The glint of sun catching the freshly polished paintwork of a car is a highly satisfying sight. The innovative technology employed by the best car polish formulations means getting a great shine on your car doesn’t have to be an arduous, time-consuming task.
Granted, you’ll likely get a better finish with a bit of elbow grease, but the car polish market has a vast range of products to suit a wide variety of drivers. Whether you’re time-poor or you like to while away a Saturday morning with a podcast and a polishing cloth, we’ve pulled together a helpful selection of the best car polishes on the UK market.
Not to be confused with car wax, car polishes have a mild abrasive in them so they can buff out scuffs or minor scratches. Car waxes add a layer of protection to repel rain and other particles in the atmosphere. The ideal scenario is to polish the car’s paintwork to prepare it for a protective layer of car wax.
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Working out which car polish is for you means figuring out how much time and money you are willing to part with. Some spray car polishes will get you a bare minimum result with minimal effort, but aren’t necessarily as durable as they claim. Longer-lasting car polishes take more time to apply properly, haze and then buff off to prepare the surface for waxing.
Longer-lasting car polishes support the car wax, but if your paintwork is scuffed or scratched, the durability of the polish becomes less relevant. Light scratches and swirl marks will be removed by most of the products on this list. Anything a bit deeper and you may need a scratch repair kit before you start polishing.
Some of the choices on the market didn’t make this list as they were too runny for our liking. Getting a formula you can work with is the key to making your time spent polishing worthwhile. The polish should go onto the applicator easily and then be distributed evenly. Too runny or too paste-like and you may create an uneven finish.
You can apply car polish by hand or with a machine. There are electric car polishers, such as this cabled Halfords model or this cordless SPTA car polisher, to which you attach polishing and buffering pads. These can take some of the hard work out of the job, but you can polish a car by hand, too.
Once you’ve polished the car, you can start waxing it.
Using an orbital polisher on a fast speed can damage the paint by burning it. You can avoid burning the paintwork by taking your time, being gentle and moving the applicator pad around evenly.
It’s also worth considering specific polishes for specific materials. For example, Autoglym’s Metal Polish is great for brightwork. Many polishes state that they’re suitable for all surfaces, including metal, plastics and vinyl. However, use them with caution as some polishes haven’t always proven friendly to the surfaces on which they claim to be harmless. Test a polish in an inconspicuous area first.
Car polish can be pricey, but a little tends to go a long way. We’ve selected the best products for a range of budgets.
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Price: £5 | Buy now from Amazon
CarPlan’s Demon Shine proves you don’t need to spend a fortune for a decent finish. The lowest price for the biggest bottle, it offers great value though it won’t remove scratches and swirl marks. If you’re wanting a “wash-n-go” option, Demon Shine is a good choice. The fine spray pattern mists evenly over the car and then you use a microfibre towel to dry off. While purist detailers will call it cheating, if all you’re looking for is a low-hassle shine after the weekly wash, Demon Shine delivers.
Key details – Size: 450ml; Price per 100ml: £1.11
Price: £15 | Buy now from Amazon
It’s extremely hard to fault Poorboy’s PP16. This versatile car polish can be used on many different surfaces, such as paint, chrome, wheels and plastic. Since there are no wax or silicon ingredients, this is very specifically a car polish. While we wouldn’t use it on black plastic (it can leave white marks), the brilliant finish is unmatched. Used by pros, Poorboy’s doesn’t come cheap but it’s a worthy investment.
Key details – Size: 473ml; Price per 100ml: £3.31
Price: £18 | Buy now from Amazon
Sonax Profiline is the most expensive product on our list, based on price per 100ml. It sets out to produce a hologram-free, high-gloss finish with its aluminium oxide and crystal formula. It works exceptionally well on cars with dark colours and leaves behind a magnificent shine. If you have minor scratches or blemishes in your paintwork, it will reduce or even eliminate them. Top product, but at a top price.
Key details – Size: 250ml; Price per 100ml: £7.12
Price: £12 | Buy now from Halfords
If you’re looking for a genuinely effective car polish that isn’t simply a shortcut spray, then Autobrite Direct’s Cherry Glaze offers the best value. Made in the UK, Cherry Glaze is a one-stop shop to a polish, glaze and wax finish with a cherry scent. While it can only be used on paintwork, with a bit of hard work (persistence and patience, not pressure), Autobrite Direct Cherry Glaze leaves a brilliant finish and no residue.
Key details – Size: 500ml; Price per 100ml: £2.40
Price: £9 | Buy now from Autoglym
Autogylm’s Instant Show Shine brings gloss, value for money and versatility to the table. This quick fix works both outside and inside the vehicle, providing surfaces of all materials with a new shine. Though it won’t remove minor defects from paintwork, it will offer a post-rinse shine that will help protect your car until the next wash.
Key details – Size: 450ml; Price per 100ml: £1.86
Price: £13 | Buy now from Halfords
American brand Armor All has an effective selection of car-care products. Its Armor All Shield Better Than Wax is an all-in-one product, looking to combine the scratch-removal surface preparation of a polish with the dust- and water-repelling protective qualities of a wax. It’s as simple as spray on, wipe off. Since it can smear if it comes into contact with water, ensure you dry the car thoroughly and work it over on a dry day for the best results.
Key details – Size: 500ml; Price per 100ml: £2.60
Price: £23 | Buy now from Amazon
Another all-in-one solution, Dodo Juice Need for Speed provides up to three weeks’ protection with its carnauba wax formula. While it can be applied by hand, it’s ideally used with a car polisher for the glossiest finish. In addition to removing light scratches and swirls, Need for Speed smells amazing. Though a little does go a long way, the only dealbreaker for some drivers might be Dodo’s high price.
Key details – Size: 500ml; Price per 100ml: £4.58
Price: £55 | Buy now from Autoglym
With its reputation for quality car care sealed by a Royal Warrant, Autoglym is a legend on the British detailing scene. Its Ultra HD polishing compound, which has been specially formulated for dark cars, is very effective. This kit, though pricey, comes with all the applicators and cloths you’ll need to attach to your machine. It will leave your paintwork with an exceptional shine.
Key details – Size: 500ml; Price per 100ml: £4.40 (excluding 2 x pads and 1 x cloth of the kit making up £33 of the kit’s price)
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