
A car visor, most commonly called a sun visor, is a flat panel attached above the windshield (and sometimes the side window) on the inside of a car. Its primary job is to block direct sunlight from your eyes, drastically improving visibility and safety while driving. Most visors can be flipped down from their stored position against the headliner and swiveled to the side to block light coming from the side window.
Modern sun visors are more than just shaded plastic. They often include several key features:
There are two main types of sun visors based on how they're mounted. A swivel visor is the most common, mounted on a single pivot point that allows it to cover both the front and side windows. A sliding visor can be physically moved along a track on the headliner, offering more precise positioning without the loose feel of a swivel design. Proper use is simple: just lower it to block glare from the front or detach it from its center clip and swing it to the side. If your visor becomes droopy or loose over time, the issue is usually a worn-out pivot joint, which can often be tightened with a screwdriver.
| Feature | Common Materials | Standard Pivot Angle | Common Extender Length | Illumination Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Visor Board | Hardboard, Molded Plastic | 180 degrees | N/A | N/A |
| Visor Core Padding | Polyurethane Foam | - | - | - |
| Surface Covering | Vinyl, Fabric, Leatherette | - | - | - |
| Vanity Mirror Cover | Hard Plastic | - | - | - |
| Visor Extender | Translucent Acrylic | - | 4 to 6 inches | N/A |
| Illuminated Mirror | - | - | - | LED, Incandescent Bulb |

Honestly, I just think of it as the thing with the flip-down mirror. My wife uses it all the time to check her makeup or my daughter's hair in the backseat. Sure, it blocks the sun when it's low in the sky, but that mirror is its main event in our car. It’s also where I stuff my parking garage ticket so I don’t lose it before the exit.


