Skip advert
Advertisement

Wheel polishes

Maintain that freshly cleaned shine on your alloys by using a rim wax. We test the top 10

If nothing but the best will do for your car, you can't ignore wheel polishes. Apply them after cleaning your alloys and you'll not only give a shine to the rims, but also slow the build-up of brake dust and make them much easier to clean in the future. Well, that's the manufacturers' claim, at least... but does wheel wax work - and are such products worth the time, money and effort?

Advertisement - Article continues below

To find out, we put 10 of the leading lights through their paces. We sourced the polishes and kits from accessory shops and the Internet, then assessed them for four weeks, during which time our test car covered 1,600 miles.

Verdict

You have to be keen to buy a wheel polish. They do reduce brake dust build-up and ease cleaning, but are time-consuming to apply and some are pricey.
Still, our top two don't break the bank; Autoglym wins and Turtle Wax comes close behind. And for top protection, try the compre-hensive Muc-Off kit.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £3,158 off RRP*
Vauxhall Corsa

Vauxhall Corsa

RRP £19,690Avg. savings £5,547 off RRP*Used from £11,499
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,625Avg. savings £2,542 off RRP*Used from £11,146
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £38,030Avg. savings £3,285 off RRP*Used from £25,726
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Jaecoo and Omoda announce ‘tax rebate’ to counter pay-per-mile tax
Omoda E5 and Jaecoo E5

Jaecoo and Omoda announce ‘tax rebate’ to counter pay-per-mile tax

Not a fan of the Government’s 3p per mile road tax proposal for electric cars? Omoda and Jaecoo are already offering discounts they’re promoting as ‘t…
News
26 Nov 2025
Pay–per-mile tax: EV drivers will pay 3p per mile to fill fuel-duty black hole
HM Treasury sign

Pay–per-mile tax: EV drivers will pay 3p per mile to fill fuel-duty black hole

The incoming charges will be applied on top of VED road tax
News
27 Nov 2025
Autumn Budget 2025 revealed: fuel duty, road pricing, tax and potholes
Parliament

Autumn Budget 2025 revealed: fuel duty, road pricing, tax and potholes

Rachel Reeves has unveiled her financial plans for 2026 and beyond; we explain how they will affect drivers
News
26 Nov 2025