How to keep your car cool in a heatwave
As the UK swelters through another heatwave, with more expected during the summer holidays, a few simple habits can stop your car turning into a greenhouse on wheels.
The Cazoo editorial team
Published on 20 July 2026 | 6 mins read
As the UK experiences yet another record-breaking heatwave, it's not just us who are feeling the heat, our cars are too. Leave a vehicle parked in direct sunshine for even a short while and the inside can heat up far quicker than the air outside, turning your steering wheel, gear knob and dashboard into something you really don't want to touch.
It's not just uncomfortable, either. Prolonged heat can fade and crack your dashboard and seats, put energy-sapping strain on your air conditioning system, and in the worst cases create a genuinely dangerous environment for anyone left inside, even for just a few minutes.
The good news is that a few simple habits can make a big difference. Here's how to keep your car cool, comfortable and protected when temperatures climb.
Park in the shade whenever you can
It sounds obvious, but it's still one of the most effective ways to keep your car cool. Look for a spot under a tree, next to a building, or in a covered car park, and think about how the sun will move throughout the day so you're not caught out when you come back to a car that's been baking for hours.
If shade isn't available, try to park so the windscreen isn't facing directly into the sun. Your windscreen lets in more heat than any other window, so limiting its exposure to the full sun makes a real difference.
Use a windscreen sunshade
A reflective sunshade is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to protect your car's interior. It bounces heat and UV rays back out through the windscreen instead of letting them build up inside, which keeps the cabin cooler and helps stop your dashboard fading or cracking over time. It should also help to stop your front seats and steering wheel too hot to touch when you get back in.
Sunshades fold away in seconds and cost very little, so it's worth keeping one in the car throughout the summer months.
Let the hot air escape before you set off
Before you get in, open the doors for a minute or put the windows down to let trapped hot air out. Stepping straight into a car that's been sealed up in the sun means breathing in air that can be significantly hotter than it is outside, so airing it out first makes a noticeable difference. Some cars offer a neat trick to help with this - hold down the unlock button on your key fob while outside the car to see if all the windows automatically open.
Once you're in, put the air conditioning on full for a minute or two with the windows still down, so it can push the last of the hot air out of the cabin as you drive off.
Switch to air recirculation once you're moving
Most cars with air conditioning have a recirculation mode, usually shown as a car icon with a U-shaped arrow. Switching it on means your air con cools the air that's already inside the car, rather than constantly pulling in warm air from outside, so it can cool the cabin faster and more efficiently, using less fuel or battery power.
Just remember to switch back to fresh air mode every so often, particularly on longer journeys, so the cabin doesn't start to feel stuffy.
Keep on top of air conditioning servicing
Air conditioning systems lose refrigerant gas naturally over time, which means they gradually become less effective at cooling the cabin. Most manufacturers recommend having the system checked and regassed roughly every two years to keep it working properly.
If your car's air con doesn't seem to blow as cold as it used to, it's worth getting it looked at before the next heatwave hits. If you're browsing for a used car, it's also a good habit to ask when the air conditioning was last serviced.
Protect your steering wheel, dashboard and seats
Steering wheels and gear knobs can get uncomfortably hot in direct sun, sometimes too hot to touch. A simple steering wheel cover, or even a cloth draped over it, can prevent this, and a breathable seat cushion stops the backs of your legs sticking to hot upholstery on a long drive.
Covering your dashboard with a cloth or shade also helps protect leather and plastic trim from sun damage, which can save you money on interior repairs further down the line.
Never leave children or pets in a parked car
This one's worth repeating every summer. On a day when it's 24°C outside, the inside of a parked car can reach 38°C within ten minutes, and almost 50°C within half an hour. That's true even with a window cracked open.
Children and pets are far more vulnerable to heatstroke than adults, and dogs in particular struggle to cool down through panting alone in a hot, confined space. Always take them with you, even if you're only nipping into a shop for a couple of minutes.
Check your tyres before a long, hot journey
Hot tarmac and high air temperatures increase the pressure inside your tyres, and if they're already worn or underinflated, the extra heat raises the risk of a blowout, particularly on faster roads. Check your tyre pressures and tread depth before any longer summer journey, and top up if needed using the pressures listed in your door shut or owner's manual.
The legal minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm, so if yours is close to that, get them looked at before you set off.
If you drive an electric or plug-in hybrid, pre-cool it while it's plugged in
Many electric and plug-in hybrid cars let you precondition the cabin through a smartphone app before you set off. Doing this while the car is still plugged in means the cooling draws power from the charger rather than the battery, so you get into a cool car without eating into your driving range, and the air-con won’t have to work so hard during your trip.
Keeping cool, whatever you drive
A parked car can turn into an oven surprisingly quickly once the sun's out, but a few small habits like parking in the shade, airing the cabin out, and keeping on top of maintenance, go a long way towards keeping things more comfortable for you and your passengers and pets.
If your current car's air conditioning has seen better days, or you fancy upgrading to a model with tinted windows or a few more creature comforts like front and rear climate control, browse Cazoo's range of used cars to find your next one.