I've read some of the various threads on rear visibility, and it seems adequate throught the lower tinted window. But it would seem that any amount of luggage or groceries would block that window. I will be hauling around a bag of hockey gear a good percentage of the time. I think that would easily block that lower tinted window. In that case, is their virutally no rear visibility unless I got the rear view camera? Thanks in advance.
No big deal, I can't see much out of it anyway, with or without luggage, except really close objects, and the TV camera takes care of that. I think the lower window is more of a styling gimmick, to make the car look more interesting. The tint makes it hard to see much anyway.
The only use for that lower section of the rear window is for parking, since it is physically below the normal field of view. The side mirrors easily compensate for that. For normal driving, that's all through the upper section only. And if you have that blocked, give thanks... since a sedan likely wouldn't be able to carry cargo that tall anyway. By the way, if you require extra depth, just remove the false floor. That provides another 6 inches.
I've hauled a lot of stuff back there and I could always see out the back using the rear-view mirror. The rear-view mirror is mounted high enough that thou would probably have to stack stuff to the ceiling before you couldn't see out the back.
I find that I DO use both the lower and upper window when driving. I had my windows tinted and now the brightness of the upper and lower windows nearly match, so I disagree with John's assertion regarding 'normal driving'. I tend to see the two windows as one. That said, I travel often enough with my entire family of 5's luggage filling the hatch. Even when the back is packed to the point that I'm not sure the hatch will close I find that the upper window is hardly blocked at all and that it's still helpful for seeing "most" traffic behind me. While it's possible to fill the entire space and block that upper window it isn't easy as normally you only stack stuff as high or slightly higher than the back of the back seat and that's about the height of the bottom of the upper rear window.
I find people tend to freak out if they can't see the whole picture. I know the rear spoiler blocks the view but the fact is that the objects that you'll be seeing through the rear window(s) are big enough such that they'll appear in both windows most of the time. Blocking the lower window is usually not a big deal for me since if I were to reverse park, I'll be using the upper window and right mirror to guide me. (my right mirror is adjusted such that I can tell when the back of the car is roughly lined up with the painted lines on the floor so I know exactly how far back I am)
Parking objects and tailgaters is all I see through the lower section, in the summer. In the winter, nothing... just glass coated by a thick layer of sand-encrusted salt. So virtually all my driving needs are supplied by the upper section and the side mirrors.
I have gotten used to driving a car again so I understand where people are coming from with the visibility thing but I have hauled stuff up to the ceiling and that was the only way to zero out visibility. Positioning your sideviews correctly can give you alot of piece of mind. I have had luggage and cases of wine and people back there. No issues with visibility that cannot be solved with taking it easy, being observant.
