Do modern cars need polishing?
Quick answer: Not strictly. Modern clear coats resist fading and heavy oxidation, so polishing isn’t routine maintenance. But paint will still pick up wash marks and light hazing; a professional polish restores clarity and gloss. Apply a quality coating to reduce future wash marks and minimise (or even skip) polishing.
Polishing is not a necessary maintenance step for modern cars. Modern cars have clear coat which resists stains, fading and less prone to oxidation. Over time, however, it will become hazy and polishing will remove this oxidation and so regular polishing will improve the appearance of your car but is not a requirement.
With that said, over time, your car will pick up small scratches from wash marks and a professional polish will restore the paintwork's condition.
Older cars with solid base paintwork, were prone to fading and oxidation and required polishing on a regular basis however, modern cars need less polishing, but they can benefit from it. Speciality coatings can remove the need for polishing altogether, as they do not oxidize and reduce wash marks.
Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 25/09/2025 15:37