Guides & advice
Car sun shade
guides & tips
Real-world advice on heat, UV, privacy and fitment — 100 guides written for Australian drivers.
Researching how car shades work, or which generation of your model you have? CarShade covers window fitment and shade types in depth.
100 guides
Buying Guides6 min read
Custom Car Sun Shades in Australia: What "Custom-Fit" Actually Means
Most shades sold as "custom" are a size chart with a model name on the packet. A genuinely custom shade is templated on a particular car and refitted to it before it goes on sale. Here is the difference, what it costs, and how to check your car is covered.
Buying Guides6 min read
Mazda CX-9 and CX-8 Sun Shades: Door Sets and Fit Checks
Door sets for the Mazda CX-8 and the first-generation CX-9 (2007–2015) from $49.99, why the third row isn't listed yet, and how to check your CX-9.
Buying Guides7 min read
Volvo XC40, XC60 and XC90 Sun Shades, by Generation
Shades for the Volvo XC40, EC40, XC60 and XC90: which shape each set was cut on, the XC90 third row, XC60 quarter glass, and prices.
Buying Guides8 min read
Suzuki Jimny and Vitara Sun Shades: Which Listing Fits
Jimny three-door shades (the XL isn't cut), the 2015-on Vitara, and how to tell the Grand Vitara from the older Vitara before you order.
Buying Guides5 min read
Nissan Patrol Sun Shades: The GU Y61, and How to Check
We cut the GU Y61 Patrol wagon, 1997–2016, as door sets from $49.99. How to tell a GU from a Y62, and what the listing doesn't cover.
Buying Guides7 min read
Land Rover and Range Rover Sun Shades, Matched by Body
Vogue, Supercharged and Autobiography are trims, not models. Which body each Range Rover, Evoque, Velar and Discovery Sport set fits, and when to ask.
Buying Guides7 min read
BYD Sun Shades: Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal, Sealion and Shark
The six BYDs sold here that we cut: which have tailgate or quarter glass, why the Sealion 6 'third-row' pieces are quarter glass, and the Shark 6.
Buying Guides6 min read
Holden Captiva Sun Shades: Captiva 7, by Year
Two Captiva 7 listings: 2007–2015 with doors, third-row windows and tailgate, and 2016–2020 doors only. Why the five-seat Captiva 5 isn't cut.
Buying Guides6 min read
Hyundai Kona and Venue Sun Shades: Which Years We Cut
We cut the first-generation Kona (2017–2023) with doors and tailgate, and the Venue 2020–2025, doors only. The 2023-on Kona isn't cut yet.
Buying Guides6 min read
Geely EX5 and Coolray Sun Shades
Door shades for the Geely EX5 and Coolray, plus the EX2 and Monjaro: what each listing covers, prices, and when to send a photo first.
Buying Guides6 min read
MG ZS and HS Sun Shades: What Fits, by Model
Cut-to-fit shades for the MG ZS, ZST and ZS EV (2017 to 2024) and the HS: doors and tailgate, prices, and when to send a photo first.
Buying Guides8 min read
Older Sedan Sun Shades: Lancer, Accord, Aurion, Laser
Which listing fits your Lancer, Accord, Aurion or Laser, by build year, the windows each set covers, and the Commodore and Falcon we don't cut.
Buying Guides7 min read
Subaru Outback and Crosstrek Sun Shades: Which Years
We cut the 2015 to 2020 BS Outback (doors and tailgate) and the 2023-on Crosstrek (doors). How to check the changeover years, and why XV is different.
Buying Guides7 min read
Rideshare and Uber Car Window Shades in Australia
Rear door shades for rideshare drivers: what passengers notice, rear glass only while driving, the cars we cut (Camry, Carnival, RAV4) and daily care.
Buying Guides7 min read
Sun Shades for 4WD Touring: Wagons and Utes
Setting up a LandCruiser, Prado, Everest or dual cab for a long trip: which windows we cut, highway and corrugation limits, dust, and the car at camp.
Buying Guides7 min read
Window Covers for Car Camping and Sleeping in the Car
Sleeping in the car at a rest area or campsite? What mesh window covers do overnight: privacy, fresh air with the bugs kept out, morning sun, and the gaps.
