15 Best Car-Related Gifts for Xmas 2014

Make your Christmas shopping a cinch with Theory Test Pro’s rundown of the best gifts to put under the tree for drivers.

Car Safety

Head-Up Display From £159.99 Keep your eyes on the road instead of your dashboard with this HUD display that beams your speed, sat nav directions and other critical information on to your windscreen.

Stayhold £15.98 Avoid being distracted by the wretched sound of your shopping rolling round in the boot of your car. Use this simple but effective storage system which grips to your car’s carpet in any position you want to secure items big and small.

Kurgo Backseat Barrie £34.95 Keep your pooch from trying to get into the front of your car by attaching this soft-fabric barrier to the back of the front seats. More importantly, it will keep your dog safe if you need to make an emergency stop.

Contigo Travel Mug £29.99 As well as keeping drinks hotter for longer, this space-age mug’s autoseal tech (that can be opened and closed via pushing a button) means that you’ll cut the risk of accident-causing spills and leakages landing in your lap.

Parrot Minikit Neo (£69.99, click on image for purchasing details) – Don’t fall foul of distracted driving; instead use this voice-controlled Bluetooth hands-free kit that slots on to your sun visor. The device allows you to make and receive calls without lifting a finger thanks to its voice recognition tech. Plus enjoy other features including streaming music direct from your phone.

Car Essentials

AA Emergency Breakdown & Touring Kit £49.99 Be prepared for any eventuality with this comprehensive pack from the AA – from road safety products including a fire extinguisher, glass hammer and first aid pouch to a full touring kit that features essentials such as headlamp beam converters and a GB badge.

Richbrook torch £10.95 Never be without a torch again if you find yourself changing a wheel at the side of the road. Plugging directly into your car’s 12v power socket, this super bright LED torch gives two hours of illumination and can be fully recharged in just six hours.

hipKey £49.96 Avoid losing car keys with this handy device that slips onto your keyring. When experiencing a ‘senior moment’, simply look up the key’s location using your smartphone. Unless you’ve misplaced your mobile of course. Other features include alarm and child modes.

iPad Mount £15 There’s only so many times you can sing ‘the wheels on the bus go round and round’, so distract little ones by safely strapping your iPad to the back of your seat with this specially designed mount and letting them watch their favourite shows instead.

](http://www.trunki.co.uk/boostapak?gclid=CjwKEAiAv7ajBRCIldS7rp7wzFkSJAAA1n4DjqNnzh4AVetxcSoqMvBmGu9HWvprN_kDYLZqvyL9hBoCYDHw_wcB) BoostApak (£44.99, click on image for purchasing details) – Solve two problems with one solution thanks to Trunki’s innovative car booster seat for kids. When in-car, it is used as a booster seat but when out and about, BoostApak can be worn as a toy-filled backpack by your child. Certified to regulation ECE R44.04 for group 2 and 3, BoostApak is suitable for kids aged between 4-11 years.

Driver Thrills, Not Spills

While driving within the law is essential for keeping us and others safe on public roads, track days offer us the chance to let our hair down in a controlled environment. Virgin Experience Days’ £495 Italian supercar pack sees petrolheads tearing round Thruxton circuit in a Ferrari 458 Italia and Lamborghini Aventador LP700 (with three practise laps in a Porsche Cayman thrown in for good measure).

Alternatively, gift a Top Gear Experience Track Experience where drivers can set their own lap times as a Star in a Reasonably Priced Car, ‘enjoy’ a hot lap with the Stig or go off-roading. Prices start from £99.

Car Novelties

Handpresso Auto €149 Feeling tired while driving? Then pull over and make an expresso that’s better than the overpriced sludge that can usually be found at motorway service stations. Using your car’s 12V power socket, plug in the device, pour in water and minutes later you’ll have a cup of eye-opening expresso.

Grime Writer £7.50 Make use of that thick film of fifth on a car by using this special marker pen – fill up with cleaning solution and tag to your heart’s content, knowing that the end result can be wiped away in seconds. Useful for leaving reminders on the cars of your loved ones…

Tax Disc Cufflinks (£44, click on image for purchasing details) – The tax disc was shown the door earlier this year and these cufflinks act as a cute memento to its iconic presence in our windscreens over the past 93 years. Better still, the dates shown on the mini discs can be personalised for the gift’s recipient.

P.S.

Theory Test Pro Android App Free–£2.99 (depending on TTP plan) Theory Test Pro’s app is now available on Android meaning students can practice theory test multiple choice questions and hazard perception clips on their Android devices wherever they are. Also available on iOS.