Best Gifts for Car Lovers: Expert Picks Curated by Our Editors

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This article was updated with new products and information in November 2023.

They go by many names: gearheads, garage gurus, speed freaks, horsepower junkies, and more. But to sum them all up, we like to call them "car lovers." Easy, right? What's not easy is buying gifts for these people. Additionally, each car lover loves a different car—it's tricky to find a "one gift does all" option. However, that doesn't mean some hidden gems aren't out there ripe for the gifting. Here's what we found.

We dug deep into our car-loving treasure trove and found some fantastic gifts that'll make any car-lover smile. Whether it's a birthday, graduation, or the holiday season, here are the top gifts for automotive enthusiasts, as chosen by Hearst Autos editors.

Looking for more gift ideas? Check out our guide to the best gifts for Jeep lovers, car-obsessed teens, and kid's car toys.

Forza Motorsport

Forza Motorsport is the newest entry into the storied Forza franchise and boasts an overhaul of the driving experience. Sound, physics, and grip have all been reworked to let gamers immerse themselves on the track. There are 500 cars available at launch, and 20 circuits are ready for you to explore. Truly, this is a sim racer developed from the ground up.

Technic Ferrari Daytona SP3

From the LEGO Technic Ultimate Car Concept series: Your favorite car lover will be able to recreate the features of the Ferrari Daytona SP3 in classic red with chrome-painted rims. Features include steering, an eight-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifter, a V-12 engine with moving pistons, and opening butterfly doors.

Created especially for adults, the completed 1:8 scale model will make a fantastic display piece for any auto enthusiast's office or workspace.

20-Piece Car Wash Kit

If you're starting from the ground up and need an all-in-one kit on a budget, you won't find a better solution than the Relentless Drive Ultimate Car Wash Kit. This 20-piece kit includes nearly every tool, accessory, and cleaner you'll need to make your car look good as new, short of a car vacuum.

Best car wash kits, tested

Road & Track Premium All-Access Membership

Give your car-lover a behind-the-scenes look at Road & Track magazine with a Road & Track All Access membership. They'll receive unlimited digital access to RoadandTrack.com including exclusive content, Road & Track magazine delivered to their doorstep, invitations to virtual editor roundtables hosted by R&T editors, inclusion on Road & Track’s member-only R&T Insider newsletter, and discounts and free shipping on the Road & Track online shop. It’s the perfect gift for the ultimate enthusiast.

Cobra RAD 700i Radar Detector

Radar detectors can be a godsend for folks who prefer to push the speed limit rather than abide by it. These cop spotters can cost a pretty penny. But not the Cobra RAD 700i—it's meant to be a budget option. The cost does reflect some shortcomings, though, notably a lack of 360-degree radar detection. It performs fine detecting from the front but is blind from behind. This actually helps filter out a lot of noise, so some might find it preferable. At this price point, you can't go wrong—it'll pay for itself in no time.

Avenue Driving Shoes

Handcrafted in Portugal from smooth burnished leather, the Avenue driving shoe from Piloti offers the perfect balance of dressy and casual style. Featuring an anti-microbial lining, this luxurious sneaker includes a cork or compressed recycled foam and EVA insole for added comfort and breathability for all-day wear.

Piloti's patented Roll Control 2.0 heel technology provides smooth movement in the pedal box and equal distribution of downward force. A soft forefoot results in an enhanced pedal feel and feedback, and rounded sole edges avoid catching while transitioning between pedals.

Tumbler

Ember's largest mug yet, the Tumbler is the ideal travel mug for road trips, allowing you to set your coffee or tea to an exact drinking temperature and keep it there for up to three hours. The Tumbler can hold up to 16 ounces of liquid, and its textured finish allows you to feel the warmth of your drink through the premium, easy-grip finish. Includes two lids: a leak-proof Handle Lid and a Sliding Lid for quick access to your hot drink.

Road Patrol Dash Cam

An affordable dash cam makes a great gift for any driver. Car and Driver's Road Patrol Dash Cam features 1080p HD video and a supplemental in-cabin camera, and it mounts easily via a suction cup. The 3.0-inch touchscreen is a cinch to use, and the 150-degree wide-angle front camera and a 110-degree interior camera simultaneously capture the road ahead and your vehicle's cabin. The built-in GPS automatically records your driving route, location, and speed, ensuring your favorite car lover has all the information they need for every journey.

For the complete package, including a hardwired rearview camera, opt for the Nextbase 622GW front and rear camera kit. It's a gem.

