If you require a quick answer, the best sunglasses for driving are the Oakley Sonnenbrille Square Wire, which is a lightweight polarized pair that are constructed to the highest of standards. However, if you require a more affordable pair to leave in the car, the Carfia alternative is the best budget option that’s designed specifically for driving.
To rate the driving sunglasses within this article, we based our recommendations on testing, our own experience of wearing multiple styles whilst driving, the latest research and multiple factors. Some of the factors that we considered included the lens type, frame, style, sizes available, weight, construction, adjustability, warranty and value.
Best Driving Sunglasses Overview
- Best Overall: Oakley Sonnenbrille Square Wire
- Best Budget: Carfia Polarised
- Best Aviator: Ray-Ban Classic
- Best Unisex: Ray-Ban Clubmaster
- Best Lightweight: Serengeti Positano
- Best Wraparound: Global Vision Copper Tinted
Although you may own several sunglasses already, they may not be suitable for driving. Many sunglasses are either too dark or feature chunky frames that block your peripheral vision. Therefore, choosing a dedicated pair is a great investment and many of the top brands in the UK offer a variety of styles that are suitable to wear whilst driving.
Below is a list of the best driving sunglasses that improve your vision on the road and protect your eyes.
The Best Sunglasses For Driving
1. Best Overall: Oakley Sonnenbrille Square Wire Driver Sunglasses
Oakley is a well-known brand within the sunglasses industry and their Sonnenbrille Square Wire style of sunglasses is a great option to consider for driving. This is because they use a polarized lens that provides great quality all the way to the edges and the frame itself is made using a lightweight C-5 alloy material. In terms of sizing, the lens is 60.1 x 37.7mm, the frame is 135mm and the arm length is 123mm.
- Built to the highest of standards
- Polarized lens enhances the colour, contrast and detail
- Very stylish and ideal for wearing outside of the car
- Ultra lightweight construction that's very comfortable to wear
- Supplied with a protective case
- Replacement lenses are readily available
- Reputable brand backing
- Relatively expensive when compared to other sunglasses for driving
Oakley is a brand that is known for its high-quality products and these Square Wire sunglasses follow that great reputation. They are an excellent pair of sunglasses for driving that is also great for wearing as a casual pair outside of the car too. Although expensive, they are a worthwhile investment that you certainly won’t regret.
2. Best Budget: Carfia Polarised Driving Sunglasses
If you require a more affordable pair of driving sunglasses that are highly rated, you can’t go wrong with the Carfia sunglasses. They are available in a wide range of styles and according to the brand, they are half the weight of other sunglasses but twice as durable. In terms of sizing, they are only available in a single size where the dimensions are 42 mm x 65 mm for the lens, 138 mm for the frame length and 14mm for the nose bridge.
- Polarized lens blocks 100% of harmful UVA & UVB rays
- Robust acetate frame construction
- Supplied with a carry case and microfibre cloth for cleaning
- Very lightweight and ideal for wearing upon long drives
- Only available in a single size
To conclude, the Carfia driving sunglasses offer the best value and they are far better quality than similarly priced alternatives. The popularity of the sunglasses speaks for itself and they are ideal for keeping in your car ready for use on the road.
3. Best Aviator: Ray-Ban Classic Aviators
Ray-Ban is one of the most well-known sunglasses brands in the UK and they offer a wide variety of styles. These Classic Aviators are the ideal choice for driving with the larger lens and lightweight design.
Although the brand offers several lens colours, we would recommend the grey-green lens for driving. This is because they provide great protection against direct sunlight and glare whilst remaining stylish.
- Choice of lens widths that range from 55 to 62 mm
- Available in 28 different styles
- Photochromatic lenses
- Made from high quality glass
- Lightweight metal frame
- Lenses may be too large for some people
Overall, the Ray-Ban Aviators are a popular and classic design that’s very desirable and great for driving. The wide range of lens sizes and styles also allows you to tailor the sunglasses to best suit your personal preference.
4. Best Unisex: Ray-Ban Clubmaster Sunglasses
The Clubmaster sunglasses by Ray-Ban are one of the brand’s most popular styles and it’s a pair that we personally use as driving sunglasses on a daily basis. A great benefit of these sunglasses is that they are unisex, which means that whoever is driving can look great and feel comfortable wearing them.
It’s important to note that to use the Clubmasters as driving sunglasses, we would avoid the blue or pink lenses.
- Stylish unisex design
- 100% durable plastic construction
- Choice of three sizes and five designs to best suit your requirements
- Made by the reputable Ray-Ban brand
- Relatively expensive when compared to other driving sunglasses
Although the Ray-Ban Clubmaster sunglasses come with a premium price tag, they are a unisex option that’s perfect for driving. They are also great for casually wearing outside of the car due to their stylish design.
5. Best Lightweight: Serengeti Positano Driving Sunglasses
Serengeti is another popular brand of sunglasses and the Positano series in particular is a great option to wear whilst driving. This is because they use the brand’s patented photochromic lens technology and they are also made using a lightweight nylon frame, which means they are comfortable to wear for long periods too.
- Unisex styling
- NylonTR90 frame
- Photochromic lens technology
- Medium to large sizing
- Available in four different styles
- Ultra lightweight for extended use
- One of the most expensive sunglasses within our roundup
Overall, the Positano series by Serengeti are another excellent pair of driving sunglasses that won’t disappoint. The standout feature is that they are extremely lightweight and ideal for long drives, which is a requirement for many. The only drawback is its premium price tag but if you want high-quality driving sunglasses, you can’t go wrong with this pair.
6. Best Wraparound: Global Vision Wraparound Sunglasses For Driving
One of the cheapest sunglasses for driving that are actually worth buying is by the Global Vision brand and they feature a unique wraparound design. Although the styling may not be that desirable, it provides the best peripheral vision when compared to any of the alternatives within our roundup.
- Wraparound unisex styling
- Copper tinted driving lens
- 100% UVA/UVB protection
- Shatterproof polycarbonate lens construction
- Supplied with a storage pouch and cleaning cloth
- Styling may not be to everyone's preference
Overall, the Global Vision sunglasses offer great value for the money and are dedicated to driving with a copper-tinted lens. Although the wraparound styling may not be that desirable, they provide excellent peripheral vision.
How We Rated
As you can imagine, there are thousands of different sunglasses to choose from but we were only interested in those suitable for driving. As we normally wear sunglasses whilst driving during the summer, we’ve tried and tested plenty over the years. During our testing, we analyse the sunglasses’ build quality, comfort, driver-focused features and adjustability.
To keep up our commitment to reviewing and testing the latest driving sunglasses, we are continually testing the latest offerings from top brands in the UK. This means that when we notice a brand has released a new pair of sunglasses that are dedicated to driving, we will attempt to purchase them for testing (where applicable).
As well as our testing and experience wearing multiple sunglasses whilst driving, we also based our recommendations on the latest research and several factors. Some of the factors that we took into consideration included the lens type, frame, style, sizes available, weight, construction, adjustability, warranty and value for money.
Conclusion
Investing in a quality pair of sunglasses that are dedicated to driving is highly advised. Glare during the summer months can be very dangerous whilst driving and it’s a cause of many accidents on the road. Therefore, rather than purchasing a standard pair of sunglasses, those dedicated to driving are certainly a great investment. All of our recommendations above are suited to a range of budgets and styles and also include sunglasses from some of the best brands in the UK.
If you require further information regarding our driving sunglasses recommendations, feel free to get in touch and we will try to provide our assistance where possible.
