full day in a wide open parking lot at a water park, our car was at least 15-20 degrees cooler than it would have been otherwise, and the seats were shaded. I really cannot sing the praises of this sunshade enough. The wheel cover is a nice bonus, but the windshield shade did such a good job, we really didn't need it. If it ever tears or breaks, I will immediately buy it again. Do it!!" — The Yellow House
Make sure to clip the coupon to get a 40% off discount applied at checkout.
Promising review: "You guys. Your search ends here.
You cannot beat this product, especially for the price. I've purchased this twice now - first, for a road trip to Texas in late July, and was so happy with it I bought another for my other vehicle when we returned. We have are a Ford Freestyle (2007) and a Ford Edge (2019) - the large fits both. Be sure to enter your car in their search engine so you are certain what size you ought to get.
People. The temperatures in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas on our trip were over 100 degrees, every day. The last few days it got up to 104-106. Record high temps, but this snazzy little piece of plastic saved our poor thighs and backs from getting the skin peeled off of them after being parked out in the sun. Even after a full day in a wide open parking lot at a water park, our car was at least 15-20 degrees cooler than it would have been otherwise, and the seats were shaded. I really cannot sing the praises of this sunshade enough. The wheel cover is a nice bonus, but the windshield shade did such a good job, we really didn't need it. If it ever tears or breaks, I will immediately buy it again. Do it!!" — The Yellow House
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Amazon
A 4-pack of window shades designed to block 97% of UV rays
Don't forget about your backseat — whether you're driving around friends, children or pets, your passengers deserve a cool car, too. These 21-by-14-inch window shades come in a four-pack and have a lightweight, dual-layer design with mesh on one side and a static cling on the other. They couldn't be easier to install or remove, according to reviewers — just stick the static cling side of each shade to your window and press it down to make sure it stays in place, and peel it off to remove.
Clip the 20% off coupon to get a discount on this item applied at checkout.
Promising review: "I love the ease of applying to my windows. I have a Kia Soul and these are great on all 4 windows. There is just a small outside edge of light around the screen but nothing to cause an issue. I can see fine through the passenger side and back window screens continually up. I do take my driver's side screen down for driving. I live in the Phoenix area and we have recently reached 117 degrees for a couple of days. With my dashboard sunscreens in place, these really help with the interior heat while parked outdoors at work. So easy to apply and reapply. Love them!" — grandmaT
Clip the 20% off coupon to get a discount on this item applied at checkout.
Promising review: "I love the ease of applying to my windows. I have a Kia Soul and these are great on all 4 windows. There is just a small outside edge of light around the screen but nothing to cause an issue. I can see fine through the passenger side and back window screens continually up. I do take my driver's side screen down for driving. I live in the Phoenix area and we have recently reached 117 degrees for a couple of days. With my dashboard sunscreens in place, these really help with the interior heat while parked outdoors at work. So easy to apply and reapply. Love them!" — grandmaT
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Amazon
A reflective two-piece windshield shade
Made of two foldable pieces, this windshield shade by EzyShade is designed with reflective technology meant to reduce heat by 82% and leave your car 15% cooler than alternative brands. They come in three sizes and every purchase includes a non-slip sticky dashboard mat for your phone or other small items you want to keep within easy reach on your dashboard.
Promising review: "These shades are a perfect fit (size M) for my 2018 mazda3 hatchback windshield and they are so easy to fit and use. Being a person who panics when it comes to puzzles, I was expecting to fail at folding the screens into the tiny package the pictures show, so I was surprised at how easily I could do that. Joy. We had a 94-degree day when these arrived and I could sense the sigh of relief from my car’s interior—immediate respite from the sun beating down. Really nice product, I’m so happy with this choice" — Gari Thompson
Promising review: "These shades are a perfect fit (size M) for my 2018 mazda3 hatchback windshield and they are so easy to fit and use. Being a person who panics when it comes to puzzles, I was expecting to fail at folding the screens into the tiny package the pictures show, so I was surprised at how easily I could do that. Joy. We had a 94-degree day when these arrived and I could sense the sigh of relief from my car’s interior—immediate respite from the sun beating down. Really nice product, I’m so happy with this choice" — Gari Thompson
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Amazon
An umbrella-style foldable windshield shade
If some of the other shades' folding mechanisms seem a little complicated, this one is even easier by comparison: Able to fit into a compact sleeve when it's not in use, this windshield shade can be opened and shut like an umbrella to fit your windshield (the handle leans against the dash once it's in place). It's 57 by 33 inches, has an anti-scratch edge and is available in four colors.
