A Man And His Gear

Reviews and news about a man's favorite gear

Here’s Why SUVs have Rear Wipers, and its NOT just to be Cool

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Have you ever noticed that SUVs tend to have rear wipers, while sedans and trucks don’t? Well, we took a bit to dig in and see why that is.

So why do SUV’s have rear wipers? SUV’s have rear wipers because the upright rear end of these vehicles tend to build up snow, dirt, and more on the rear window, that needs to be wiped away. The aerodynamic of sedans for example allow these things to dissipate while driving, while SUVs don’t have enough airflow there to stop the build up.

Why does debris build up on the rear window?

This Porsche Mecan even has a rear spoiler

If you are anything like me, and drive a crossover with a flat rear window, you tend to notice snow, water and dust builds up on that window and you have to regularly wipe it off with the rear wiper.

This is because air flow goes straight off the back of the vehicle due to their spoilers, instead of making its way down the rear of the vehicle.

With this lack of air flow, this is an easy way for all of this debris to build up.

Other Reading

How to help debris from building up on your back window?

This older Land Cruiser has a rear wiper blade

While there isn’t any permanent way to stop this build up, there are ways to make it at least stop a little bit.

I personally like to use windshield washer fluid by Rain-X that has an additive that helps water bead up on it. This also makes other stuff run off a bit better as well!

Making sure to clean the surfaces thoroughly when washing your car will help stuff from building up as well.

Conclusion

So there you have it, you now know why SUVs have rear wipers while other vehicles don’t!

If you want to keep your back window clean while driving, that rear wiper is necessary due to the aerodynamics of a crossover.