I have purchased an 06 Prius in Seaside Pearl with Package 8 and I have seen in Prius spec that windows have High Solar Energy-Absorbing (HSEA) glass. The HSEA glass absorbs significantly more solar energy and UV rays than the tinted glass it replaces, thereby reducing heat build up within the vehicle and reducing air conditioner load. It achieves this without affecting night-time vision. I live in Florida - Fort Myers area has anyone had any experience with HSEA glass to know if added window tint is needed? I have not received any delivery confirmation or expected date as of this date.
Well, I haven't read my sticker yet to see about the HSEA,l but I am still going to get the windows tinted. For me it's a combination of heat AND light. The factory windows may indeed cut down on the heat, but they still allow lots of light. I'm not so much concerned about myself, as I can wear sunglasses, but rather for my kids in the back.
we did it on our 05 and did notice slightly lower heat build-up. don't know if the 05 uses HSEA but i think it does. did it mainly for the light filtering though, my eyes are sensitive to light. looks real badass, though... B)
I recommend tinting your windows if you live in a hot sunny climate. There are lots of different tint options out there, and many have been discussed on this board. I've had great luck with the Huper Optik "Drei" tinting, which rejects 98% of the solar heat. The difference between the sun coming through the untinted windshield and the tinted side windows is very significant. Its to the point where I'm considering looking into tinting the front window with the same coating (under the table, since its not legal in Arizona to tint the front windows).
