Just got a 2025 Hybrid LE last week and want to tint my windows. The rear windows have privacy glass but no tint and let in about 28% light. I want all windows to match at 20%. What percentage should I put on the privacy glass to get the same look? Thanks for any advice.
Go with 20% on the front and 50% on the back. It looks clean and uniform without being overly dark.
I just got my front windows tinted, asked them to just match the back. Figured I would just save the money and added the eyebrow.
@Vinnie
Are you talking about the eyebrow?
Marsden said:
@Vinnie
Are you talking about the eyebrow?
It’s called a tint strip, or eyebrow. They are 5%. I’ve never seen or heard of one lighter than that. You wouldn’t want one lighter than that. With it you rarely need to use the sun visor. It makes a huge difference!
Those rear windows are already tinted at 28%. In New Zealand, that would be considered very dark. Edit: Actually, the legal limit here for most cars is 35%, but SUVs and vans can have darker rear windows.
@Raine
I’m pretty sure the glass isn’t tinted by Toyota; it’s just made like that. I want all windows at 20%. Do you know what percentage tint I should use over the privacy glass to get that?
Shay said:
@Raine
I’m pretty sure the glass isn’t tinted by Toyota; it’s just made like that. I want all windows at 20%. Do you know what percentage tint I should use over the privacy glass to get that?
You’re right, it’s not tinted, just privacy glass. I didn’t tint my rears but matched the fronts at 20%. Any local tint shop should be able to confirm the percentages before you get it done.
@Flippa
I’m thinking 20% on the fronts and 80% on the rears. With privacy glass, it’ll end up around 20%. For the back, I’ll go with 20% tint to make it 5%. I’ll double-check with the shop first.
I did 20% in the front and 30% in the back here in Texas. 30% is as dark as I’d go before night driving becomes tricky. I picked 30% for privacy over matching.
I used 20% on the front and 70% on the back, and it’s almost perfect.
Here’s a detailed post about my experience with tinting:
I’m planning to get a RAV4 soon, but let me share details about my current setup. My vehicle has 5% tint all around, 50% on the windshield, and a 5% strip on the top of the windshield. I have a medical exemption for my eyes, which allows me to have this level of tint legally. When I first got it, I had an officer inspect the car at night to confirm the visibility wasn’t an issue. Afterward, he signed off on my medical form, which I carry in case I’m stopped in another state.
So far, I’ve driven through Idaho, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, and Arizona without ever being pulled over. I avoid rolling down the windows to prevent scratches on the tint. To keep the cabin dark, I use black tape (residue-free) to cover passenger door lock buttons, window controls, and rearview mirror buttons with lights. I even covered the small light that illuminates the cup holder area at night. A dark cabin enhances outward visibility, even in pitch-black environments like mountains or deserts.
What I love most is that you can’t see inside the car, day or night. As long as you have a backup camera and dim the speedometer brightness (I keep mine at the lowest setting), night driving is manageable. I also turn off the infotainment screen to reduce glare.
This setup has worked for me for 8 years and over 86,000 miles without being stopped once. That said, if you can’t maintain a dark cabin with this level of tint, it might not be worth it. In that case, I recommend 20% tint all around instead.
For my future RAV4, I’ll likely do 20% on the front driver and passenger windows, 15% or 10% on the rear windows, and a 5% strip on the windshield. My partner will be driving it often, and with modern vehicles having large screens, maintaining a dark cabin might be more effort than it’s worth.
For context, my Hyundai has a button that turns off the radio display while keeping the music on, which is helpful. My partner drives this Hyundai and our F-150, both with 20% tint all around and a strip on the windshield. Personally, I prefer the darkest tint possible because it offers more privacy and looks great, in my opinion.
If you have kids, darker tint is also beneficial—it provides privacy and blocks sunlight, especially for babies and toddlers who can’t reposition themselves.
Lastly, while my state’s cops don’t enforce tint laws much, it’s always best to check your local regulations and customize your vehicle accordingly. This is just my personal take, so feel free to do what works best for you.