Buying Guides8 min read
School Run Car Window Shades: The 3pm Drive Home
Which rear windows catch the sun on the afternoon school run, where a booster puts a child's head, and why kids do better with shades they can see through.
Buying Guides8 min read
Summer Car Heat by State: Where Window Shades Help
What an Australian summer does inside a car, state by state, from the Darwin build-up to a Hobart January, and which windows a shade actually helps.
Buying Guides4 min read
Toyota Corolla Cross Sun Shades: Doors, Quarter, Tailgate
One Corolla Cross listing covers the doors, the small quarter windows and the tailgate. Prices, what the quarter piece is, and the 2025 update.
Buying Guides7 min read
Fortuner and Pajero Sport Sun Shades, by Year
Fortuner, Challenger and Pajero Sport: which listing an Australian car takes, why a 2015–17 car trips people up, and the windows each set covers.
Buying Guides4 min read
Chery Tiggo 4, 7 and 8 Sun Shades: Check Before Ordering
Our Tiggo 4, 7 and 8 listings vs the Pro and Pro Max badges Chery sells here: windows, prices, and the one photo to send us before you order.
By Vehicle7 min read
Kia Sorento vs Carnival: Shades for Seven Seats
Carnival or Sorento? On the current cars we cut every Carnival window, third row and tailgate included, but only the Sorento doors. Compared by generation.
Buying Guides6 min read
Toyota Kluger Sun Shades: 2008–2014 and 2014–2020
We cut two Kluger bodies: 2008–2014 (doors only) and 2014–2020 (doors, quarter glass, tailgate). How to tell a 2014 car apart. No set for 2021 on yet.
Buying Guides5 min read
GWM and Haval Sun Shades: Cannon, Jolion, H6
What we cut for the Haval H6, Haval Jolion and GWM Cannon, which windows each listing covers, and when to send us a photo before you order.
Buying Guides6 min read
Mazda BT-50 and Nissan Navara Sun Shades
Four ute listings: BT-50 2013–2020 and 2021 on, Navara D40 and the 2015–2024 truck. Which take the cab window, and the years to check first.
Buying Guides6 min read
Mitsubishi Outlander and ASX Sun Shades: What Fits
Our Outlander set fits the 2012–2021 ZJ, ZK and ZL, with real third-row glass and the tailgate. The ASX listing has no confirmed years yet, so ask first.
Buying Guides6 min read
Isuzu D-Max and MU-X Sun Shades: Picking the Windows
Which D-Max and MU-X shades to buy for a work ute or a family car, how to tell an RT from an RG at the rear door, and the glass our sets do not cover.
Buying Guides5 min read
Toyota Yaris Sun Shades: Hatch, Sedan, Years
Which Yaris listing fits which hatch or sedan, what the boot panel covers, and the Yaris bodies we can't vouch for yet, including the current one.
Buying Guides5 min read
Subaru Forester Sun Shades: SJ, SK and 2026
Three Forester listings: SJ 2012–2017 (doors), SK 2018–2025 (doors, quarter glass, boot) and 2026. Which one your car takes, plus the BS Outback.
Buying Guides6 min read
Small Car Window Shades: Five Cars, by Year
Which listing fits your Mazda 2, Kia Rio, Hyundai i20, Getz or Honda City, by build year and body, and the small cars we don't cut yet.
Buying Guides5 min read
Hyundai Palisade Sun Shades, Row by Row
One cut for the first Palisade, sold here from late 2020: doors, third-row glass and tailgate. The new second-generation body is not cut yet.
Buying Guides4 min read
Volkswagen Tiguan Sun Shades: 5N and Allspace
We cut the first Tiguan (5N, 2009–2017) and the seven-seat Allspace (2018–2024). The five-seat Tiguan from 2016 on is not cut. Which set fits which car.
Buying Guides5 min read
Toyota RAV4 Sun Shades: XA30, XA40, XA50
We cut the XA30 (2005–2012), XA40 (2013–2018) and XA50 (2019–2025) RAV4. Which listing fits which car, which windows each covers, and the gaps.
UV & Safety6 min read
Small SUV Window Shades: Four Cars, by Year
We cut the Crosstrek 2023–2026, Kona 2017–2023, Vitara 2015–2026 and Yaris Cross 2023–2025. Which build years each fits, and the ones we don't cut.
