A cargo shade or cover for a vehicle includes a thin flexible member that winds onto an elongated roller. The elongated roller may be mounted on a movable vehicle component such as a liftgate of an SUV. An elongated rod assembly is attached to the thin flexible member, and includes extending and retracting end portions that can be received in cavities or other connectors of the vehicle interior to retain the cover in an extended position. The rod assembly may include center housing and a pulley that can be rotated to generate tension on cables that pull the opposite ends of the rod inwardly whereby the rod assembly can be positioned between vehicle interior components when the cover assembly is in the retracted position.