5 accessories you need to personalise your new car

(Image credit: Garmin)

published 6 July 2021

Looking to upgrade your ride? We've rounded up the best car accessories to get you started. This is less MTV's Pimp My Ride and more like driving through your local branch of Currys, but we think all of the recommendations in this list deserve a place in your car.

1. Dash cam

Dash cams are, in our opinion, the very first piece of technology you should buy for your car. They can prove you innocence in a car accident and some models will even keep an eye on your vehicle while it's parked. You can check out out favourite dash cams by following the link below.

Best dash cam: top car dash cams tried and tested

2. Car phone mount

I didn't know how useful a good car phone holder could be until I found the right one. Obviously, using your phone while driving is illegal, and putting your phone in the cupholder or arm rest is impractical, so, if you're planning on using your phone as a sat nav for your car, you need one of the phone mounts included in the guide below.

Best car phone holders: windscreen, vent and dash mounts

3. Car charger

A lot of older cars don't have a USB port for charging your phone, let alone a USB-C port which more modern phones use. These car chargers are a great way of adding more charging slots to your cabin and can be especially useful if you're charging more than one phone, camera, sat nav, dash cam… the list goes on.

Best car chargers: 12V to USB adaptors to keep your phone juiced

4. Jump starter

If your car is getting on a bit, either intentionally vintage or unintentionally just plain old, we'd recommend getting a fancy new jump starter. These handy little devices are a similar size to a smartphone and can be used to jump start a car quicker than saying AAA. They can even be used to charge your smartphone!

Best jump starter: bring your car back to life with these portable jump starters

5. Android Auto / Apple CarPlay

This upgrade is a little more advanced than plugging a dash cam in, but if you're really serious about upgrading your car then this is well worth considering. You can replace your old stereo system with a new Android Auto or Apple CarPlay system, adding apps like Spotify and Google Maps. Check out our head unit recommendations below.

Best Android Auto head unit: improve your in-car infotainment system
Best CarPlay stereo: refresh your old car with the top Apple CarPlay systems

As the Style and Travel Editor at T3, Spencer covers everything from clothes to cars and watches to hotels. Everything that's cool, stylish, and interesting, basically. He's been a part of T3 for over seven years, and in that time covered every industry event known to man, from CES and MWC to the Geneva Motorshow and Baselworld. When he's driving up and down the country in search of the greatest driving roads, he can be found messing around on an electric scooter, playing with luxury watches, or testing the latest fragrances.