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

Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £38,050Avg. savings £3,360 off RRP*Used from £27,855
MG MG4

MG MG4

RRP £27,005Avg. savings £6,250 off RRP*Used from £11,000
Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £25,250Avg. savings £2,419 off RRP*Used from £8,995
Renault Clio

Renault Clio

RRP £16,275Avg. savings £2,689 off RRP*Used from £8,580
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

New Citroen Berlingo MPV aims to be the perfect SUV antidote
Citroen Berlingo - watermarked

New Citroen Berlingo MPV aims to be the perfect SUV antidote

The new Citroen Berlingo will be simple, spacious and stylish, and our exclusive image previews how it could look
News
15 Jun 2026
New Land Rover Defender Sport: baby SUV hedges bets with EV and hybrid power
New baby Land Rover Defender render - watermarked

New Land Rover Defender Sport: baby SUV hedges bets with EV and hybrid power

The new Land Rover Defender Sport will sit below the existing Defender in both size and price, and our exclusive image previews how it could look
News
17 Jun 2026
New Cupra Formentor VZ5 boasts Audi RS 3 five-cylinder power
Cupra Formentor VZ5 - front

New Cupra Formentor VZ5 boasts Audi RS 3 five-cylinder power

Cupra’s sporty crossover SUV is now available with a 385bhp five-cylinder engine, just for kicks
News
15 Jun 2026