Abstract: Benzotriazole UV absorbers which are substituted at the 5-position of the benzo ring by an electron withdrawing group exhibit enhanced durability and very low loss rates when incorporated into automotive coatings. This is particularly the case when the 3-position of the phenyl ring is also substituted by phenyl or phenylalkyl such as &agr;-cumyl. Compounds where the 5-position of the benzo ring are substituted by perfluoroalkyl such as trifluoromethyl are particularly of interest for both their enhanced durability and for their excellent solubility and excellent color properties in some thermoplastic compositions when the phenyl ring is substituted at the 3-position by hydrogen or tert-alkyl.