Buying Guides5 min read
Mazda CX-5 Sun Shades: KE vs KF, by Year
We cut the first CX-5 (KE, 2012–2017) and the second (KF, 2017–2025). How to tell a 2017 car apart, which windows each takes, and the new 2026 car.
Buying Guides5 min read
Mazda CX-3 vs CX-30 Sun Shades: Which Set
The CX-3 and CX-30 are different cars with different glass, so their sets don't swap. How to tell them apart and which listing each one takes.
Buying Guides5 min read
Jaecoo J5 Sun Shades and the Quarter Glass
One J5 listing covers doors, rear quarter glass and boot, and J5 EV owners order it too. What J5 buyers choose, the prices, and what we don't cover.
Buying Guides4 min read
Toyota Camry Sun Shades: Seven Cuts Since 1987
Seven Camry cuts from 1987 to the 2025 car. Which listing your build year takes, the 1997–2001 gap, which two get the boot panel, and the roof panel.
Buying Guides3 min read
Skoda Window Shades: Karoq and Kodiaq Only
Three Skoda cuts sold here: the Karoq and two Kodiaq bodies. Where a 2017–2020 Kodiaq fits, and the Octavia, Superb, Fabia and Kamiq have no cut yet.
Buying Guides4 min read
Hyundai Santa Fe Sun Shades: Five Cuts
Five Santa Fe bodies, five cuts. Which listing your build year takes, which two carry third-row and tailgate panels, and the roof panel for the newest.
Buying Guides4 min read
Hyundai i30 Sun Shades: FD, GD, Wagon, Sedan
We cut the FD hatch and wagon, the GD hatch and the i30 Sedan (listed as Elantra). The 2017-on PD hatch is not cut yet. Which listing takes which car.
Buying Guides4 min read
Ford Everest Sun Shades: Eight Panes, Two Cuts
Eight panes behind the windscreen, all cut for the UA and the current Everest. Which listing a 2015–16 car takes, the third-row glass, and the roof panel.
Buying Guides6 min read
Euro Car Window Shades: Volvo to Peugeot
Every Volvo, Porsche, Range Rover, Jaguar, Mini, Peugeot and Renault we cut, the two price tiers, the clip-mount EC40, and the Europeans with no cut yet.
Buying Guides6 min read
Dual Cab Ute Window Shades: Ranger to Navara
Every dual cab we cut: Ranger, HiLux, Triton, D-Max, BT-50, Navara, Colorado, Cannon. Generation boundaries, the rear cab window, and the utes with no cut.
Buying Guides10 min read
Rear Window Sun Shades Australia: Door Glass, Quarter Glass or Tailgate?
"Rear window shade" means three different pieces of glass, and the wrong one leaves the sun exactly where it was. How to tell rear door glass from quarter glass from the tailgate, what is legal on the back windscreen, and what each costs. Panels from $49.99.
By Vehicle6 min read
Measure Your Car Windows With Our App
If your car isn't in our catalogue, the free AS Measure iPhone app photographs each window with LiDAR, we measure it, and your custom set is cut and sent.
Buying Guides5 min read
BYD, MG, Omoda and GWM Window Shades
Twenty-four cuts for the Chinese brands on Australian roads: Atto 3, Dolphin, Seal, Sealion, ZS, HS, Omoda 5, Jaecoo J7, Haval H6 and more.
Buying Guides7 min read
Which Car Windows Should You Shade?
More than half our orders are the rear door pair alone. What each window behind the front seats needs, and how to pick a set without buying the lot.
Buying Guides4 min read
LandCruiser Sun Shades by Series: 80 to 300
You search by series number, our list is by year. The 80, 100, 200 and 300 Series and three Prados mapped to their cuts, and why the 70 Series has none.
Buying Guides3 min read
Subaru Window Shades: Forester, Outback, XV
Five Subaru fits: two Forester generations, the Outback, the 2023-on Crosstrek and the Tribeca. Which set your car takes, and the XV years with no cut.
By Vehicle4 min read
Kia Sportage Sun Shades: Three Cuts, 2011–Now
The Sportage is cut three ways and two boundaries overlap. Which set your build year takes, what the quarter-window set is, and the 2021–22 changeover.