Clip the 6% off coupon to get an additional discount at checkout.
Promising review: "Bit of a skeptic at first. But my car is noticeably cooler when using this, like 20 degrees cooler. It does fold up enough to fit into the door pocket of my Ford Edge. Still getting the hang of putting it up and down. Glad no one is in the passenger seat. But like if you left something in the car, this would buy you some time." — Angie
Clip the 6% off coupon to get an additional discount at checkout.
Promising review: "Bit of a skeptic at first. But my car is noticeably cooler when using this, like 20 degrees cooler. It does fold up enough to fit into the door pocket of my Ford Edge. Still getting the hang of putting it up and down. Glad no one is in the passenger seat. But like if you left something in the car, this would buy you some time." — Angie
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Amazon
A 2-pack of mesh window shades with larger size options
If you have bigger side windows and need a larger shade to cover them, this two-pack from PEMOTech comes in three sizes, up to an XXL measuring 31.5 by 47.2 inches. The shades are made of double-layer mesh and have a stretchy, pouch-like design that's open on one end, so they fit on the windows by just sliding over the top of the open car door. They're suitable for many different types of windows, from curved to rectangular. Just make sure you don't use them on sliding car doors, since they're not made to fit those, or when it rains, since the pouch-like design means that part of the shade is on the outside of your car.
Promising review: "We purchased these for our trip to California and just to have in general. They actually ended up being really good. I love that they go around the whole window frame and you can still roll your window up and down. But it definitely makes the inside of the car darker and cooler so the sun isn’t in your kids face. It provides a lot more coverage than a standard stick up sunshade for the side windows that usually fall down or break easily. And if these get dirty, I can throw them in the washer real quick, super easy." — Amanda Duddy
Promising review: "We purchased these for our trip to California and just to have in general. They actually ended up being really good. I love that they go around the whole window frame and you can still roll your window up and down. But it definitely makes the inside of the car darker and cooler so the sun isn’t in your kids face. It provides a lot more coverage than a standard stick up sunshade for the side windows that usually fall down or break easily. And if these get dirty, I can throw them in the washer real quick, super easy." — Amanda Duddy
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Amazon
A reflective windshield shade with over 73,000 5-star ratings
If you liked the concept of the other single-panel, foldable and reflective windshield shade mentioned earlier on this list but couldn't find it in the right size, this Econour windshield shade has a range of nine sizes, from XS to 5XL, to cover your entire windshield. (The medium size is also available in a two-pack.) It's similarly made of a durable, reflective polyester material and comes with a storage pouch to easily stow it away when not in use. The quality of the shade has impressed many reviewers so far, and the product has a 4.3-star average rating across over 100,000 reviews.
Promising review: "So I live in Louisiana and I was struggling with my car being literally scolding hot every time I got in after work with the 110+ degree sun bearing into my car all day. I bought this to try and alleviate some of that heat, and it does just that. Now, yes, it's still hot in my car but it's not scolding to the point I'm burning my fingers just touching the steering wheel. It is way cooler than without the visor and I'm not burning myself anymore. Highly recommend if you are in the south, this will help more than you realize." — TomiCakes
Promising review: "So I live in Louisiana and I was struggling with my car being literally scolding hot every time I got in after work with the 110+ degree sun bearing into my car all day. I bought this to try and alleviate some of that heat, and it does just that. Now, yes, it's still hot in my car but it's not scolding to the point I'm burning my fingers just touching the steering wheel. It is way cooler than without the visor and I'm not burning myself anymore. Highly recommend if you are in the south, this will help more than you realize." — TomiCakes
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Amazon
A 4-pack of window shades with two visibility options
Window shades tend to be darker and offer less visibility to drivers, which makes this kinder Fluff four-pack so remarkable: It contains two semi-transparent shades that are darker for the backseat, and two transparent shades so putting them on a front side window doesn't prevent you from being able to see out them as you drive. They're available in three sizes, have a twist and fold closure and have a UPF rating of 50+, meaning they're adept at blocking out most harmful UV rays.
Don't forget to get an additional 10% off discount on this item at checkout by clipping the coupon.
Promising review: "I was a bit skeptical at first as already having “ceramic” tint on the windows of my vehicle. But with this recent heat in VA I’m willing to try anything to reduce the sun exposure to the interior. All I have to say is these are worth EVERY penny! After leaving my vehicle outside all day, using these shades and windshield shade there was at least a 20 degree cooler difference inside the vehicle. It was warm inside but not sweltering! And the leather seats and steering wheel don’t roast me now! Totally recommend!" — Turbokinetics
Don't forget to get an additional 10% off discount on this item at checkout by clipping the coupon.
