The must-have car accessories you never knew you needed

Erin Baker, Editorial Director at Auto-Trader, gives us the low-down on the top 5 car accessories of 2020

Your car is just the starting point these days: we’re all about leisurewear, staycations, the great outdoors, active lifestyles and dogs, so how you accessorise your wheels and what car accessories you use are two burning questions.

Here are our top 5 car accessories for 2020

Land Rover Defender roof tent

Price: £3,081 plus local taxes

Land Rover has teamed up with Autohome to create a bespoke pop-up tent that rises from a slim box on top of the Defender to reveal a cotton double mattress with pillows, LED light and stowage net for belongings. There are side and rear windows.

Jaguar Activity Key

Price: £300

It might seem like a gimmick, but believe us, you’ll love it. If you are a surfer, jogger, roller-blader, hiker, paddle boarder or cyclist, you’ll know how annoying it is when you park up, head off into the great outdoors and suddenly wonder what you’re going to do with the car key. Jag has invented one in a waterproof plastic wristband - hold it up to the Jaguar badge and it’ll lock the car, then head off for your swim. Wear it like a FitBit and unlock the car when you return. Easy peasy.

Skoda roof box

Price: £375

It’s slim, and rocks a serious aerodynamic silhouette, but somehow we still managed to fit in four sleeping bags, six wetsuits, a fishing rod and two bin liners of beach towels. The twisting knobs to tighten and release it from the roof bars are inside the box, so from the outside it just seems to float on the rails.

Skoda is the master of accessories - its cars come with umbrellas in the doors and ice scrapers inside the fuel cap. And its bicycle rack is very easy to use. Genius.

Volvo dog harness

Price: £60

With sizes for every breed from miniature Daschund to German Shepherd, you’ll find a Volvo harness for your dog. The brand invented the three-point safety belt for humans; now it’s created comfy, padded harnesses to keep dogs from sliding about inside the car. Our black Labrador was very content in the back on the XC60.

Rolls-Royce Picnic Hamper

Price; on request

The perfect accompaniment to the Cullinan SUV, the picnic hamper is more than a pair of wicker handles and some chequered napkins. It includes crystal wine glasses, Wedgwood crockery, and handmade cutlery, all encased in an oiled teak, saddle-leather and aluminium box.