Best coolant 2022

To find out which fluid is recommended for your car by the manufacturer, just open the instruction manual and read the recommendations located, as a rule, on its last pages. The best coolant for your car will be the one that most closely meets the requirements (manufacturer’s tolerances) given in the manual. If it is missing, Internet search services will help you. Also, a lot of information can be found on specialized forums.

Top 7 rating according to KP

– The choice of antifreeze must be taken seriously, as the coolant affects the operation of the engine. Therefore, automakers in service books indicate that it is forbidden to add any liquids to the cooling system other than those recommended by the automaker. For example, for Hyundai, only A-110 is used – phosphate lobrid antifreeze, for Kia – lobrid fluid of Hyundai MS 591-08 specification, explains Maxim Ryazanov, technical director of the Fresh Auto network of car dealerships.

In the case of topping up the coolant, it is worth using the same brand as the one that is already filled in the engine. The average price for 4-5 liters is from 400 rubles to 3 thousand.

1. Castrol Radicool SF

Antifreeze concentrate type – carboxylate. It is based on monoethylene glycol, and there are no amines, nitrites, phosphates and silicates in the additives.

The fluid is designed for a long replacement interval – up to five years. Conforms to the G12 standard for carboxylate antifreezes. Antifreeze has excellent protective, cooling, cleaning and lubricating properties. It has a high degree of protection against the formation of harmful deposits, foaming, corrosion, and the destructive effects of cavitation.

Compatible with gasoline, diesel engines of cars and trucks, as well as buses. Its versatility is economical for fleets.

Radicool SF / Castrol G12 is recommended for use (OEM) for primary and subsequent refueling: Deutz, Ford, MAN, Mercedes, Volkswagen.

Specification (manufacturer approvals):

• ASTM D3306(I), ASTM D4985;
• BS6580:2010;
• JIS K2234;
• MAN 324 type SNF;
• VW TL-774F;
• FORD WSS-M97B44-D;
• MB-Approval 325.3;
• General Motors GM 6277M;
• Cummins IS series and N14 engines;
• Komatsu;
• Renault Type D;
• Jaguar CMR 8229;
• MTU MTL 5048 Series 2000C&I.

The color of the concentrate is red. It must be diluted with clean distilled water before use. It is not recommended to mix this antifreeze with products from other manufacturers. But it is permissible – with analogues within the same brand.

Advantages and disadvantages

2. Liqui-Moly KFS 2001 Plus G12 radiator antifreeze

Antifreeze based on ethylene glycol and additives based on organic carboxylic acids, corresponding to class G12. Excellent protection against freezing, overheating and oxidation. The replacement interval is five years.

Before pouring into the cooling system, the manufacturer recommends flushing it with a Kuhler-Reiniger cleaner.

This type of antifreeze is recommended to be changed every 5 years, unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise. Pour point when mixing the concentrate with water in the following proportions:

1:0,6 at -50 °C 1:1 at -40 °C1:1,5 at -27 °C1:2 at -20 °C

Antifreeze can be mixed with similar products marked G12, (usually colored red), as well as antifreeze marked G11 (containing silicates and approved by VW TL 774-C, usually painted blue or green). You can buy this concentrate in the Liqui Moly online store.

Packed in 1 and 5 liter canisters.

Advantages and disadvantages

3. MOTUL INUGEL OPTIMAL ULTRA

Antifreeze concentrate type – carboxylate. It is based on monoethylene glycol, and there are no amines, nitrites, phosphates and silicates in the additives.

The fluid is designed for a long replacement interval – up to five years. Conforms to the G12 standard for carboxylate antifreezes. Antifreeze has excellent protective, cooling, cleaning and lubricating properties. It has a high degree of protection against the formation of harmful deposits, foaming, corrosion, and the destructive effects of cavitation.

Compatible with gasoline, diesel engines of cars and trucks, as well as buses. Its versatility is economical for fleets.

Radicool SF / Castrol G12 is recommended for use (OEM) for primary and subsequent refueling: Deutz, Ford, MAN, Mercedes, Volkswagen.

The color of the concentrate is red. Before use, it must be diluted with clean distilled water. It is not recommended to mix this antifreeze with products from other manufacturers. But it is permissible – with analogues within the same brand.

Specification (manufacturer approvals):

• ASTM D3306(I), ASTM D4985;
• BS6580:2010;
• JIS K2234;
• MAN 324 type SNF;
• VW TL-774F;
• FORD WSS-M97B44-D;
• MB-Approval 325.3;
• General Motors GM 6277M;
• Cummins IS series and N14 engines;
• Komatsu;
• Renault Type D;
• Jaguar CMR 8229;
• MTU MTL 5048 Series 2000C&I.

The color of the concentrate is red. It must be diluted with clean distilled water before use. It is not recommended to mix this antifreeze with products from other manufacturers. But it is permissible – with analogues within the same brand.

Advantages and disadvantages

4. COOLSTREAM

Produced by TECHNOFORM on the basis of Arteco packages. In retail, they are represented by the Coolstream line of antifreezes, which have many official approvals (as a rebrand of the original antifreezes).

Under various names, it is used for refueling in new cars at the factories of Ford, Opel, Volvo, etc.

