There is no single best car polish for every vehicle. What is the best car polish on the market? For more information on our testing process and how we evaluate each product, check out our methodology page here. Our testers noted how many passes were necessary to produce a smooth paint surface and remove minor scratches. We applied every wax using a Torqx random orbital polisher according to the directions included with each polish. To test the best car polishes, we applied each product to a panel on a white Ford Fusion. Car polishes that resulted in an even shine earned the best scores in this category. The best car polishes should not leave swirls or hazing. Even the best car polishes can only remove scratches a few millimeters in depth. Keep in mind that no car polish will remove major scratches and imperfections. Car polishes able to remove these minor blemishes with the fewest passes scored best in this category. One purpose of a good car polish is to buff out minor nicks and scratches. Products with the fewest steps that we successfully applied the quickest scored best in this category. Some car polishes require more passes or steps to fully apply them. We gave each car polish a rating out of 5.0 stars based on this criteria. A team member tested each product on a car, noting the ease of application, scratch buffing capabilities, and overall appearance. We started by searching Amazon for top products, looking at customer ratings, Amazon superlatives, and price.įor testing, our team ordered the car polishes that fared best in these areas. The car polishes in this article underwent two rounds of reviews. Polishes can quickly harden in these conditions, making them difficult to wipe away. Detail In The Shadeĭon’t apply car polish in direct sunlight or to a very hot vehicle surface. The tradeoff with an all-in-one polish and coating is that the coating is typically not as durable as the coating you get from a dedicated wax or ceramic sealant product. And some polishes offer two-in-one compounds that polish your paint while simultaneously adding a wax coating. Some automotive polishes come in a kit that includes the coating compound. Check out our articles on the best car waxes and the best ceramic coating for cars. It doesn’t protect your paint from additional scratching and won’t leave a lasting shine by itself.Īfter you polish your car, you should apply a protective wax layer or a ceramic coating. Protective CoatingĬar polish contains a mildly abrasive compound that smooths your car’s finish and adds some shine to its appearance. You can apply most polishes by hand, but this takes much longer, and the results won’t be as good. With most polishes, you’ll achieve the best results by using a random orbital or dual-action polisher. Though the multi-stage kits have better results, the difference is small.

Based on our testing, the all-in-one products work very well.

In general, a kit will get you better results, but these take much longer to apply. Some polishes are available as an all-in-one solution, and others come in kits that require the application of several products. Whichever polish you choose, be sure to test it on a small area of your car before applying it across your entire vehicle. We tested the featured car polishes on a white car, but different polishes may be better for black vehicles. When selecting a car polish, the perfect option depends on your vehicle’s paint. According to customer reviews, the sealant protection lasts a little longer than most two-in-one formulas. We noticed this set does a better job than the all-in-one formulas at removing scratches and applying a shine. The instructions are very easy to follow, and because this kit includes a polisher, the instructions provide detailed steps, including the speed at which to set the polisher. You must apply four formulas instead of just one, making this polish the most time-consuming. While the polishing process is essentially the same with this set of Chemical Guys products, it takes much longer. If you don’t mind spending more time car detailing, this kit will produce excellent results. While this means more effort than a single-polymer formula, the results are a little better. Unlike the other best car polishes on this list, Chemical Guys’ kit includes four products to apply to your car in a certain order (V32, V34, V36, and V38). The Chemical Guys polisher kit includes everything you need to get a professional-quality buff and shine. If you don’t already have such a polisher, you’ll want to buy one. The best method to apply car polish is using a random orbital or dual-action polisher.

Colour match car polish