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Block out heat and damaging UV rays with one of these top picks.

When it comes to maintaining a vehicle’s interior long-term, sunlight is your worst enemy. While a car is parked out in the sun, heat and ultraviolet radiation give interior components a beating. Hard plastic dashboards and leather upholstery become dry and discolored after prolonged exposure. Eventually, they may even crack into pieces, requiring extensive repair. Rubberized surfaces also deform over time, and develop a sticky residue unpleasant to the touch.

A car sun shade is the answer to preventing this kind of damage when your vehicle is parked on the street or a shadeless lot. In addition to protecting the interior, they also help keep the car cool, which sure beats blasting hot air until the AC kicks in. Read on for recommendations on the best options out there, plus advice to consider before you shop.

Most car shades are comprised of one dark fabric side that faces the inside of the vehicle, and a shiny reflective side which faces out. One of the most important factors when searching for a shade is going to be the size and shape. You’ll want something to give complete coverage of the windshield without falling down or being too cramped, so make sure you measure your windshield to ensure you're purchasing the correct size. A light aluminum frame is usually what holds the product in place, so a snug fit is ideal.

Car sun shades can come in one large piece or a two-piece set. A two-piece set will give you more flexibility with fully covering your windshield, but the fit won't be as snug as a single shade. Almost all shades are designed to fold up into a more compact shape for storage, and some even have an umbrella mechanism that allows them to collapse or expand with just a few clicks. You'll easily be able to keep these products in your car for whenever a sunny day strikes.

We chose the sun shades featured in this story based on a combination of hands-on experience and reviews from other expert sources at sites such as AutoGuide and Forbes. Every sun shade we write about has average customer ratings of 4 stars or more, and we cover products that accommodate a wide range of vehicles while satisfying a variety of budgets.

This simple kit comes with two rounded rectangular shades, each about 28 by 31 inches. For narrower windshields, the pieces can easily be placed overlapping each other, which gives a degree of adjustability. The manufacturer also claims they block out 99% of UV and 86 percent of heat under coverage.

To install, the semi-rigid sides of each shade are simply pushed into the windshield frame, then the factory sun visors can flip down for additional support. Before disembarking, they can be twisted into a compact size and zipped into an included carrier bag.

A1 provides a one-piece shade available in seven different sizes. The seller even provides a convenient chart to find the corresponding size for a large variety of cars, trucks, and SUVs. At the smallest size listed, this shade is about 59 inches wide by 21 inches tall, and 69 inches wide by 39 inches tall at the largest. Around nine inches of slack in the center also allow it to fold down for narrower applications.

Similar to the CoolMade shades, this one first folds in half, and twists into a compact size for storage with an included bag. Performing this operation inside the cabin may be too unwieldy, requiring it to be done in open space outdoors.

This sun shade boasts some of the easiest installation and storage we could ask for. While folded it is about the same size as any collapsing umbrella and can easily be tucked into a door pocket or behind a seat.

Click the spring-loaded mechanism and it expands into a one-piece rectangular shade covering the entire windshield. When it comes time to remove it, it can simply be pulled back and locked into storage position again.

This product is only available in one 57-by-31-inch size. While the manufacturer states that it'll fit most windshields, be sure to double-check the dimensions on your particular vehicle.

Perfect for parents or rideshare drivers, this shade is meant to be installed on side windows instead of the main windshield, and can be left in place while driving. The mesh fabric filter on the product eliminates sunlight glare and blocks about 90 percent of UV rays while still allowing a good amount of outward visibility.

The outer rim sticks to glass using static cling, and by all accounts has no trouble holding itself in place semi-permanently. You’ll just want to be weary of rolling the window down while the shade is stuck to it.

The medium-sized Enovoe shade comes with dimensions of 21 by 14 inches. It can be purchased in either two or four-packs, for more coverage options. Larger versions are also available to suit bigger sedans and SUVs.

Like the Enovoe shade, this SafeTemp product utilizes a see-through mesh filter. However, it also has an included rollup storage mechanism that allows the window to be opened partially without removing the device. The shade is held in place by two suction cups along top and one on the bottom, which may loosen over time and require reapplication.

Measurements are 16 inches wide and 18 inches tall while fully extended. A smaller 14-inch-wide version is also available.

This extra-large shade boasts 65.7 by 36.4 inches of coverage for use in pickup trucks and SUVs. It features a reflective silver polyester outer layer to fully block both UV and heat. It can also fold in half for storage, but the large size may make that process more difficult.

However, a storage bag does come with the package. Also included is a bonus steering wheel cover, which can help keep the vehicle’s controls at a safe temperature while parked in the heat.

This EcoNour product is a simple two-piece shade set, but super-sized, making it suitable for the large windshields on RVs, semi trucks, or buses. Each shade measures 41.5 by 50 inches, allowing up to 100-inch-wide coverage.

Storage can be easily accomplished by the typical twist-and-bag method. If you’re looking for a product that can be adapted for smaller vehicles, this one will unfortunately prove to be much too large for those applications.

This product uses an accordion-style polyester material much like a cellular shade. It also features a great degree of adjustability when it comes to dimensions, as the width of the shade can be stretched.

The full height of the fabric measures 25 inches and it weighs less than a pound. Installation is a snap, with double-sided tape to mount it to the passenger side, and it connects to a hook that's mounted on the driver's side. When not in use, the shade stores inside the casing, so it's fairly inconspicuous.

The main drawback to this kind of shade is that it's tough to get a perfect fit, though for the price and overall design, it does the job well enough.

When it comes to outdoor parking at your residence, a durable carport presents a more permanent solution to heat an UV protection for your vehicle. It also has the added benefit of shielding the exterior paint from sunlight degradation, plus other hazards like hail and bird droppings. This construction is heavier and more expensive than portable sun shade options, but presents more convenience and security in the trade-off.

This Advance Outdoor model features dimensions of ten by 20 feet, granting full coverage for small cars and mid-size trucks alike. Height is also adjustable from 9.5 to 11 feet. The frame is steel, while the fabric canopy is rated for protection against heat, UV, and extreme weather.

Some assembly is needed, but it can be done without any specialty tools. Four weighted sandbags and 16 steel ground stakes are included to secure the structure against strong winds. The manufacturer also provides a one-year warranty with purchase.