The best Christmas gifts for drivers
What does the driver in your life want for Christmas? Take a look at some of the best gifts for car lovers here
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Finding gifts for car lovers can be tricky business. How do you make sure you’re getting something they’ll actually like, is useful, and that they don’t already have?
We’re taking a look at some of the best Christmas presents for drivers – with a hand from our motoring editor, Sam Sheehan, and motoring journalist, Ben Welham – so you can avoid the last-minute panic.
Gifts for drivers with kids
Gifts for your friend with the messy car
Gifts for the organised one
Gifts for the petrolhead
Gifts for car lovers that like a snack
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What makes the best gifts for drivers?
Like most presents, the best gift for a driver is something they’re actually going to use or might make their life a bit easier. Or it’s something they might not splash out for themselves.
The key is that you don’t want it to end up at the bottom of a drawer by New Year’s Day.
Start with some snooping to see what kind of driver they are and how they live with their car. Your hot hatch-loving, petrolhead bestie will likely want something a bit different to your ‘flashy-SUV-on-the-school-run’ sister.
Ready for the specific gift ideas? Take a look at our guide below.
Gifts for drivers with kids
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There are plenty of drivers with kids that take great pride in their car, especially those that are cruising around in an on-trend SUV like a Kia Sportage or Nissan Qashqai.
Travelling with little ones can be a stress, so anything that can make life easier will probably be appreciated.
For the car lovers with kids, we’d recommend:
Tablet holder
These handy bits of kit strap to the back of a headrest to make rear-seat entertainment easy.
They keep your tablet securely in place, and are a cheap option for something so useful.
Plus, you wont hear, ‘Are we there yet?’ quite as often from the back seats.
We like this universal one from Halfords.
Backseat organiser
Some of these come with tablet holders included so it can be a two-in-one. These also hang on the back of the seat and have pockets for toys and other necessities.
It’s an ideal option for keeping everything within reach of your little one while you’re driving, meaning fewer stops to find missing toys (hopefully).
This one from Boots has plenty of storage.
Baby car camera
These show you what's going on in the back, so your co-pilot doesn’t get sore neck from craning around to see what the little ones are up to.
And, of course, if you want a cheaper option, there are car mirrors that do the same job.
This Tommee Tippee camera has impressive reviews.
Gifts for your friend with the messy car
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We’ve all got that friend with a car that can, well, tell a story. It’s got a lot going on inside and most of that is rubbish – sorry!
If you want to enjoy a drive in your friend’s Ford Fiesta without shifting a pile of takeaway wrappers and clothes, there are a few gifts you could consider:
Boot organiser
Ben’s a big fan of a boot organiser. He says: “You just can't beat a good boot organiser. How many times have you had your food shop splatter across the boot floor or your child's cricket kit slide around and make a racket?
“A nifty boot organiser lets you store all your odds and ends in one place, so you know where they are, and it all looks neat and tidy."
We like this GADLANE organiser with plenty of compartments.
Car bin
Catch the mess before it happens. Honestly, a car bin is one of those things you don’t know you need until you have it.
There are plenty of different options on the market, including some jazzy colours, but we like this one from Amazon.
Car wash voucher
This one might be a bit cheeky, but we all need a helping hand sometimes. A car wash voucher is ideal for the messy driver that needs a subtle nudge to give their motor some TLC.
Gifts for the organised one
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On the other end of the scale, we all have that friend that operates military levels of cleanliness and organisation in their car.
Whether it’s a pristine Fiat 500 or immaculate BMW 3 Series, there are a few things your tidy friend might appreciate:
A fancier car organiser
We’re guessing they already have some form of car organisation going on, but you could always upgrade that with a fancier organiser.
You’re going to have to be sneaky and see what they’ve already got, but options range from boot organisers, footwell organisers, and ones for the back of seats.
Plus, you can find some fancy branded options like this organiser from Carhartt.
Car detailing tools
Plenty of car lovers keep their pride and joy spick and span, but they’re also often fiercly loyal to their favourite cleaning products. So, instead of guessing the brands they like, car detailing tools are a good way to go.
You can get brushes, sponges, and specialist cloths that are perfect for polishing up a vehicle.
There are also car buffing tools, like this one from Argos, if you think they’d really love to treat their paintwork.
Wireless phone charger
There’s something about having wires all over your car interior that just feels a bit cluttered, so wireless chargers are ideal for an organisation fiend.
Sam says: “I love the wireless chargers from Quadlock. If you thread the wires carefully out of sight and mount your phone on the dash, they're sort of tidy.
“There are lot nicer than a dodgy USB cable that gets tangled round your gearstick...”
Gifts for the petrolhead
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Some car lovers are genuine petrolheads – cars take up a good portion of their headspace. These can be the trickiest to buy for as they usually have it all figured out for themselves.
Some of the best gifts for car lovers might be:
Car Lego
It's not directly for the car, but it’s hard not to love a Lego gift. There are loads of iconic car models to pick from, as well as some retired sets you can pick up on eBay.
Sam says: “Celebrate Lewis Hamilton's last year at Mercedes by building one of his championship-winning cars.”
A car servicing voucher
Car servicing is another one of those things that’s good for the car but a pain to pay for. It’s not a legal requirement like an MOT, so that can make it even harder to cough up the cash.
Make it easier for your friend by buying them a car servicing voucher that’ll take the edge of their car maintenance.
Even better if your mate drives a ‘fixer-upper’ they’re dedicated to but is costing them a fortune...
Fancier engine oil
Engine oil is a necessity for keeping cars on the road, but there is a hierarchy of the amber nectar.
Ben says: “All cars deserve the best, but I do hate spending money on this stuff. I’d be thrilled if someone bought me a nicer engine oil for my car.”
Look at premium brands like Castrol Edge, Valvoline, and Pennzoil, and double-check what’s the recommended oil and brand for their car (you can look it up using their number plate).
Gifts for drivers that like a snack
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Is there anything better than a road trip snack? If you’ve got a mate that likes to keep their car fully stocked with the best snacks, there are a few gifts that cater to that.
Cooler box
So, say you have your dream road trip snack but it’s a mega hot day and you just know it’s going to melt. It wouldn’t be an issue if you had a cooler box...
Your snackish friend can find lots of different ways to use a cooler box – whether it's for car snacks, picnics, or just keeping your freezer stuff frozen on the way back from a food shop.
These Yeti boxes are very premium and even come in festive colours.
Bonus points if you pre-fill it with their fave treats.
Snack tray
Stopping for a drive-thru is another little joy in life, and it can be that much better if you have a specific tray for eating.
No more balancing your dips with you drinks and your nuggets, a car food tray is handy for adults and kids.
This one on Amazon has great reviews.
Snack caddy
We often think that cars don’t have enough cup holders, and they especially don’t have enough space for snacks.
Grabbing a caddy with extra space for these things will make your snacker’s life easier.
You can get options with cup holders, space for storage, and even built-in trays.
If we were your driver friend, we’d be pretty happy with any of these gift options. Or, if you want to go all out, why not treat them to a used car from our range...
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