The enormous windshield and the panoramic roof of the Model S are just two of the most distinguishable features of the car. These help the interior stay illuminated throughout, and provide excellent visibility to both passengers and drivers.
A downside of the glass roof is that the temperature inside the vehicle will be higher under the same conditions when compared to a traditional roof. Another drawback is that both drivers and passengers will continuously be exposed to sunlight, which can be harmful during prolonged times.
Here are some of the best Tesla Model S Sunshades; keep reading for the complete review of each of these accessories.
Fixed Glass Roof & Windshield Sunshades – Top Picks
Topfit Panoramic Roof Sunshade
Topfit Sunshade for Model S
Model S Windshield Sunshade
Does the Tesla Model S Glass protect your skin in any way?
Modern sunroofs and glass roofs in cars are made with UV and IR protection in mind. They filter most of the solar radiation before it even enters the cabin and helps to some degree in keeping the interior cool and your skin healthy.
So yes, the glass by itself does a good job already at reducing the impact of direct sunlight on the interior of the vehicle.
Best Tesla Model S Sunshades
WJM Tesla Model S Panoramic Glass Roof Sunshade
The WJM Tesla Model S Sunshade for Panoramic Roof is another product specifically designed for the Model S with the fixed Panoramic Glass Roof. The extensive glass makes it easy for tons of solar radiation to penetrate the cabin, raising the interior temperature of the vehicle and harming our skin in the long term.
This sunshade is made of high-quality fabric arranged in a mesh that reduces up to 80% of light entering the cabin. The reduced light exposure helps increase privacy, especially when paired with some degree of window tint.
Whenever you feel like removing the Sunshade, it is simple to do so. It secures to the roof with pressure, so there are no latching pins or other mechanisms that could make it cumbersome to remove. Once removed, the item can be folded and put away in the trunk.
Related: Best Model S Accessories
Topfit Panoramic Roof Sunshade for Tesla Model S
If you’re looking for a sunshade for your Model S with Glass Roof, this mesh sunshade by Topfit does a great job at reducing sunlight entering the cabin.
This Sunshade fits the Tesla Model S with the panoramic roof and it won’t fit models with the two-piece (non-panoramic) glass roof.
The Topfit panoramic sunroof sunshade blocks the vast majority of solar radiation entering the cabin, not only reducing the interior temperature of the car but also protecting your skin and proving you with increased privacy.
Covercraft Tesla Model S Custom Sunscreen
Getting into a hot car on a sunny day in the summer is one of the most uncomfortable sensations. The extensive windshield of the Model S makes matters worse — the UV protection layer helps alleviate solar radiation entering the cabin to some degree. Still, you can’t fight physics: a bigger windshield means more light entering the cabin, and more light entering the cabin means increased temperature.
The Covercraft Tesla Model S Windshield Sunshade covers the entirety of the windshield and reflects away light to help keep your cabin slightly more comfortable than before. This doesn’t mean that your car will be cool 24/7 even on the hottest summer day, but it can significantly reduce cabin temperature when leaving your car parked outdoors.
It is made mostly out of double bubble foil — an excellent insulator with qualities superior to many other windshield sunshades available in the market. The sunshade is easy to fold and store with the included velcro straps and can be stowed away either in the backseat or the trunk.
Topfit Sunshade for Model S (non-panoramic roof)
This set of Sunshades is another product by Topfit that is built to cover the entirety of the non-panoramic roof of the vehicle. This product is a set of two sunshades designed for the Tesla Model S with the fixed non-panoramic roof.
The Model S with the non-panoramic all-glass roof (also called just sunroof) has a dividing pillar between the front section and the back section of the sunroof. Because of this, two sunshades must be used to cover the entirety of the roof.
In this set of two, Topfit includes the rear and front sunshades for complete coverage of the glass roof. They can be used independently giving you freedom of covering either the front seat section, the backseats, or both.
Tesla Model S Sunshade for Rear Liftgate
Apart from a big front windshield, the Model S also features a liftgate window of significant size that allows for excellent rear visibility and allows passengers of the trunk back seats (in models equipped with the rear-facing seats) to peer out of the vehicle.
The rear liftgate sunshade for the Model S helps increase interior privacy, protect the interior from sun damage, and also keep the interior temperature low by reducing solar radiation entering the cabin. The sunshade is made from eco-friendly, high-quality fabric and is easily installed when needed. When removed, it can be folded and stowed away in the trunk in seconds.
Overall, we consider this a crucial accessory if your Model S is equipped with the rear-facing seats if you want to further reduce cabin temperature when parked under the sun.
AutoTech Tesla Model S Windshield Sunshade
The Model S windshield is extensive. It helps with visibility and lets a considerable amount of light into the interior of the vehicle but this also means increased heat if you live in an area with considerable sunlight. If you park your car outdoors frequently, direct sunlight exposure also means increased degradation of interior components.
The AutoTech Tesla Model S Windshield Sunshade covers the windshield area completely, helping keep the interior cool when parked long periods under the sun. The double bubble foil insulation acts as an excellent insulator, reflecting a lot of the light and infrared radiation that would otherwise heat up the interior.
We consider a windshield sunshade a must-have for Model S owners who park their vehicles outside often during the day and live in a sunny, warm climate. Pre-conditioning with the smartphone Tesla app helps to keep the interior at an acceptable temperature, but the sunshade further helps and it makes the AC run for less time, helping you increase driving range.
FAQ
Tesla Model S Windshield Dimensions
The dimensions of the Model S windshield are 58″ L x 27.5″ W. It is an above-average windshield in terms of size.
What materials are sunshades made out of?
- Windshield sunshades: Made from a reflective layer with thermal insulation in the middle. This is typically called double buddle foil insulation.
- Panoramic glass roof sunshades: Strong see-through fabric mesh with a collapsible rigid frame.
Benefits of Tesla Model S Sunshades
Using a sunshade on the glass roof has some added benefits. It’s an additional layer of protection that owners in highly sunny climates will find a must-have accessory.
Lessens cabin temperature
Any Tesla Model S owner can confirm that glass roofs can indeed make the car hotter during the day. The UV and IR blocking of the glass helps reduce this to some degree, but a solid mesh reduces it even further while still letting some daylight in to keep the interior bright enough.
Protects the skin
Extended sun exposure can cause premature skin aging and other skin-related illnesses. Driving in a glass-roof Model S might not seem like it would negatively affect your skin, but if you have a long commute or frequently go on road trips, that could amount to excessive solar radiation exposure.
A sunshade will reduce even further the amount of direct sunlight that touches your skin while still letting in a fair amount of daylight to keep the interior sufficiently bright.
Increases privacy
More light entering the cabin means that every object in the interior of your vehicle will be more visible to outsiders. This is a downside, especially when leaving your car parked in public spaces. Sentry Mode in newer vehicles alleviates this issue to some degree, as you can know what happened to your car while you were away.
A light window tint and a roof sunshade will significantly decrease the visibility of the cabin from the outside.
Final Verdict
The Tesla Model S features an extensive glass roof and a panoramic windshield that lets generous amounts of sunlight into the interior of the vehicle. This allows a very illuminated cabin and unrivaled visibility in every direction. Sadly, this comes with some drawbacks. The most important ones being increased cabin temperatures and increased skin exposure to harmful radiation.
If you’re looking for a sunshade for your Panoramic Roof Tesla Model S, we recommend the Topfit Model S Glass Roof Sunshade.
If your vehicle is equipped with the sunroof (with the dividing pillar on the middle), the Topfit Model S Sunroof Sunshade would be a great accessory to have handy.