Promising review: "I was a bit skeptical at first as already having “ceramic” tint on the windows of my vehicle. But with this recent heat in VA I’m willing to try anything to reduce the sun exposure to the interior. All I have to say is these are worth EVERY penny! After leaving my vehicle outside all day, using these shades and windshield shade there was at least a 20 degree cooler difference inside the vehicle. It was warm inside but not sweltering! And the leather seats and steering wheel don’t roast me now! Totally recommend!" — Turbokinetics
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Amazon
An accordion-style windshield shade with fun personality
Who says your windshield shade has to be a boring black or silver? This BDK windshield shade comes in 10 fun patterns, from tropical leaves to pastel flowers and more — plus, it's reversible. It's 58-by-28 inches and has a foldable accordion design with a Velcro closure. The brand claims it can reduce the interior temperature of your car by 30 to 50 degrees, and it's super easy to install: Just flip down your visors to keep the shade in place.
Promising review: "Perfect fit for my Honda. Easy to open and place in front of windshield. Stays firmly in place behind sun visors. Love the tropical leaf design. Did a few days of temp checks with car parked in parking lots. I had an average of almost 20 degrees lower temperatures inside the car with the sun shield when compared to days I did not put it in place. "Accordion" folding is easy and makes for easy storage between driver's seat and door when traveling." — Gail Lardia
Promising review: "Perfect fit for my Honda. Easy to open and place in front of windshield. Stays firmly in place behind sun visors. Love the tropical leaf design. Did a few days of temp checks with car parked in parking lots. I had an average of almost 20 degrees lower temperatures inside the car with the sun shield when compared to days I did not put it in place. "Accordion" folding is easy and makes for easy storage between driver's seat and door when traveling." — Gail Lardia
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Amazon
A two-pack of fun kids' window shades with UPF 50+ protection
This Caramaz kids' window shade two-pack has a UPF 50+ rating and can be installed simply by sticking it to a cleaned window and rubbing out any air bubbles. It comes in eight fun kids' designs and includes a pouch to store the shades after you take them down. The shades are each 20-by-12 inches, so don't forget to measure your rear windows before ordering to ensure they'll fit.
Promising review: "We live in the South so it's 100+ degrees outside many days over the Summer months. My car sits in the sun at work. I wanted a quick & easy way to keep the car seat cooler so I wouldn't have to wait for the car to cool off. These were cute so I bought them to try. They're fantastic!! The whole car is noticeably cooler!! I leave them up. It does reduce visibility out of those windows when I'm driving, but you get use to it. I wish they covered more of the window so it would entirely keep the sun off my baby on road trips. No big deal though.
I would recommend these to anyone. If I knew someone having a baby in the South, I would tell them to add this to their registry. This is a must-have item if you live in a hot place!!" — A. McKee
Promising review: "We live in the South so it's 100+ degrees outside many days over the Summer months. My car sits in the sun at work. I wanted a quick & easy way to keep the car seat cooler so I wouldn't have to wait for the car to cool off. These were cute so I bought them to try. They're fantastic!! The whole car is noticeably cooler!! I leave them up. It does reduce visibility out of those windows when I'm driving, but you get use to it. I wish they covered more of the window so it would entirely keep the sun off my baby on road trips. No big deal though.
I would recommend these to anyone. If I knew someone having a baby in the South, I would tell them to add this to their registry. This is a must-have item if you live in a hot place!!" — A. McKee
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Amazon
A curtain-style kids' window shade
Another fun kids' option, this window shade is made for steel-framed door windows and has a curtain design, so little ones in the backseat can close it for protection but slide it open when they want to peek outside. It's 27-by-19 inches, claims to block 95% of UV rays and comes in 17 patterns.
Promising review: "This little shade was great for our road trip! Blocks out the Sun plenty so it stayed nice and cool in the back for my two year old. Whenever she wanted to look out the window she could pull it down by the magnets on her own. Very easy to put up. Legit just magnets to the car door. Will be buying another for the other side!" — Joslynn
Promising review: "This little shade was great for our road trip! Blocks out the Sun plenty so it stayed nice and cool in the back for my two year old. Whenever she wanted to look out the window she could pull it down by the magnets on her own. Very easy to put up. Legit just magnets to the car door. Will be buying another for the other side!" — Joslynn