1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Tinted windows an option for 2023 Prius?

Discussion in 'Gen 5 Prius Main Forum' started by rschlegel, Mar 7, 2023.

  1. rschlegel

    rschlegel Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2011
    54
    14
    0
    Location:
    Raleigh, NC
    Vehicle:
    2004 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I visited a local Toyota dealer and they had a 2023 Prius hybrid XSE there to see and drive. This one had fully tinted windows. Is that an option consumers can select when buying one?
     
  2. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    1,353
    742
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    Window tint is done locally; they don't come from the factory that way.
    It's usually cheaper and you get what you want, if you get it done locally on your own. There's usually a huge markup; that's why the dealers do this - high profit margins.
     
    raqball, Kalianyia and mikey_t like this.
  3. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,907
    38,356
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Might have been a sale that fell through. Extra tinting is purely an aftermarket thing. Personally if I was considering a used car and it had tinting, that’d be a negative. It’s a plastic film, definitely not as durable as the factory tint that’s actually part of the glass.
     
  4. yarrh

    yarrh New Member

    Joined:
    May 19, 2023
    17
    15
    1
    Location:
    NYC
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius
    Model:
    Limited AWD-e
    Has anyone tinted their Gen 5s yet? I’ve noticed that our cars get exceptionally hot while parked under the sun, even with a sunshade behind the windshield. The long shallow-angled windshield and glass roof doesn't help.

    As dangerous as it may be, I’m considering installing a light tint for the front windshield to reduce the greenhouse effect.

    However, according to the owner’s manual the ice defrost feature supposedly makes this pane super hot, which may mess with a tint film. Also the front side windows are treated with a UV coating that can be easily damaged by stuff as innocuous as glass cleaners. Not sure if this is on the interior or exterior.

    Thoughts on window tinting our cars?
     
  5. Exerted

    Exerted Member

    Joined:
    Dec 20, 2021
    110
    97
    0
    Location:
    California
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius Prime
    Model:
    N/A
    I tint all of my cars. Ceramic type at a minimum. Otherwise the interior would be unbearable in peak summer heat. Not to mention your AC will be working extra hard without help from the tint.

    Tint is first and foremost for function, especially for hybrid. It just also happens to look good. I went with 50 on the windshield, 35 for driver and passenger, 15% on the rest with 3M Ceramic IR. 90-95% of the performance of their topline Crystalline(or topline of any manufacturer) for about 50%-60% of the cost.

    Again, look at the spec sheet of any tint, and look at the TSER. It's the cliff notes in % of it's total performance. The darker you go, the more heat it rejects. Cheaper, dark tint will perform like an expensive, but lighter tint.

    Example would be you'd need 15% cheap tint to perform as well as a 70% expensive tint.
     
  6. Jim Call

    Jim Call Active Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2023
    105
    107
    1
    Location:
    Asheville
    Vehicle:
    2023 Prius
    Model:
    XLE
    Factory tinting is included with almost all new cars this day and age including the 2023 Prius. However, it is not at all effective in reducing interior temps as is. I tint all my new vehicles having lived in both FL and NC. Helps substantially and looks great! River Prius 2.jpg
     
    Deb Rothschild likes this.