Buying Guides5 min read
Isuzu MU-X and D-Max Sun Shades: Which Cut
Two MU-X cuts, two D-Max cuts, and a 2020 that can be either ute. How to match your build date to the right Isuzu set, and which years have no cut.
Buying Guides6 min read
Which Generation Is My Car? Build Date, Compliance Plate and Chassis Codes
Your model year and your build date are not the same thing, so here is how to read the plate, the VIN and the chassis code before you order a shade set cut for one generation.
Buying Guides4 min read
Volkswagen Window Shades Australia: All 12 Fits, and the Tiguan Years Only the Allspace Covers
Every Volkswagen we cut, including three Tiguan listings — and the four model years where the long-wheelbase Allspace has a cut but the standard Tiguan does not. Plus the Polo and Teramont body splits.
Buying Guides4 min read
LandCruiser and Prado Sun Shades — Seven Cuts, One Badge, and the Years With Nothing
LC80, LC100, LC200, LC300 and three Prados are seven different sets of windows wearing one badge. Here is which chassis code you have, and the years with no cut listed — including the 70 Series.
Buying Guides4 min read
Toyota HiLux Sun Shades — Which of the Three Cuts Fits Yours (2007–2025)
The HiLux is cut three ways, and 2015 appears in two of those listings. Here is how to work out which set your ute takes, and which HiLux years have no cut at all.
Buying Guides5 min read
The Windows Behind the Rear Doors: Third-Row and Port Glass Explained
The fixed glass between the back door and the tailgate has a name, a shape that changes with seat count, and it is the pane a one-size shade cannot cover.
Buying Guides5 min read
Suzuki Window Shades Australia: All 13 Fits, and the Vitara Years With No Cut
Every Suzuki we cut — two Swifts, two Vitaras, two Ertigas, the 2018-on Jimny — plus the Vitara years that have no cut, why Vitara and Grand Vitara are separate listings, and where the older Jimny sits.
Buying Guides4 min read
Nissan X-Trail Sun Shades — T30, T31 or T32, and How to Read Your Chassis Code
X-Trail sets are listed by chassis code, not model year. Here is how to tell a T30 from a T31 from a T32, why 2007 appears in two listings, and what the fourth unnumbered listing is.
Buying Guides6 min read
Nissan Window Shades Australia: All 22 Fits, and the X-Trail Code That Decides Yours
Every Nissan we cut — T30, T31 and T32 X-Trail, D40 and 2015-on Navara, five-seat and seven-seat Qashqai — plus the Australian badge names (Dualis, Teana, Pulsar) that point at a differently-named listing.
Buying Guides7 min read
Mitsubishi Window Shades Australia: All 25 Fits, and the Pajero That Isn't a Pajero Sport
Every Mitsubishi we cut, by generation — four Triton cuts, four Pajero chassis codes, two Pajero Sport cuts — plus the years with no cut at all, and why the ASX is listed under a different name.
Buying Guides3 min read
Mitsubishi Triton Sun Shades — Four Generations, and the Year That Sits in Two of Them
The Triton is cut four ways from 2008 to 2026, 2015 appears in two listings, and nothing earlier than 2008 has a set. Here is how to tell which one your ute takes.
Buying Guides5 min read
Lexus Window Shades Australia: All 16 Fits, and Four RX Generations Covered End to End
Every Lexus we cut, including four RX cuts running unbroken from 2003 to 2025 and two NX cuts covering 2015 to 2025 — plus which listings have no year split, and why a LandCruiser set is not an LX set.
Buying Guides3 min read
Hyundai Tucson Sun Shades — Four Cuts, and Why the ix35 Search Lands Here
Four Tucson sets cover 2002 to 2025, 2009 sits in two of them, and every one of them is also carried under the ix35 name. Here is which set your build year takes.
Buying Guides7 min read
Holden Window Shades Australia: All 15 Fits, and the Big Ones We Do Not Cut
Every Holden we cut — three differently-named Sparks, two Captivas, two Cruzes, the Colorado — plus the honest list of what has no cut at all, including the Commodore, and the Astra that hides under a Cruze listing.
Buying Guides3 min read
Ford Ranger Sun Shades — Three Cuts, One Raptor, and the Two Years With No Set
Ranger coverage looks continuous from 2005 to 2025 but it is not. There is no 2012 or 2013 cut, the Raptor is listed separately, and the Everest and BT-50 need their own sets.