Road & Track Smoky 600 Experience

Give the gift of the ultimate automotive experience! Smoky 600 is a four-day adventure through Appalachia curated by the editors of Road & Track. Guests can expect curated group drives led by editors, track time at NCM Motorsports Park, distillery tours and tastings, and stays at boutique hotels—culminating in a spirited grand finale drive down the iconic Tail of The Dragon.

AO Original Pilot Sunglasses

American Optical's Original Pilot sunglasses become the perfect companion for your eyes on the road. They're comfortable and avoid putting pressure in the wrong spots. We recommend the bayonet temples, which help keep the shades in place and allow for easy on and off. Style is self-explanatory, having been used by the likes of Apollo 11 crew members and Bruce Springsteen, to name just a few. Truly iconic.

Solo Stove Ranger

The most portable backyard/campsite firepit made by Solo Stove, the Ranger 2.0 fits easily in a trunk or truck bed. It's great as a bonfire or even as a camp stove; just load it up w/ the cooking accessories and it's ready for wherever adventure takes you. We love using ours.

Porsche Racing Moments

Nobody does impressive coffee table books like Taschen, and this one is a doozy. We got our hands on a Porsche Racing Moments test copy, and immediately knew it was special. Featuring tons of photographs captured by Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, it's a unique look at Porsche Racing in what some might call its heyday. Schlegelmilch's trademark "zoom" effect is in full force here, coaxing the cars to fly right off the page. It's a beautiful behemoth and something that's definitely worth adding to your collection.

Interior LED Lights

Corny? Depends on your POV, but at this price point, you can rationalize these interior LED lights as a gag gift. Thanks to a built-in mic, the colors and light speed adjust automatically to any music type. The app lets you access 16 million colors, a host of dynamic light effects, and an easy-to-use DIY mode. The strip lights boast a two-line design, which is ideal for the cockpit of any car, truck, or SUV.

Road & Track T-Shirts

Make a statement with these ultra-soft tees from Road & Track or Car and Driver. Whether your favorite car lover is the type to go for a quippy slogan or something more understated, one thing is for certain—they’re an enthusiast through and through.

Auto Sense Wireless Charging Phone Mount

When we tested carphone holders in 2022, we tabbed the iOttie Auto Sense as the best cupholder mount. It charges wirelessly as you drive, and the automatic clamping is a fantastic feature. Just twist the base to secure it in your cup holder. It's also available in dash- or window-mounted styles.

If you're looking for an excellent, inexpensive, universal phone mount to give as a gift, iOttie is the way to go.

Seat Back Organizer

Anyone who travels from job site to job site needs to have everything on hand at all times, and this rugged seat-back organizer from Carhartt more than holds its own. It offers plenty of room for tools, laptops, cellphones, and more. It's even got MOLLE straps for hanging extra gear and a hook for attaching your favorite cap or hat. It affixes to any seatback on any vehicle.

Made of sturdy nylon duck canvas, it comes in basic black or Carhartt Brown for that classic Carhartt style.

Chevrolet Camaro Z28

Nothing says American muscle better than this beauty. The Lego Icons Chevrolet Camaro Z28 is a detailed, straightforward build that'll make any V-8 lover's heart pound. It boasts nearly 1500 pieces, including many that allow you to customize the Camaro to your heart's desire.

You can choose from three different racing-stripe colors, classic or hideaway lights, hard top or droptop, and other retro-design options. We built one ourselves and found it a satisfying endeavor. The finished product looks excellent as usual, and it is a perfect choice to fill up that empty spot on your display shelf.

Xtreme Xperience Track Day

Most of us believe driving a Ferrari or Porsche is an impossible dream, right? Not at all! The folks at Xtreme Xperience offer track days behind the wheel of a wide range of supercars. We were lucky enough to throw a Ferrari 488 GTB around the curves at IMS, and were very impressed at the staff, vehicle, and experience as a whole. This is a perfect gift for anyone who would love to rip a few laps in their dream car.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 McLaren Edition

It's the official audio supplier to McLaren automobiles, so it's only natural that British company Bowers & Wilkins would develop a pair of its top-notch "cans" with McLaren style. The PX8s are possibly the best over-ear headphones we've ever had the pleasure of slipping over our ears. The sound and the fit are lush, and the easy-to-use B&W app lets you dial in noise-canceling, EQ settings, and more, to your liking.

Bugatti Divo RC Car

The old adage "fun for all ages" is rarely more apt than when RC cars are involved. This Bugatti Divo is hot and speedy and comes equipped with a rechargeable 7.4-volt 900mAh battery that has 40 minutes of run time at maximum power and full charge. For a more rough-and-ready off-road RC experience, this Bezgar Crawler is ready for gravel, dirt, and grass, only adding to the RC fun.

