Here's some 2010 Prius glass and window info and specs. Glass: [table="head"]GLASS LOCATION|COLOR|GLASS TYPE|UV CUT RATE|SOLAR HEAT REDUCTION RATE|VISIBLE LIGHT TRANSMISSION RATE Windshield|Green|Laminated (Sound Insulated)|100%|55%|80% Sliding Moon Roof|Dark Gray|Tempered (UV Cut)|96%|23%|19% Front Quarter|Green|Tempered (UV Cut)|92%|46%|74% Front Door|Green|Tempered (UV Cut)|91%|49%|75% Front Door (Prius IV and V)|Green|Tempered (Water Repellent Coated)|91%|49%|75% Rear Door|Green|Tempered (UV Cut)|90%|51%|76% Rear Quarter|Green|Tempered(UV Cut)|89%|47%|74% Rear Hatch|Green|Tempered (UV Cut)|89%|47%|74% Rear Hatch Lower|Dark Gray|Tempered|92%|32%|29%[/table] Power Windows: All power windows in the 2010 Prius have one touch auto up/down with jam protection. When the driver locks out the passenger window switches, the lighting within the switches is extinguished. However, unlike previous models, the driver can operate all windows regardless of the lock out switch position. The 43 second open/close window feature after power off is retained. This feature is "canceled" when the driver or front passenger door is opened, just as with current models. The rear power windows in the 2010 Prius are variable speed opening. The initial opening is accelerated to reduce noise. The window then opens at "normal speed" for most of the travel. As the window reaches the fully open position, the opening speed decelerates to reduce noise as the window reaches the fully open position. The same happens in reverse when closing the window. The initial travel upward is accelerated. The window then travels up at "normal" speed. As the window approaches fully closed, the closing speed decelerates to reduce closing noise. Moonroof: The moonroof has a one touch tilt and a one touch open feature. When auto opening the moonroof, the reason for the moonroof auto stopping at the "almost open" position is to reduce cabin interior noise. You can manually open the roof the rest of the way. If the moonroof is left open after powering off the vehicle, the car will chime once to remind the driver that the moonroof is open. The manual sunshade will open at the same time the moonroof is opened.
I'd like to see what the Solar Heat Reduction Rate is on the 2004-2009. I'm betting it's somewhere around -132%
Based on this info, would people recommend (1) not tinting the "Rear Hatch Lower", or (2) using a lighter tint than is used on the rest of the car?
ggood, the 2nd gen is darker on the lower segment. I'd consider a lighter tint on that panel to match. Perhaps if we brought these #'s to a tint shop, they could help us pick the right tint to look more uniform.
Well, the 2004 NCF has most of the values, but doesn't measure solar heat reduction, only UV reduction. [table="head"]Glass Portion|Glass Type|UV Reduction Rate (%) (as reference)|Visible Light Penetration (%) (as reference) Windshield|Green Laminated|100|78.3 Front Quarter|Green|91.8|72.8 Front Door|Green|91.8|72.8 Rear Door|Green|90|75.4 Rear Quarter|Green|89|77 Upper Back Door|Green|89|77 Lower Back Door|Privacy (Dark Gray)|93.7|27.9[/table] Note - this is before they switched the windshield to the sound absorbing type in 2006. The numbers are similar, but generally improved for 2010.
It is interesting that Japanese current Prius has the soft privacy glasses on the rear door, rear quarter and upper back door. toyota.jp - Prius FAQ [table="head"]Glass Portion|Glass Type|UV Reduction Rate (%) (as reference)|Visible Light Penetration (%) (as reference) Windshield|Green Laminated|99|78 Front Quarter|Green|92|73 Front Door|Green|92|73 Rear Door|Soft privacy|89|57 Rear Quarter|Soft privacy|90|53 Upper Back Door|Soft privacy|90|53 Lower Back Door|Privacy (Dark Gray)|94|28[/table] Ken@Japan
I remember the lower hatch being darker on my 2004, particularly after the tinting was done. I didn't realize it was also grey instead of green (at least initially).
So the new Prius does have an acoustic windshield.... it doesn't list it in the brochure. This will mean that replacement costs will be a tad higher.
The brochure is disappointingly lacking in outlining many of the technical features this car contains. There's no mention of exhaust heat recovery for quicker warm-ups (which could have positive marketing spin for heating up the car quicker in cold weather), acoustic windshield, numerous aluminum parts for weight reduction, etc.
I've been doing some tint research. For anyone interested in finding out what is legal in your state, try tintcenter.com. In Texas, 25% light transmission is required for the side windows. If you multiply .35 x .74 shown in Rick's chart, you get 26% light transmission, so the standard 35% tint is legal here for the side windows. If you have dual mirrors, as on the Prius, the rear window can be as dark as you like. If you are trying to match the upper and lower parts of the rear window, you would probably only do the upper part, since that would bring it to 26%, which is close enough to the factory 29% on the lower part. In Texas, you can also do the upper 5" of the front windshield, or to the "AS-1 line", whatever that means. There is a bill in Texas legislature to increase the light transmission to 35%, thereby reducing the amount of tint allowed to something like 50%, but hard telling if that bill will go anywhere (I would guess not). The best metalized tints seem to have the same heat and glare reduction factors as the best ceramic tints; so the argument for ceramic seems to boil down to being able to use a lighter shade of tint (and less reflectivity) for the same amount of heat and glare reduction, and less possiblity of interference with radio, nav and other electronics. As has been pointed in another thread, the best ceramics come at a steep price premium.
Are any notes available about the Solar Heat Reduction Rate term used in the Table? If this is really a reduction rate, it seems surprising that the darker glass has the lowest values. I'm wondering if its really a Transmission Factor or a Shade Factor