Buying Guides6 min read
BMW Window Shades Australia: All 19 Fits, and Why You Need Your Chassis Code
Every BMW we cut, listed by chassis code — E46, E90, F30, G20, E71 — with the 3-series 2019 overlap explained and the X5 and X6 model years that have no cut at all.
Snap Shades12 min read
Snap Shades in Australia: How to Tell If One Fits Your Car
What snap-in car window shades are, and the four things that decide whether a custom-fit set exists for your car — worked through 459 real Australian fits across 39 makes.
Buying Guides2 min read
Toyota Corolla Sun Shades — Which Generation Set Fits Yours (1997–2025)
Five Corolla generations are cut separately, and the build years decide which one you need. Generation-by-generation fitment for the Australian Corolla, including the years no set is listed for.
Buying Guides3 min read
Mazda 3 Sun Shades — Hatch or Sedan, and Which Years Split (2004–2025)
The Mazda 3 is cut per generation, but only some generations list the hatch and sedan separately. Which years split by body style, which do not, and the years no set is listed for.
By Vehicle2 min read
Kia Cerato Sun Shades — Cerato, K3, Forte and Spectra Fitment (2004–2025)
The Cerato is listed under four names across nine products, with separate sedan and hatch sets from 2010. Which listing matches your build year and body, and when to check with us first.
Buying Guides3 min read
Mercedes Window Shades Australia: All 24 Fits, and Why the Listing Is Named After One Variant
Mercedes sets are listed by variant designation, not by class — so C300 and ML owners often find nothing. The full 24-product Mercedes fitment list, with the name changes that hide half of it.
Buying Guides5 min read
Daewoo Sun Shades in Australia: Which Badge Your Car Is Listed Under
Daewoo models are listed here under three different badges, and two names point to two different cars each. The full Daewoo, Holden and Chevrolet fitment map, with the build years that tell them apart.
Buying Guides6 min read
Toyota Window Shades Australia: All 63 Fits, and Which Set Yours Takes
Sixty-three Toyota fits, from a 1987 Camry to the LC300. Seven Camry patterns, eight Yaris variants, and which seven-seaters can actually buy the third-row set.
By Vehicle5 min read
Honda Window Shades Australia: 24 Fits, All Four CR-V Generations In Stock
Twenty-four Honda fits, and the CR-V is the rare model where all four generations are in stock at once. Which set each body takes, and what that quarter-window piece actually covers.
Buying Guides5 min read
Windscreen Sun Shade Types Compared: Accordion, Twist-Fold, Roller or External
Accordion, twist-fold, retractable or external — the differences are mostly storage and lifespan, not heat. What separates them, and the two things that actually decide performance.
Family & Pets7 min read
Are Car Window Shades Safe for Babies? A Parent's Safety Guide
Yes on rear windows — but the more useful questions are what the glass already blocks, whether the shade itself can come loose, and heat in a parked car.
UV & Safety3 min read
Are Magnetic Car Sun Shades Legal in Australia?
Yes. The attachment method is irrelevant to the law — what matters is which window the shade is on and whether the car is moving. Here is the rule, and why magnets change nothing.
By Vehicle5 min read
How to Measure Car Windows for Custom Sun Shades (and When You Don't Need To)
Most people don't need to measure at all — 474 vehicles are already patterned. Here is how to check, how to work out which windows you want, and what to send if your car isn't listed yet.
Buying Guides4 min read
Magnetic vs Suction Cup Car Sun Shades: Which Actually Stays Up?
Magnets grip the door frame; suction cups grip the glass. That one difference decides whether the shade survives a hot afternoon, whether your window still opens, and whether it leaves marks.
Buying Guides6 min read
Mazda Window Shades Australia: 21 Fits, and Why the Body Style Matters
Twenty-one Mazda fits. Why the Mazda 3 has four different patterns, which CX-5 gets the quarter-window set, and what the dual-cab BT-50 actually needs.
Buying Guides6 min read
Hyundai Window Shades Australia: 43 Fits, and the Window Most Sets Miss
Forty-three Hyundai fits, from a 2005 Getz to the current Palisade. Which set each model takes, what that quarter-window set actually covers, and what ships today.
