Sunshade Products Windscreen Visor test

We hadn’t given them much thought for several years, but then we saw one on a Troopy in Papua New Guinea and remembered just how great they were.

We are talking about windscreen sun visors. Remember them? They have graced the windscreens of many vehicles, including the Holden Kingswood, and you wouldn’t have been seen beyond the ‘black stump’ without one ‘back in the day’.

We were struck with nostalgia at the sight of one on a Land Cruiser Troopy negotiating the battlefields of Buna at the end of the Kokoda Track, and we knew we had to have one for the Hilux. But when we got back to Australia, we were surprised that Toyota only offered sun visors as an optional factory extra for the Land Cruiser 70 Series. And so the web search began.

Solid colour-matched models are available as an aftermarket accessory for the Hilux via a few manufacturers, but the price range varies from $600 to $800.

Searching on, we found Sunshade Products at Roof Rack World in Adelaide. It manufactures and supplies a lightweight aluminium mesh visor for medium and large trucks, as well most four-wheel drive vehicles.

For a Hilux, the standard visor costs $275 with a further $55 for fitment. With an additional cost, custom fits are available to accommodate snorkels. All visor models have stainless-steel mounts, aluminium mesh and piping.

After fitting, the utility of the visor was immediately evident. The instrumentation on the dashboard – and the various aftermarket LCD displays (GPS, tyre pressure gauge, reversing camera, etc.) were far easier to see. The sunlight striking the driver and passenger was dappled and diffused. The cabin temperature and glare were markedly reduced, too.

The only downside was a slight hum from the airflow, which would vary with each model and application.

Rated
WE SAY: Australian-made, old-school and high-value.
RRP: From $275 (make/model dependent)
AVAILABLE FROM: www.roofrackworld.com.au