Advantages and disadvantages

5. LUKOIL ANTIFREEZE G12 RED

Provides protection against freezing, corrosion, scaling and overheating of all modern engines subjected to high loads. The use of carboxylate technology provides reliable cooling of the internal combustion engine, reduces the effect of hydrodynamic cavitation. A thin protective layer is created precisely at the point of corrosion, providing more efficient heat transfer and reduced additive consumption, which increases the life of the coolant.

Advantages and disadvantages

6. Gazpromneft Antifreeze SF 12+

7. Synthetic PREMIUM G12+

Obninskoorgsintez is a well-deserved leader in the antifreeze market and one of the largest manufacturers of coolants. Represented by the line of SINTEC antifreezes.

Thanks to the presence of our own research and testing division, the constant introduction of advanced technologies and the latest developments is ensured.

Obninskoorgsintez produces coolants of all types:

• traditional (mineral with silicates);
• hybrid (with inorganic and organic additives);
• produced using OAT technology (Organic Acid Technology) – organic acid technology (the so-called “carboxylate”);
• the latest lobrid antifreeze (bipolar production technology – OAT with the addition of silicates).

Antifreeze «PREMIUM» G12+ – modernized carboxylate antifreeze with an extended service life, manufactured using Organic Acid Technology (OAT). Manufactured using a synergistic composition of salts of carboxylic acids with additional input of copper corrosion inhibitors.

Differs in high heat transfer coefficient, tk. does not cover the entire surface with a protective layer, but forms the thinnest protective film only in the places where corrosion begins. Protects cooling systems under extreme temperature conditions. Safe for all types of internal combustion engines of cars, because it does not include nitrites, amines, phosphates, borates and silicates. Does not contain additives deposited on the walls of the cooling system, providing and maintaining the necessary heat dissipation. This coolant uses virtually indestructible organic corrosion inhibitors.

In terms of its operational properties, antifreeze significantly exceeds traditional and similar coolants. The color of the liquid is raspberry.

Advantages and disadvantages

How to choose a coolant for a car

In Our Country, the only document regulating the requirements for “low-freezing coolant” (aka coolant) is GOST 28084-89. It serves as the basis for the development of regulatory documentation for all coolants in the territory of the Federation. But, despite all the pros and cons, it has, as usual, a “bottleneck”. If the manufacturer produces a coolant not based on ethylene glycol, then he has the right to be guided not by GOST standards, but by his own specifications. So we get “ANTIFREEZES” with real freezing temperatures of about “minus” 20 degrees Celsius, and boiling – a little more than 60, because they (I note, quite legally) use cheaper glycerin and methanol instead of ethylene glycol. Moreover, the first of these components costs practically nothing, and the second compensates for the disadvantages of using cheap raw materials.

The risk of running into a completely legal, but not corresponding to real requirements, coolant is great. What to do? Check the purchased coolant for flammability. Yes, you read that right: glycerol-methanol coolant FIRES easily. Therefore, its use is extremely dangerous. After all, such coolant can get on the heated parts of the car’s exhaust system!

Criterias of choice

In the professional world, the term for coolant is antifreeze. This is a liquid, which includes water, ethylene glycol, a dye and an additive package. It is the latter, and not the color, that determine the difference between the coolant, their characteristics.

Antifreezes are divided into:

• Traditional – antifreezes based on inorganic additive packages, which consist of mineral salts (in the USSR it was the TOSOL brand). This is an outdated technology that is not currently used by automakers for modern engines. And it is suitable, perhaps, for the cooling systems of cars of the era, let’s say, “Zhiguli” (1960-80).
• Carboxylate – based on organic additive packages from a set of carboxylic acids and their salts. Such compositions may contain up to several dozen components that perform their role.
• Hybrid is a mixture of the two technologies described above, approximately in equal proportions. In such mixtures, a significant proportion of salts such as silicates are introduced into the organic package, resulting in a hybrid package.
• Lobrid – this is a kind of hybrid antifreeze, in which the proportion of mineral salts in the additive package is limited to 9%. The remaining 91% is an organic package. Along with carboxylate antifreezes, lobrid antifreezes are considered the most technologically advanced today.

In each of the four listed types, there are antifreezes that have approvals from several automakers at once. For example, tolerances from Volkswagen AG – G11, G12 or G12 +, from Ford, GM, Land Rover and many others. But this does not mean that antifreezes of one class are the same and are suitable for all cars using this class of coolants. For example, lobrid antifreeze for BMW with GS 94000 approval cannot be used in Kia cars (where, for example, lobrid with MS 591 approval is used) – BMW uses silicates and prohibits phosphates, while Kia / Hyundai, on the contrary, uses phosphates and does not allow silicates in the composition antifreeze.

Once again I will draw your attention: the choice of antifreeze must be made strictly according to the manufacturer’s specifications, according to his tolerance. So before buying the best coolant for your car, arm yourself with the knowledge from our article, owner’s manual and/or the internet – by checking it out from multiple sources. And also carefully read the information on the label of the coolant container.

Now about the manufacturers. This is both easier and more difficult at the same time. The choice of the best coolant should be made from among the famous manufacturers. However, such liquids are also counterfeited more often. Therefore, buy coolant only in trusted places: large auto parts shopping centers, specialized stores or from authorized dealers. Be especially careful when buying coolant (and spare parts) in small regional cities, regional centers and “by the road”. Another fake in appearance is practically indistinguishable from the original. Technology has advanced so much now.