MSA vs Clearview Towing Mirrors: Which Is Right for Your 70 Series? (2026)

If you tow a caravan, boat or float behind your 70 Series, a proper set of extendable towing mirrors is one of the best safety upgrades you can make. Two names dominate the conversation in Australia: MSA 4x4 and Clearview. They're both terrific local brands with loyal followings, so this isn't about one being "good" and the other "bad." It's about matching the right mirror to how you drive and tow. Before we get into it, you can see our full towing mirror range if you'd rather just start browsing. This guide covers where each brand came from, how long they've been around, what they do best, and a side-by-side table to help you decide.

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1. Two Great Australian Mirror Brands

Let's say this up front: MSA 4x4 and Clearview are both proudly Australian-owned businesses that have earned their reputations the hard way, by building gear that survives corrugations, dust and years of hard touring. Supporting either one keeps money and skilled jobs in Australia, and both companies stand behind what they make with warranties and spare-parts support. The differences below are about focus and design approach, not about quality. Whichever way you go, you're buying a well-made, locally-backed towing mirror.

2. MSA 4x4: 25 Years of Australian 4WD Innovation

MSA 4x4 was founded back in 2000, starting out as a small two-person operation making canvas bags, seat covers and the original rear wheel bag. A quarter of a century later it has grown into a thriving Australian business employing more than 20 staff and offering a range that stretches past 600 products. Along the way MSA has picked up multiple national and international patents, including for its SEMA award-winning towing mirrors.

What makes MSA stand out is breadth. Its towing mirrors sit within a huge catalogue of 4WD gear, from the patented Drop Slide and Explorer aluminium drawer system to fridge barriers and storage solutions. For an owner who wants to kit out the whole truck from one trusted Australian brand, MSA's towing mirrors are a natural fit alongside the rest of the range, and they've stood the test of time on Australian tracks.

3. Clearview: The Towing Mirror Specialist

Clearview Accessories began in 2006 as a family-run business owned by Mike Cowan and his son-in-law Jay Praag, and in 2026 it's celebrating 20 years. What started with three full-time employees has grown into one of Australia's most respected 4WD and touring brands, with products stocked in over 1,800 locations Australia-wide. Its first-generation "Original" towing mirrors launched in 2006 and are still available today in updated form.

Clearview's strength is focus. Towing mirrors are its core product, and the company builds and tests them in Australia to handle the rigours of the outback, with ADR-compliant designs and ISO 9001 quality certification. Today it offers Next Gen, Compact and Original designs, and the newer Next Gen and Compact mirrors extend a full 180mm for towing but retract close to the factory mirror profile for everyday driving and tight parking. For an owner who wants a dedicated towing-mirror specialist, that single-minded focus is a real strength.

4. MSA vs Clearview Towing Mirrors: Side by Side

Here's the quick head-to-head. Remember, this is about finding the right fit for how you tow. Both brands score highly on the thing that matters most, which is being trusted, well-supported Australian-owned brands.

5. Mirror Range Compared

MSA offers its towing mirrors in three types so you can match your truck's factory setup: standard Non Power Fold, the trademarked MSA Power Fold™ that folds in and out electrically, and Power Fold with Camera Provision for vehicles running a factory or aftermarket camera. Across the range you'll find features like electric adjustment, heating, indicators and blind-spot monitoring depending on the model, with four driving positions and up to a 5-year warranty. They also sit within MSA's much larger 4WD catalogue, so it's easy to keep your mirrors, drawers and storage under one established Australian brand.

Clearview puts everything into mirrors, with three extendable designs that cover different priorities. All are full-replacement mirrors that slide out for towing and back in for everyday driving: the Original for a proven, no-fuss extendable mirror, and the newer Next Gen and Compact, which extend around 180mm to tow but retract close to the factory profile when you're not. That flexibility to choose a design based on how often you tow is a real advantage of going with a specialist.

6. Fit, Finish and Features

This is where both brands genuinely shine, and it's why it's so hard to pick a "loser." Both build hard-wearing, vehicle-specific towing mirrors designed for Australian conditions, with features like electric adjustment, indicators and heating available depending on the model you choose. MSA's strength is a mirror proven across a huge, long-running 4WD range. Clearview's strength is a specialist's focus on the mirror itself, including the retract-to-profile designs. In both cases you're getting a purpose-built, well-supported product rather than a generic universal one.

