The best steering wheel locks
Slow a thief down and show it from the street: five steering wheel locks compared, from bars and twin hooks to a cover for the whole wheel.
A steering wheel lock is about time and being seen: a bright yellow lock across the wheel shows from outside that this car will take longer, and it slows down anyone who tries. Most are bars that clamp the rim and jam against a spoke or the dashboard; the Tevlaphee grips the wheel with two hooks, and the X-Lock covers the whole front of it.
Only one lock here has an independent rating: Milenco’s is rated Gold by Sold Secure, the testing scheme set up by Northumbria and Essex Police in 1992, and none of the other four is on its list. Check the fit before buying: wheel size matters for the hook and cover designs, and Stoplock publishes a guide to the cars its bars suit.
What matters
- Type: a bar, twin hooks or a cover for the whole wheel.
- Fit: the wheel’s size, and the maker’s vehicle guide where there is one.
- An independent rating: Sold Secure’s is the one to look for.
- Visibility: bright yellow shows through the windscreen.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Milenco High Security Steering Wheel Lock
£50–£75 Price range
The only lock here with an independent rating: Sold Secure has rated it Gold for cars. It fits over a spoke in seconds, and at about 2.45kg it’s one of the lighter heavy-duty locks.
What owners say: Owners get it on and off in seconds, it has fitted cars from Minis to Mercedes, and the bright yellow reassures them it will be seen.
A closer look: It can be fitted without the key: open it, place it over a spoke and push it closed. At 54.5cm long it tucks into the passenger footwell between drives, and Milenco also makes a Commercial version with a longer arm.
- Sold Secure Gold (automotive)
- Hardened steel, resists sawing and freezing
- Pick-resistant lock
- Three high-security keys
- About 2.45kg
Best for: Tested, rated security
- Type
- Compact bar over a spoke
- Fits
- Over 90% of wheels
- Keys
- 3
- Sold Secure rating
- Gold
#2 of 5
Runner-up
Stoplock Pro Elite Steering Wheel Lock (HG 150-00)
£30–£50 Price range
Stoplock’s top bar has twin locking forks and a deeper bend to wrap round the large airbag hubs of modern steering wheels, helping guard the airbag as well. An anti-drill lock with 10,000 key combinations keeps it shut.
What owners say: Owners say it takes under a minute to fit and sits neatly over the spoke that carries the wheel’s controls.
Heads up: Check Stoplock’s application guide for the car before buying: it lists the few vehicles the bar doesn’t suit.
A closer look: Between drives it goes in its carry bag, which stops it rattling round the boot or footwell. Each lock has its own key code, and extra keys can be bought against it, so losing a key needn’t mean buying a new lock.
- Twin locking forks
- Deep bend for large airbag hubs
- Anti-drill lock, 10,000 key combinations
- Two keys and a carry bag
- About 2.55kg
Best for: Modern airbag wheels
- Type
- Bar with twin forks
- Fits
- Most cars (see guide)
- Keys
- 2
- Sold Secure rating
- Not rated
#3 of 5
Best twin bar
Tevlaphee Twin Bar Steering Wheel Lock
£30–£50 Price range
Two bars and two hooks grip the wheel in two places, which Tevlaphee says makes it harder to break, and the length adjusts for wheels from 5.5 to 13.8in across inside the rim. A soft PVC coating stops it marking the wheel.
What owners say: Owners say it goes on easily and suits vans as well as cars, from a VW Transporter to a Skoda Karoq.
A closer look: Cars whose steering wheel moves by itself, for easy entry or a memory setting, need space left round the lock so it doesn’t catch the trim, Tevlaphee points out. The bar doubles as a tool for breaking a side window in an emergency.
- Twin bars and double hooks
- Adjusts to 5.5–13.8in wheels
- Hardened steel, copper lock cylinder
- Soft PVC coating
- Three keys
Best for: A two-point grip for less
- Type
- Twin bar, double hook
- Fits
- 14–35cm inside the rim
- Keys
- 3
- Sold Secure rating
- Not rated
#4 of 5
Best budget
SURDOCA Multifunction Steering Wheel Lock
£10–£20 Price range
A low-cost bar with a 14mm hexagonal steel beam that extends to about 32cm and locks in a few seconds, with a window breaker built into the handle.
What owners say: Owners describe it as sturdy and well made, quick to clip on and off, and easy to spot through the windscreen.
A closer look: Two sponge pads come in the box to cushion it against the rim, and the soft grip on the handle makes it easy to lift in and out. Keep one of the three keys away from the car keys, so a lost set doesn’t leave the wheel locked.
- 14mm hexagonal steel beam
- Extends up to 12.6in (32cm)
- Window breaker in the handle
- Sponge pads protect the wheel
- Three keys
Best for: A low-cost deterrent
- Type
- Extendable bar
- Fits
- Extends to 32cm
- Keys
- 3
- Sold Secure rating
- Not rated
#5 of 5
Best full cover
Streetwize X-Lock Full Face Steering Wheel Lock
£30–£50 Price range
A full-face cover that clamps over the whole front of the wheel in bright yellow that’s hard to miss from outside. It’s Streetwize’s X-Lock, listed on Amazon under the ARRIONO name.
What owners say: Owners like the big yellow cover as a deterrent nobody walking past could miss.
Heads up: Measure the steering wheel first: it takes wheels up to 39cm across, and larger ones won’t fit.
A closer look: Clamped over the front of the wheel and locked with a key, it covers the spokes and the middle of the wheel as well as the rim. It suits cars, vans, motorhomes and 4x4s whose wheel is within the size, and the storage bag keeps it tidy in the boot.
- Full face cover
- Fits wheels up to 39cm across
- Heavy-duty steel, bright yellow
- Two keys
- Storage bag
Best for: Covering the whole wheel
- Type
- Full face cover
- Fits
- Wheels up to 39cm
- Keys
- 2
- Sold Secure rating
- Not rated
How they compare
| Feature | #1Milenco High Security | #2Stoplock Pro Elite | #3Tevlaphee twin bar | #4SURDOCA | #5Streetwize X-Lock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best twin bar | Best budget | Best full cover | |
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.8 |
| Price | £50–£75 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £30–£50 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | £30–£50 Price range |
| Type | Compact bar over a spoke | Bar with twin forks | Twin bar, double hook | Extendable bar | Full face cover |
| Fits | Over 90% of wheels | Most cars (see guide) | 14–35cm inside the rim | Extends to 32cm | Wheels up to 39cm |
| Keys | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Sold Secure rating | Gold | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated | Not rated |
| Best for | Tested, rated security | Modern airbag wheels | A two-point grip for less | A low-cost deterrent | Covering the whole wheel |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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Photos are illustrative. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. How we pick · How this works.
