A sunroof is a movable or mobile panel on the roof of a car (any type of car, for example – sedan, SUV, hatchback ) that opens to uncover a window from the roof, allowing the fresh air to enter the passenger’s compartment in the car. The Car Sunroofs in India or worldwide can be operated manually by the user or passenger or can also be motor driven; that is, they can be operated through functions in the form of features in the car through remotes. Car Sunroofs are available in many shapes, sizes, and styles. Sunroof cars in India are known by many names and contain a lot of varied types.
Types Of Sunroof in Car
1. Pop-up Car Sunroofs
These are simply a man- operated or manual tilting panels. These panels are easily removable and must be stored when removed. The tilting action provides a vent in the roof or a full opening when the panel is removed. These are inexpensive as compared to the others. Examples of cars in which they can be found include- Porsche 944, Mazda RX-7, etc.
2. Spoiler Sunroof
These sunroofs tilt to vent and slide to open the roof above, requiring little headroom or roof length. Spoilers typically do not provide as large an opening as the other roof systems but offer the convenience of a self-storing panel. Most spoiler car sunroofs are electric, with optional features like integrated sun shades and express easy open and close. Examples of cars in which they can be found include- Honda CRX etc.
3. Inbuilt Sunroof
These sunroofs systems have a panel that slides open between the roof and the interior headliner of the car, requiring some loss of headroom but providing a full opening in the roof. All the inbuilt slide pens inside the roof, while some also include a rear venting feature to enable open and close purposes. Inbuilt does not fit every vehicle, as the panel must slide and store completely within the vehicle roof. Examples of cars in which they can be found include- Ford Thunderbird.
4. Folding Sunroof
They offer a sunroof with an opening just like a convertible car. The panel is made of fabric (often vinyl), which folds back as it slides open. Examples of cars in which they can be found include- VW beetle, JEEP liberty.
5. Top-Mount Sliding
They contain large glass panel slides open in tracks on top of the roof, with no loss of headroom. Most of these feature an integral wind deflector to eliminate wind noise. Examples of cars in which they can be found include- Renault 5 cars.
6. Panoramic Roof
These systems are a type of large or multi-panel moonroof that offers openings above both the front and rear seats and may be operable or fixed glass panels. Examples of panoramic sunroof cars in which they can be found include- Lexus ES, BMW MINI, Mercedes C class, Acura ZDX, etc.
7. Removable Roof Panels
Also known as t- tops or Targa roofs, these sunroofs open the automobile’s roof to the side windows, providing a wider opening than other roof systems. The Targa body style is identical in specifications to the Sedanca. Still, it is designed for user-driven rather than chauffeured cars, and while a Sedanca style implies a rear passenger area, the Targa, on the other hand, does not do the same. Instead, T-roofs have two removable panels, which leave the T-shaped structural brace in the roof centre. Targa roofs include only one (opaque or even a transparent) panel and leave no cross brace. Examples of cars in which they can be found include- Porsche 911 Targa, Honda NSX, Porsche 914, Chevrolet Corvette, and many more.
8. Solar Sunroof In Car
As the name suggests, these sunroofs are made of glass, with a hatched solar panel that makes them opaque. They operate the same as traditional moonroofs, but when closed, the solar panel provides electricity to power the interior ventilation fans for cooling the car interior on hot days when the car is standing outside in the sunlight. Examples of cars that can be found include- Recent Audi cars, 2010 Prius, Renault Zoe, Mazda 929.
9. Moonroof
This type of sunroof is transparent and usually consists of glass or plexiglass. It’s the sunroof that lets light inside the car while closed. Examples of cars in which they can be found include- Aston Martin Lagonda from series 2 to 4, Mk1 Ford Fiesta, and many more.
Now that we have discussed a variety of Car sunroofs available in India let’s look at the pros and cons of sunroof cars in India. Are they actually what we need or not?
Advantages Of Sunroof In Car
- It gives the car a stylish interior and exterior, making it look trendy.
- They provide the user with an extra window that enables them to breathe in the more fresh air.
- In traffic, the car sunroofs come in handy as they fairly reduce the noises of vehicles and let the fresh air come in the passenger’s cabinet.
- It gives a beautiful view during the rains as the raindrops fall on the glass of the sunroofs.
- In cold climates, these sunroofs enable the sun to throw in bright rays and make the driving experience better.
- A Sunroof can operate in dual ways, firstly, the whole roof and the tilt function. With either of the two, one can drastically reduce the car compartment’s warmth. This helps with all the warm days and humidity and is a good feature, especially in India.
Disadvantages Of Sunroof In Car
- On extremely warm days or in places with usually extreme temperatures, this feature can be majorly ignored as usually, the ACs are on in the car.
- On the days of harsh sun, moonlight car sunroofs only add to more sun rays which can irritate.
- In case of the glass breaks, it is quite expensive to be repaired.
- The integrity of old cars with sunroofs is affected as the buyers might not want to buy a sunroof car according to their preference.
- It is high maintenance as the rubbers, glass, motor all the other mechanical components might require frequent maintenance.
- During rainy days the water might seep in, making the car wet and filled with water.
- The cars without sunroofs generally offer more headroom space for the passengers.
- Last but not least, car sunroofs are highly expensive.
Hence, car sunroofs majorly act as a feel-good factor especially in a pleasant weather condition or desire for trendy looks which we have all seen in movies and love to replicate. If this interests you, you might also want to explore more about the cheapest sunroof cars in India in 2022.
