Exterior Accessories & Protection

Protection for the outside of the vehicle: breathable car covers for cars kept outside, hood protectors and bug deflectors for highway gravel and insects, window visors, mud flaps and splash guards for salt and slush, door-edge and bumper guards, mirror covers and trim. Canadian roads are hard on paint: winter brine, spring gravel and summer bugs each take their turn, so we lean toward covers with a soft inner layer and a UV-stable outer and toward fittings in stainless or coated steel.

What to look for: a cover sized by your vehicle’s length and body style, not a one-size claim; hood protectors and visors made for your exact year, make and model so the edges line up; and, for anything attached with adhesive, a surface primer or 3M-grade tape and an install day above 10 °C.

Related: truck and off-road, car care and towing, racks and cargo.