Guides & advice
Car sun shade
guides & tips
Real-world advice on heat, UV, privacy and fitment — 48 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.
48 guides
Buying Guides5 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 Guides5 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 and the 2023 Prado.
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 Vehicle3 min read
Kia Cerato Sun Shades — Cerato, K3, Forte and Spectra Fitment (2004–2025)
The Cerato is listed under four different names across eight products, two of them with overlapping years. Which listing matches your build year and body, and where to check before ordering.
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 Guides5 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 & Pets6 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 glass already blocks, whether the shade itself can come loose, and why no shade makes a parked car safe.
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 Guides5 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 Guides15 min read
Best Car Sun Shades Australia 2026: 12 Types Tested
Twelve car sun shade types compared on fit, UV blocking, heat and hold in Australian conditions, with picks for SUVs, utes, EVs and babies. From $49.99.
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 Vehicle6 min read
Audi Window Shades: A4, Q5, Q7
Custom-fit window shades for the Audi A4, Q5 and Q7. Which year range fits your car, and why a cut-to-shape set beats a universal one on frameless glass.
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 Vehicle11 min read
Kia Carnival Sun Shades (2022-2026)
Sun shades cut for the Kia Carnival's rear and third-row glass, so every row stays out of the sun. Fitment by year and what each set covers.
Snap Shades21 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 Car Shades for Baby in Australia: 2026 Picks
The best car shades for baby in Australia compared: custom-fit magnetic mesh vs suction and cling shades. What blocks UV and actually stays put.
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 & Blackout18 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.