Author Topic: Dash mat recommendations  (Read 11086 times)

Synchrotron

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Dash mat recommendations
« on: September 09, 2026, 01:38:43 PM »
Hi all,

I know there are several forum posts about this, but most are quite old, and the links no longer work.

Like many others, I am struggling with the reflections caused by the dashboard onto the windscreen when driving in sunny weather. It hasn't been as bad over the summer, when I could wear my polarised sunglasses, but now that the angle of the sun is getting lower, and I have to wear different glasses (prescription, they darken in response to sunlight, but they aren't polarised) the glare is getting very distracting. I have a very long commute that overlaps with sunrise and sunset through much of the autumn and spring, so lots of low-angle, uncomfortable sun glare.

I was wondering whether you might have any recent recommendations for a dash mat, ideally a non-adhesive one. Alternatively, whether you use a product to render the dash plastic matt, and whether this completely eliminates this issue (older posts seem to have mixed opinions on this approach).

Thanks in advance! :)


nowster

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Re: Dash mat recommendations
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2026, 10:54:29 AM »
You could get a sticky silicone pad, like they use for food trays when you don't want the plates to slide around (eg. on ships).

Also, photochromic lenses aren't recommended for driving and might not be legal to use.

For driving I have clip-on flip-up polarised lenses for my glasses. I often use them in low sun conditions even in winter.

Marco1979

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Re: Dash mat recommendations
« Reply #2 on: September 11, 2026, 12:28:25 PM »
Photochromatic glasses respond to the UV part of the spectrum. When you are indoors or in a car, most of the UV will be absorbed by the windscreen (which has a UV reflecting coating to keep heat out, as do window panes). So it will not do much to prevent glare.

You could try a black towel to see if it makes some difference. You can easily mould it over your dash and specifically cover the parts that annoy you most. Or get Polaroid prescription glasses; very happy with mine! Good luck!

Synchrotron

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Re: Dash mat recommendations
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2026, 10:51:35 AM »
Thank you both for the ideas!

My photochromic lenses are definitely legal for driving (I checked!). It is true that they don’t darken as much inside the car as they do outside, but for me that is just enough to take the edge off the worst of the glare when I’m driving around sunrise/sunset. In full daylight I wear (polarised) prescription sunglasses, and at nighttime the photochromic lenses stay fully clear. I just wanted to avoid fiddling with multiple pairs of glasses while driving at sunrise/sunset, which is what I used to do before (I would wear one pair on my head and one over my eyes and swap them when needed).

When I got my last prescription, I asked about clip-on options first, and I was told there were no suitable options for me, as I can only wear a narrow range of frames (my head is quite small!)

I will definitely do a little more digging when I next need to update my prescription, though.

Lord Voltermore

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Re: Dash mat recommendations
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2026, 09:53:48 AM »
I cant recommend a mat but I did experiment using various cloth and other materials  on a Corsa  (which was much  worse for glare and reflections than my mk 4 Jazz) . So can maybe save you from wasting time and money.

Fortunately I only used things I had to hand and didnt spend money buying likely looking black/dark materials from fabric shops etc  . I found most materials, however dense and matt they may appear ,still reflect a surprising amount of glare.  Especially those made from man made fibres,as most are.  .   Someone recommended felt, but the sample I already had at home  still reflected light.   I considered using some black  non slip matting.The type thats a sort of bobbly rubber open net. But it still looked reflective and I was worried it might melt in extreme heat.

The most successful was, as Marcus says, a  bath towel.   I tried one for a while, but without tailoring it to fit.  It looked scruffy,moved about , and gathered dust.   .

There may be better materials  such as a special non reflective cloth photographers  use in studio work.   
You can buy custom made dash mats for some cars (inc the mk4) which I think are a sort of carpet type material. But many black carpets (such as car floor mats) are still  reflective.  >:(   

But whatever you use I would still have  concerns about whether it will fit, remain in place ,or  impede  air vents ,sensors ,deployment of  dashtop airbags, etc.

In the end I found the best solution for me was polarised sunglasses  in bright daylight,(also available as prescription lenses if required) . And whatever you normally drive with (if anything) when its cloudy or at night. But I am fortunate that I am borderline for needing any prescription at all, and can quickly remove sun glasses and continue to   drive safely and legally ,when going into  tunnels or sudden shade etc.   
« Last Edit: September 13, 2026, 09:55:29 AM by Lord Voltermore »
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Synchrotron

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Re: Dash mat recommendations
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2026, 12:56:52 PM »
Hi all,

Thanks all again for the recommendations!

I ended up buying this mat: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0G2BXBF3L?th=1
They have versions for the Jazz mk2, mk3, and mk4, so I thought I'd share the link in case it's useful.

It took a couple of weeks to arrive (from China, presumably), but it's very good quality, and I am happy with it. The material (fake suede) looks slightly shiny, so I was a bit sceptical about it, but it's proven to be really effective, and it has completely eliminated any reflections from the dash onto the windscreen. The cutouts align well with the vents, but winter will tell whether they get in the way of airflow, if I see the windscreen misting in some areas even with the aircon on.

The mat has silicone dots at the back, and it also came with some adhesive pads (which I haven't needed so far).

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