By Vehicle6 min read
Kia Window Shades Australia: All 35 Fits, and Which Set Your Model Needs
Thirty-five Kia fits, from the Carnival down to a 2010 Optima. Which set each body shape needs, what the quarter-window set actually is, and what's in stock right now.
Buying Guides6 min read
Ford Window Shades Australia: Every Model We Cut, and What Each One Needs
We cut shades for 24 Ford fits across 19 models. What each body shape actually needs — the Everest third row, the Ranger dual-cab, the four separate Focus patterns — with real prices and what's in stock.
Buying Guides6 min read
Custom-Fit Car Sun Shades in Australia: What You're Actually Paying For
A universal shade leaves a bright wedge in the top corner of the window — which is exactly where afternoon sun comes in. Here is what custom-fit actually changes, which set to buy first, and what each one costs.
Buying Guides6 min read
Windscreen Sun Shades Australia (2026): What Actually Works, and What Matters More
A windscreen shade keeps the steering wheel touchable. It does almost nothing for the back seat. Here is how to pick one, and why the side glass is the position most Australian drivers get wrong.
UV & Safety7 min read
Are Car Sun Shades Legal in Australia? State-by-State Guide (2026)
Removable sun shades and window tint are governed by completely different rules. Here is what is legal on each window in each state, why a shade is not tint, and the one rule that catches people out.
UV & Safety14 min read
Do Car Windows Block UV?
Side windows block UVB but let UVA through, and factory tint barely changes it. What that means on an Australian drive and what actually cuts the exposure.
Buying Guides17 min read
Best Car Sun Shades Australia 2026: 4 Types Compared
Custom-fit mesh, suction cup, gasket-grip and clip-on shades compared on fit, coverage, install and price, plus which suits a ute, SUV or people mover.
Buying Guides12 min read
Automatic vs Magnetic Car Sun Shades: Complete Australia Comparison (2026)
Searching for automatic sun shades? Compare motorised roller shades, universal suction shades and custom-fit magnetic rear-window mesh for Australian families.
By Vehicle5 min read
Audi Window Shades: All 13 Fits, A1 to Q7
Thirteen Audi cuts: A1, A4, A6, Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7 by year range. The boundary years, the Audis with no cut, and which sets use clips instead of magnets.
Privacy & Blackout7 min read
Best Car Window Shades for Privacy in Australia
Privacy shades for car windows that still let you see out: custom-fit magnetic mesh, blackout panels and tint-friendly rear-window options, compared.
Buying Guides16 min read
Best Car Rear Window Shades in Australia (2026)
The best car rear window shades in Australia: custom-fit magnetic mesh vs suction and cling, plus baby, SUV and privacy picks. Sets from $49.99.
By Vehicle6 min read
Kia Carnival Sun Shades: KA4 and YP by Year
We cut the current KA4 Carnival (2020/21 on) and the YP before it (2015 to 2020). Which listing fits your van, which windows we cut, and what buyers order.
Snap Shades22 min read
7 Snap Shades Alternatives (From $49.99)
Seven alternatives to Snap Shades compared on fitment, UV blocking, delivery and price, including magnetic sets cut for your exact year.
By Vehicle5 min read
Best Sun Shades for the Honda CR-V
Why custom-fit magnetic shades are the best match for the Honda CR-V's rear windows — by generation, from 2007 to the latest model.
Family & Pets19 min read
Best Baby Car Shades Australia 2026: Custom-Fit vs Suction
Custom-fit mesh vs suction and cling shades for a baby on Australian roads: what blocks UV, what stays put on the highway and what it costs, from $49.99.
Family & Pets17 min read
Car Window Shades for Dogs & Pets
Keeping a dog cool in the back seat: rear window shades that cut glare and heat while leaving airflow and the view out, plus what to avoid on long drives.
Buying Guides22 min read
Best Magnetic Car Window Shades Australia: Tested
How magnetic car window shades hold, how much sun they stop and where they beat suction cups, with picks by vehicle and what to check before buying.
Privacy & Blackout20 min read
Blackout Car Window Shades Explained
What blackout car window shades actually block, where they beat see-through mesh, and what to check on rear-window fit before buying a set.