Why no rear window wiper?

I was just being facetious. The auto dimming mirror in my 2016 was really quite awful because the spoiler in the split window casted a shadow directly over the light sensor. At least in my Prime XLE with the manual mirror I can flip it to dim. Some lights these days are still bright enough that I often need to adjust them mirror completely out of my line of sight.

 

The three cars I have owned since 1998 have all had a rear wiper which I often use, and I would certainly miss it if/when my next car doesn’t have one.

With the snow we get in Canada, it is certainly a desirable feature for me, and I saw the deletion in the outgoing Prime as a drawback, even thought it was for obvious reason with the wavy rear window… However not having one is hardly a deal breaker that would stop me from buying said vehicle, I would just need to get used to it.

On the other hand, I see it as the industry is trending toward a more high tech solution, with a digital rear view mirror with camera washer. A costly alternative of course - that requires shelling out for the top Limited trim - but interesting… I am still curious to see how well that washer spray will wash off road salt and other nasty stuff that would accumulate naturally.

 

Half my driving life was in cars without a rear wiper. The only times I had to see out the rear is when backing out of parking, and I'd have cleared the snow off before getting into the car. The defroster was usually able to handle snow after that.

On the cars with it, the rear wiper always seemed to wear out faster than the front ones.

 

That’s unfortunate if that’s the case.

 

Just to muddy the waters: on our 3rd gen we've got the wiper, but it's sweep area is pretty pathetic. To the point I rarely bother with it. I wish it was better, maybe with some linkage that allowed it to sweep across the rear glass expanse, not just this postage stamp arc.

 

4th gen was similarly diminutive

 

Mistier climate?
A coating of fine water droplets is real effective at blocking the view. I used the rear wiper for that far more than for snow.

They might even get real fog lights.

 

Living in WI, I use the rear wiper on my Gen 3 a lot -- for snow, rain, and especially the muddy mix that tends to land there. One of the main reasons I didn't "upgrade" to the Prime was the wavy window with no rear wiper.

I like the split rear window, because the bar across it is in just the perfect location to block tailgaters' headlights.

 

Because the air of a sedan car can drop quickly and dust will not collect, the general two-box car needs a rear wiper

 

The bZ4X doesn't have a rear wiper either.

 

Sadly I've never had a rear wiper not die on any car that had/needed them (van, jeep, station wagon, actual hatchback)
Haven't had a chance to drive my 2023 in the rain yet but I suspect the angling makes it better.

 

Wiper drag? I'll believe that's important to the industry - once they get rid of those drag-inducing side view mirrors for the much better option of side view cameras. The auto lobby could easily flip legislators that they are buying off anyways.

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While the rear window on the 2023 is huge the view out the back window is not. In retrospect I am glad I ended up with the XSE Premium vs the XSE. I end up using the rear view mirror camera because it shows more. No need for a wiper on a window you can barely see out of anyways. The rear camera washer is nice though.

 

Great to hear.

Question - does the camera washer actually clean both lenses well, or just one? (I thought it was more aligned for the backup camera). I guess it remains to be seen how good of a job it will do at cleaning off our Canadian road salt in the winter…

 

I have to say I don't like the rearview camera and I'm not using it at all. I don't like my eyes having to refocus to use it then refocus again to see the road. For now, I've compromised by removing the two rear headrests to get a little wider field of view. That being said, I still think I'll appreciate it more in the winter when snow or ice is covering the rear window.

I'm not unhappy I have the option, since I still have the ability to switch it into a regular rearview mirror with the throw of a lever.

 

It cleans both cameras, used it in the rain when it was getting foggy.

 

Lucky you. The angle depends on their tailgating distance. Around here, I get the ones who tailgate at the exact distance where the bar blocks their light from the auto-dimming mirror sensor, while it burns full strength undimmed into my ever-lovin' eye sockets.