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

Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £8,012 off RRP*Used from £11,500
Dacia Spring

Dacia Spring

RRP £14,995Avg. savings £4,588 off RRP*
Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £2,713 off RRP*Used from £10,970
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £14,480Avg. savings £2,084 off RRP*Used from £8,995
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Long-term test: BYD Sealion 7
BYD Sealion 7 - front tracking

Long-term test: BYD Sealion 7

Second report: all is not rosy in the garden when it comes to driving our BYD
Long-term tests
13 Mar 2026
Are car headlights too bright? How hi-tech LED lights prioritise the driver but risk dazzling everyone else
Vauxhall Grandland - lights on

Are car headlights too bright? How hi-tech LED lights prioritise the driver but risk dazzling everyone else

LED headlamps on cars may improve visibility at night, but some people say they’re too bright. We investigate the issue and what can be done
Features
9 Mar 2026
New Jaecoo 8 challenges the Hyundai Santa Fe with seven seats, 83-mile EV range and £45k price tag
Jaecoo 8 - front

New Jaecoo 8 challenges the Hyundai Santa Fe with seven seats, 83-mile EV range and £45k price tag

Flagship seven-seat SUV features 422bhp all-wheel-drive plug-in powertrain, plus Land Rover-style Terrain Response system
News
11 Mar 2026