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

Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £6,056 off RRP*Used from £10,399
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £3,266 off RRP*Used from £13,200
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £4,636 off RRP*
Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

RRP £19,785Avg. savings £4,644 off RRP*Used from £10,030
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

EV charging gets 10% cheaper and there’s more to come
Rapid charging Fiat 500

EV charging gets 10% cheaper and there’s more to come

Ultra-rapid chargers in December were five pence cheaper than they were in November for off-peak users, with a cut in VAT also on the cards
News
22 Jan 2026
Audi Q3 vs Cupra Formentor: premium meets sporty in SUV battle
Audi Q3 vs Cupra Formentor - front tracking

Audi Q3 vs Cupra Formentor: premium meets sporty in SUV battle

Audi’s new Mk3 Q3 faces stiff competition from within the VW Group. How does it fare against Cupra’s Formentor?
Car group tests
24 Jan 2026
Used Volvo C40 (Mk1, 2021-date) buyer’s guide: a second-hand bargain that's cheap for a reason
Used Volvo C40 - front

Used Volvo C40 (Mk1, 2021-date) buyer’s guide: a second-hand bargain that's cheap for a reason

A full used buyer’s guide on the Volvo C40 that’s been on sale in the UK since 2021
Used car tests
25 Jan 2026