7. Fitment and Vehicle Coverage

Both brands make towing mirrors designed to fit the 70 Series, and both offer vehicle-specific mounts rather than universal strap-on units. The most important thing to get right on a 70 Series is the model year: the 09/2023 facelift changed the mirror fitment, so a set for the earlier trucks is different to a set for the newer ones. Always confirm you're ordering for the correct build date, and check which features (electric, heated, indicators) you want, as these vary by model within each brand's range.

8. Buying and Availability

Both brands are well supported in Australia, with warranties and spare-parts backup, so you're covered long after the sale. We stock MSA towing mirrors for the 70 Series, so if you decide MSA is the right fit you can order the correct set for your exact build in one place. Whichever brand you go with, the main things to nail down are your model year and the features you want (electric, heated, indicators), so it's worth confirming those before you buy.

9. Which Towing Mirrors Should You Choose?

Once you've matched the fitment to your 70 Series, this often comes down to personal preference more than one design being better than the other. Both MSA and Clearview make tough, ADR-focused mirrors that do the core job well, so for a lot of owners the deciding factor is simply which set looks better on their truck.

Some prefer the styling and profile of the MSA mirrors; others like the look of the Clearview designs, or the way the Next Gen and Compact sit closer to the factory profile when they're not towing. Neither choice is wrong. It's worth looking at photos of each fitted to a 70 Series, picturing them on your own build, and going with the set you'd be happiest seeing every time you walk up to the truck.

If you tow constantly, the day-to-day look and feel of the mirror when it's not extended might tip the balance; if the mirrors are part of a wider MSA build, keeping everything under one brand might. But there's no wrong answer here, so trust your eye and pick the set that suits your vehicle best.

10. The Verdict: Two Aussie Brands Worth Backing

There's no bad choice here. MSA 4x4 and Clearview are both outstanding Australian suppliers who build genuinely tough, vehicle-specific towing mirrors for the 70 Series. MSA brings 25 years of all-round 4WD innovation and a mirror proven across a massive range; Clearview brings 20 years of towing-mirror specialisation and clever retracting designs. Back whichever suits your build, and feel good knowing that either way, you're supporting an Australian-owned brand and towing with a clearer, safer view.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are MSA or Clearview mirrors better?

Neither is "better" outright; both are high-quality Australian-owned brands. MSA 4x4 makes its towing mirrors as a flagship within a broad 4WD range and has been going since 2000. Clearview is a dedicated towing-mirror specialist that says it is Australian-owned and builds its mirrors in Australia, with designs that retract close to the factory profile. Choose based on whether you want an all-round brand or a mirror specialist, and which set you prefer the look of on your truck.

How long has MSA 4x4 been around?

MSA 4x4 was founded in 2000, so it has around 25 years behind it. It started as a small canvas-goods maker and grew into an Australian 4WD accessories business with 20-plus staff and more than 600 products, including its SEMA award-winning towing mirrors.

How long has Clearview been around?

Clearview Accessories began in 2006 and is celebrating 20 years in 2026. It's an Australian-owned, family-run business that says it builds and tests its towing mirrors in Australia, with products sold through over 1,800 locations nationwide.

What mirror types do MSA and Clearview offer?

MSA offers three types so you can match your factory mirrors: Non Power Fold, the trademarked MSA Power Fold™ (electric folding), and Power Fold with Camera Provision. Clearview offers three extendable designs: the Original, plus the newer Next Gen and Compact, which extend around 180mm for towing and retract close to the factory profile for daily driving. Features such as electric adjust, heating, indicators and blind-spot monitoring vary by model within each brand's range.

Are both brands Australian?

Both MSA 4x4 and Clearview are Australian-owned. Clearview states that its towing mirrors are Australian owned and built and tested in Australia. MSA is an Australian-owned brand with patented, locally-developed designs; if buying-Australian-made specifically matters to you, confirm the country of manufacture with the supplier before ordering.

Do MSA and Clearview mirrors fit the 70 Series?

Yes. Both make towing mirrors to suit the 70 Series. The key is the build date: the 09/2023 facelift changed the mirror fitment, so confirm whether you need a set for the earlier or newer trucks before ordering.

Which is best for towing a caravan?

Both are designed for exactly this. MSA's mirrors are proven across years of Australian touring, while Clearview's Next Gen and Compact designs extend for towing and retract for daily driving. Pick based on whether you tow often (a retracting design may suit) or want the mirror as part of a wider MSA build.