Invisible shield: The best paint sealants for cars

The intense-sounding EXOv4 is our recommendation to anyone who is after a proper paint sealant for their car. It appeals to enthusiasts because it provides that highly hydrophobic coating that beads water - much to enthusiasts' deep pleasure. But it appeals to casual users too because you only need to apply it rarely because it lasts up to two years.

Simply apply it with a foam pad like any other coating. It gives really tough resistance to road grit and doesn’t come off with washing. It’s superb.

This purple gloop is more in line with a polish and what comes to most people's minds. You can apply it either via the enthusiast's method of using a dual-action polishing machine, or you can just use a cloth.

While the Meguiar’s sealant can’t match the EXOv4 for durability or longevity, it claws points from another area: gloss. It’s called Mirror Glaze for a reason. What it lacks in durability compared to the EXOv4, it makes up for in shine.

It also comes in a 473ml bottle, which means you don’t go through all of it in one go like you do with the little EXOv4 bottles. Once you’ve applied it, it not only shines up your car but generates that wonderful hydrophobic beading too.

Ceramic coating is one of the latest and best efforts in synthetic bodywork protection. This two-stage kit from Autoglym is one of the top ceramic coatings out there.

Consisting of UHD Preparation and UHD Ceramic Coating, you can expect a lot from this kit. Once you have cleaned and polished your car, you can apply the UHD Preparation, which will remove any wax, sealants, or oils on the paintwork.

Once you have done this and wiped away residue, you can apply the UHD Ceramic Coating. Apply it one panel at a time, or even half a panel. Then buff it off once a film has formed.

In contrast to the time-consuming Autoglym ceramic coating is the Turtle Wax Hybrid Sealant quick spray. It blends synthetic polymers and carnauba wax to establish a middle ground between protection and shine in an easy-to-apply spray.

In terms of longevity, you can expect about six months, maybe a year if you don’t use your car much but without the same level of protection you get with the sealants above. Like all the others above, apply it to a clean and dry paint surface before buffing lightly. Having done that, you can enjoy effective water beading and added protection.

For those who like the idea of a paint sealant but are perhaps kidding themselves that they'd actually be bothered to apply it, this option may be for you.

Turtle Wax’s ceramic shampoo, unsurprisingly, incorporates some ceramic polymers into a shampoo and applies the coating and cleaning in an all-in-one type deal. It’s very convenient and is noticeably better than a standard shampoo. It does leave a protective coating, evident in water beading.

That said, the trade-off of convenience is effectiveness and durability. For that, choose one of the others above.

Like Turtle Wax's ceramic shampoo, this is a product of convenience. The Polar Seal is a snow foam that is applied with a pressure washer. Having washed the car, spray this on with a pressure washer, leave it for a couple of minutes, then hose it off.

It creates a hydrophobic layer on the bodywork, making it harder for dust, water, and dirt to cling to it. As such, it doesn’t offer a protective sealant against UV and grit.

We love how easy and fun it is to apply, but it’s the least protective product here.