JNC325 Jump-N-Carry Jump Starter

The Jump-N-Carry JNC325 is our choice for Best Overall Portable Jump Starter. We were impressed by the 24-inch cable length, the ease of use, and solid specs all across the board.

The JNC325 features just two easy buttons: power and override. During our jump test, we did need to press the override button, and the jump starter started the vehicle after that with ease. It comes with a soft carrying case that can store the cables, jumper starter, and charging cords.

The JNC325 boasts enough power to start just about any consumer vehicle on the road, is compact enough to store in the trunk, and features the specs you need to jump a vehicle anywhere, anytime. That's why it's our pick for the best portable jump starter.

Mini Dash Cam 57

This pocket-size Garmin dash camera goes virtually unnoticed on your windshield. It automatically records and saves video of incidents with GPS location, plus date and time. A wide 140-degree lens records 1440p HD video with Garmin Clarity HDR optics for crisp detail.

Voice control (only available in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, and Swedish) lets you use spoken commands to save video, start/stop audio recording, take still pictures, and more.

4-Tier Industrial Shelving Rack

If your garage is getting tight on storage space (we know ours sure is), this shelving rack can help you get stuff vertical and off the floor. Each of the four shelves boasts a 2,000-pound weight capacity, and the all-steel construction adds even more sturdiness. We tried it out ourselves and were impressed with the build quality—the numbers don't lie. For a heavy-duty garage storage solution, this shelf is a great option.

Dustbuster Handheld Vacuum

The winner of our Best Car Vacuums of 2022, Tested was the reliable Dustbuster. It wasn't the smallest, the most powerful, or the longest lasting, but its large mouth opening allowed it to suck up Cheerios and other chunks of debris as well as, if not better than, much higher-priced competition. And its household versatility means its uses extend far beyond seats and floorboards.

Our hands-on testing also showed great results with the eufy by Anker HomeVac H30. Although it's more expensive than the Dustbuster, its sleek design and light weight made it a pleasure to use in the car.

LED Shop Light

Working in your garage is pointless unless you can see what you're doing. That's where these linkable LED shop lights come in, where you can connect up to six in series. They aren't the brightest lights in the world—emitting 4,000 lumens per light—but the linkable function can light up your garage or workspace easily. We tried one out and noted that the mounting chains are included—a nice addition. For the price, these are tough to beat.

MAX360C Laser Radar Detector

If your favorite car lover is interested in new ways to avoid speeding tickets, consider gifting this top-of-the-line radar detector from Escort. It was our top pick in our most recent radar detector test, and you can read our full review here. While it's not cheap, it just might be the very best on the market.

For a more affordable option, try the Uniden DFR1. It's not as feature-laden as the Escort, but the price is sure tough to beat.

CoolStart Remote Start System

If your favorite driver lives in a harsh climate or drives an older vehicle, consider gifting this affordable remote start system. You get two transmitter key fobs to start, stop, and unlock vehicles up to 1500 feet away. It's a bare-bones option, but is useful to get the AC or heater up and running when the weather is extreme. Don't be afraid to have a professional install these systems—they can be daunting.

For a fully featured remote start automotive security system that works up to a full mile away, opt for the Viper Responder LC3.

PRO Racing Wheel

Logitech's PRO Racing Wheel delivers a direct-drive connection to your simulated track adventures, with an impressive punching power boasting 8 pound-feet of force feedback. A number of satisfying and useful buttons allow you to immerse yourself in the finer nuances of sim racing. PRO racing pedals are available as well and sold separately.

If you need a new headset to enjoy the sounds of your favorite ride, the Astro A30 is a solid choice. Simultaneously connect to multiple devices via Bluetooth and enjoy hardcore endurance races with a 27-hour battery life.

Logitech also released the G Racing Adapter, which allows you to combine components from their racing lines like PRO and G923. Our favorite part? The adapter lets you use the Drive Force Shifter with the PRO wheel—something we (and many fans) have been yearning for.

Car Guy T-shirt

Like a regular guy, only cooler. We can relate.

Aera Go Car Diffuser

Everyone wants their car to smell the best. Unfortunately, those little trees often smell too strong, or not strong enough. To solve this problem, the Aera Go Car Diffuser aims to mist a pleasant scent throughout your ride. It plugs into your car's USB port and offers 10 different strength settings. There are a bunch of smells to choose from, and each capsule lasts up to 350 hours.