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 £27,435Avg. savings £5,987 off RRP*Used from £8,995
Omoda 5

Omoda 5

RRP £24,040Avg. savings £1,532 off RRP*Used from £18,490
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £27,005Avg. savings £5,225 off RRP*Used from £8,695
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £15,270Avg. savings £2,398 off RRP*Used from £6,460
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Dacia Duster and Dacia Bigster Hybrid 150 4x4: step-up from 2WD costs just £1k more
Dacia Bigster AWD - front

Dacia Duster and Dacia Bigster Hybrid 150 4x4: step-up from 2WD costs just £1k more

All-wheel drive hybrid power extends the appeal of the popular Dacia Duster and Dacia Bigster even further
News
3 Aug 2026
Dacia Duster and Bigster hybrids get a hefty price cut
Dacia Duster - cornering

Dacia Duster and Bigster hybrids get a hefty price cut

The Dacia Duster and Bigster hybrid models now start from £23,345 and £26,715 respectively
News
4 Aug 2026
New Volkswagen ID.3 Neo 2026 review: EV puts VW back where it belongs
New Volkswagen ID.3 Neo - front tracking

New Volkswagen ID.3 Neo 2026 review: EV puts VW back where it belongs

Has VW’s all-electric hatchback finally grown up? We get behind the wheel to find out
Road tests
4 Aug 2026