A car parked in summer sun turns into an oven, and the dashboard takes the worst of it. Sustained heat and UV are what crack dash tops, fade trim, warp adhesive and make a steering wheel untouchable for the first five minutes of a drive.
A windscreen shade is the entire fix, and it costs less than a tank of fuel. The only real question is whether you will bother using it — which is where a shade with a face on it has an unexpected advantage.
1. The product
CarFace
Windshield sun shade printed with a face, so your car has an expression.
A 70 × 130 cm windscreen shade printed with a face, in four colours. It has a cut-out for the rear-view mirror mount, two heavy-duty suction cups to hold it up, and a strap that keeps it rolled when it is not in use.
- 70 × 130 cm
- Mirror cut-out
- Two suction cups
- Four colours
Will it fit your car?
At 70 × 130 cm it covers the windscreen of most hatchbacks, saloons and mid-size SUVs. Measure your windscreen diagonally before ordering if you drive something unusually wide — a large estate or a van will have gaps at the far edges, and a very small city car will have some overlap you tuck behind the visors.
The mirror cut-out
Shades without a cut-out have to sit awkwardly around the mirror stalk, which leaves a gap right in the middle of the windscreen where the most sun comes through. The cut-out lets the shade sit flat against the glass across its whole width.
Fitting it
- Slide the top edge behind the sun visors, then flip the visors down to hold it
- Press the two suction cups onto clean glass — wipe them and the screen first if they are not holding
- Slot the mirror stalk through the cut-out before you press the cups down, not after
- Roll it and secure the strap when you take it out, so it does not crease permanently in the boot
What it prevents
Lower cabin temperature when you get in, a steering wheel you can hold, a dash top that does not craze after a few summers, and less UV on anything mounted to the windscreen or dash — including a phone mount, a dash cam or ambient lighting modules.
What size is the CarFace shade?
70 × 130 cm, which fits most hatchbacks, saloons and mid-size SUVs.
Does it stay up on its own?
Two heavy-duty suction cups hold it, and tucking the top edge behind the sun visors makes it more secure still.
Can I use it in winter?
Yes — a shade on the inside of the glass overnight also reduces frost forming on the windscreen.