Skip advert
Advertisement

Car polishes and waxes

Buff up in the first part of our two- week Spring Car Care Special with Britain's biggest-ever polish test.

Want the ultimate protection for your car? Then look no further than this, the ultimate test! In another British first, Auto Express has put 19 top waxes and polishes on trial.

Diamond-hard protection, luxurious carnauba wax, brilliant shine, no-grief polishing... in no other sector of the car valeting market are the manufacturers' promises bigger or bolder.

But do they match up to reality? We braved the hail, rain, snow and ice in order to bring you the truth. We scoured the high street accessory shop shelves and the Internet to assemble this megatest.

So which one comes out on top? The next four pages will reveal all. And next week, we will show you the best and worst ways to keep your car spotless.

Verdict

It is very hard to look past Turtle Wax in these results. The US manufacturer may produce a massive range, but it really does have a handle on exactly how to make durable polishes.

Accordingly, Turtle Wax takes the top three spots with its Gloss Guard, Platinum and ClearVue, and has no less than six products finishing in our top 10.Newcomer Rain Dance impresses, and it's a promising debut for the new Original liquid from Simoniz. The top 10 is completed by chain store giant Halfords' Williams F1 wax and the Armor All Protectant.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £24,040Avg. savings £1,535 off RRP*Used from £18,790
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,870Avg. savings £5,936 off RRP*Used from £8,500
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £21,290Avg. savings £4,614 off RRP*Used from £8,500
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,310Avg. savings £2,657 off RRP*Used from £9,495
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Citroen 2CV to return: a £13k EV city car honouring the iconic original
Citroen 2CV teaser

Citroen 2CV to return: a £13k EV city car honouring the iconic original

Citroen has finally confirmed the long-rumoured revival of its famous 2CV and our exclusive images show what it could look like
News
23 May 2026
Car Deal of the Day: Renault 5 has retro style for under £200 a month
Renault 5 - front full width

Car Deal of the Day: Renault 5 has retro style for under £200 a month

Prices have dropped for the best-selling Renault 5, and it’s our Deal of the Day for 20 May.
News
20 May 2026
New Cupra Raval narrows price gap to Renault 5 with new EV grant discount
Auto Express senior news reporter Alastair Crooks standing next to a Cupra Raval

New Cupra Raval narrows price gap to Renault 5 with new EV grant discount

Big-battery versions of the Cupra Raval now start from just £28,500 after qualifying for Band 2 of the Electric Car Grant
News
21 May 2026