LAST UPDATED: October 20, 2019
Best Rear View Mirrors: Expand Your Range of Vision
Need a new rearview mirror in your car? Try one of these options
Entering our 7th season of /DRIVE on NBC Sports, and with millions of YouTube and Facebook followers, The Drive is a leading authority of all things automotive.
The Review Team
26 Products
14 Hours
12 Reviews
How We Decided
The Drive and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.Read more.
PUBLISHED ON October 20, 2019
The rearview mirror is an understated but critical car accessory. We typically don’t notice it unless it’s not working properly. Think about the times you’ve experienced glare from the headlights of the car behind you or had a near-miss because there was a vehicle in your blind spot. A great rearview mirror can prevent uncomfortable moments like that from happening and significantly improve the quality and safety of your drive.
The rearview mirror is an understated but critical car accessory. We typically don’t notice it unless it’s not working properly. Think about the times you’ve experienced glare from the headlights of the car behind you or had a near-miss because there was a vehicle in your blind spot. A great rearview mirror can prevent uncomfortable moments like that from happening and significantly improve the quality and safety of your drive.
Why Trust Us
All of our reviews are based on market research, expert input, or practical experience with most products we include. This way, we offer genuine, accurate guides to help you find the best picks.
Tips
- Decide which mounting is most appropriate. Some mirrors can be attached with an adhesive or a bracket, while others require additional modifications like drilling into the ceiling of your car.
- Most mirrors range from 8-12 inches, while others are panoramic and include multiple mirror panels. Depending on your visibility needs, a single mirror may suffice for an average vehicle, but if you are drag racing or driving a large vehicle, a multi-panel mirror may be a better fit.
- An anti-glare feature will prevent you from getting blinded by the headlights from the cars behind you, especially at night.
- A single mirror may be wide enough to cover the blind spots, or you may need additional blind spot mirror attachments for your side mirrors.
- Many mirrors come with additional features such as automatic dimming, cameras, GPS, compasses, temperature and LCD displays. These features can be excellent additions to the mirror but do result in additional costs.
FAQs
Q: Why does my rearview mirror turn dark?
A: The mirror will automatically turn dark if it has an auto-dimming feature. A forward-looking sensor detects low ambient light from the headlights behind the car and directs the rear-view sensor to look for glare. The mirrors darken automatically in proportion to the brightness of the glare and then clear once the glare is no longer detected.
Q: What if my mirror shakes and rattles?
A: The mounting mechanism or the adhesive may not work exactly as expected. Do the measurements and the research for the right size and specifications. Additional screws, brackets or different types of adhesive may be required.
Q: What size mirror should I buy?
A: That depends on the size of your vehicle, whether you tow anything behind it, and how you use it (daily commuting versus drag racing, for example). Some drivers prefer a much wider mirror to avoid having to turn their heads so much when switching lanes. Drivers who race or have to commute in a lot of traffic may also benefit from a larger and wider-angle mirror. However, larger mirrors are bulkier and may not be aesthetically pleasing. They may also be too heavy and require more customization while mounting.
Q: Should I get a mirror with additional features like a GPS, a camera, or an LCD display?
A: Many vehicles come with built-in features like GPS, a rear and side-view camera, and LCD dashboards, so duplicating those features in a mirror may be an unnecessary expense. However, if any of those features are not included with your vehicle or have stopped working overtime, replacing them as one of the features on your rearview mirror may be an effective and economical solution.
Final Thoughts
We recommend the Rally Panoramic 5-Panel Rearview Mirror because it provides the widest rear-view coverage and completely eliminates blind spots, making your drive safer.
The ELUTO Wide Angle Rear View Mirror is the best value option if you need a rearview mirror replacement.