The Best Outdoor Car Covers to Protect Against the Elements

Style matters. Even though an outdoor car cover is primarily a functional item, there’s no reason to ignore the way it looks. The Motigma All-Weather Car Cover checks all of the boxes on function: it’s made of a 210D polyester oxford fabric that is lightweight, yet wind- and water-resistant, flame retardant, and UV-resistant. It has a zippered door panel, so you can access your car’s interior without removing the cover. The twin-stitched cover is breathable, which helps to stop mold and rust from developing. It includes three straps with clips, a cable and lock for additional security, a storage bag, mirror pockets, and elastic hems for a snug fit.

But the Motigma’s not-so-secret weapon is its style. Featuring a bold, red, printed graphic on a black background, the Motigma uses a wing motif to distinguish your covered car from the silver and grey crowd in the parking area. How many can say they’ve got a cool-looking car cover?

The CarsCover Custom Fit Car Cover is available for dozens of car models and years of manufacture, with each version matched to the dimensions and peculiarities of your specific model—making it a great option if you want to get a precise fit, but don’t want to commission an expensive car cover from a local shop, and user reviews praise the snug custom fit.

As for quality, the Custom Fit cover is made of a five-layer waterproof and weatherproof heavy-duty fabric. The inner layer is a soft fleece liner that babies your painted and metallic surfaces, avoiding scratches and swirls that can result from contact with coarse fabrics. Includes two mirror pockets, and comes with an attached tie down strap and buckle, along with a pouch for compact storage.

The CoverMaster Gold Shield Car Cover uses a proven five-layer construction to deliver waterproof protection for your ride. There are three layers of polypropylene, a layer of micro-porous film that allows your car to breathe, preventing oxidation and the buildup of moisture, plus an inner layer of soft cotton fleece. The fleece is the only layer that touches the car, and helps protect painted and polished surfaces during storage.

That tough exterior construction makes the CoverMaster appropriate for extreme weather protection, from sun to wind, rain to hail, snow to ice. It also comes with a free lock and cable for security, antenna patch, and a storage bag included. Not only that, the CoverMaster Gold Shield Car Cover includes a lifetime warranty. Users complimented the CoverMaster for its fit and ease of use, but some experienced less-than-perfect waterproof capability.

The Tuxcover Custom Fit Car Cover is made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fabric known as DuPont Tyvek. This miracle fabric is well known for its ability to shed water, while at the same time being breathable, allowing it to release trapped moisture. Tyvek is strong, durable, and long-lasting—they use it to wrap houses during new construction—so it’s an excellent material choice for an outdoor car cover.

The Tuxcover uses contrasting colors of Tyvek in its design: a light-colored grey for the top, and a darker charcoal color for the vehicle body from the shoulder line down. The light color makes great sense, as these naturally reflect some of the sun’s rays, keeping heat down, while the dark color helps to hide incidental dirt and grime, which a car cover almost inevitably picks up over time. But as always, better the cover than your vehicle’s finish.

iCarCover promotes its cover as an all-weather option, and equips it with features that will handle extreme heat and extreme cold, as well as everything in between. Its thick multi-layer polyester fabric is waterproof and protects your car from hail damage; it also has a breathable UV premium layer that stops UV rays and heat from reaching your car, where it can damage exterior paint and interior materials.

The non-abrasive fabric retains a slick and glossy finish, so it will slide onto your car during installation and removal without leaving any scratches or swirls. The iCarCover comes with universal easy buckles and straps, two antenna patches, a pair of grommets, and a compact storage bag. A seven-year full warranty is standard. If your iCarCover is damaged by the weather during the first seven years of ownership, iCarCover will provide a full refund or full replacement at no additional cost.

If five-layer protection is good, KAKIT Six-Layers Car Cover does the competition one better. It uses three non-woven layers, one waterproof layer, one layer of UV coating, and an inner lining made of soft cotton. All seams are double-stitched, and there’s an elasticized hem along the bottom with a wind gust strap and buckle on each corner to keep the cover from blowing off in a heavy wind.

The KAKIT comes in many sizes, each custom fit to a specific make, model, and year, so you can find the right size for your treasured vehicle. An anti-theft lock is included, along with an antenna patch and a storage bag. The KAKIT also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a three-year warranty, and is priced very competitively—especially for an outdoor car cover with such a wide range of standard features.

Not everybody needs maximum weather protection, or even wants it. If you live in a moderate climate, or if you park your car in a carport or under a portico, a light, easy-to-handle cover might better suit your needs. After all, a cover that’s easy to install and remove is much more likely to get used on a regular basis than one that’s bulky and a challenge to manage.

The Budge RB-3 Rain Barrier Car Cover recognizes this need, and addresses it with a high-quality, water-resistant cover that is breathable and secure. It is made of three layers of spun-bond polypropylene with a water-resistant inner film and a non-abrasive lining, all designed to protect your car’s finish, while allowing moisture to escape, preventing mold and mildew formation. The Budge comes with an elasticized hem and sewn-in grommets to keep it in place, which also discourages theft and vandalism. Thieves are much less-tempted by cars they can’t see or touch.

Mockins Heavy-Duty Polyester Car Cover stakes its claim with 190T silver polyester construction that is designed to protect your car from the elements in all seasons, including rain, snow, dust, dirt, sun, and inadvertent scratches. It wears four reflective strips to help make your car visible at night—important if you’re parking in a lot accessible by other cars, or on a driveway or roadway where other cars may pass in the darkness.

The Mockins also includes buckle straps to discourage shifting of the cover in the wind, and ensure proper coverage and placement. It’s also available in four sizes, so you can achieve a snug—thought not custom—fit. Perhaps best of all though, the Mockins Heavy-Duty Silver Polyester Car Cover is one of the least expensive all-weather outdoor car covers available.

Motor Trend lends its name to the TrueShield Waterproof Car Cover, which is a heavy-duty outdoor car cover that has a fleece-lined interior and six-layer protection. As a result, it’s designed for the toughest outdoor conditions: snow, rain, wind, dirt, dust, and ultraviolet rays. The TrueShield has a 100-percent waterproof outer nylon layer with reinforced “Ultrasonic” seams, described as heat-welded seams that prevent water filtration. The seams are sealed on both the interior and exterior, effectively doubling protection—although some reviews say that the interior seams can rub against your paint job in windy weather.

The TrueShield sports highly reflective strips on each corner, giving your car extra protection at night. It also has built-in belt straps front and rear, keeping the cover snug, even in strong winds. Three strategically placed air vents help reduce and prevent moisture buildup. A seven-foot hardened steel cable with a keyed lock is included, and the cable is coated in plastic, to make sure that it doesn’t scratch your car.

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