Do you know how antifreeze works? And do you want to know which among the best antifreeze can be highly suitable for your car especially the off-road vehicles that generally rev up their engines?
Here are things you should know about antifreeze and a list of the best products to choose from.
Here we present the best antifreeze in the market with different formulations to enable you to choose which can be best for your vehicles.
10 Best Antifreeze for 2018
| Image | Model Name | Price | Our Rating | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Zerex Original Green Antifreeze/ Coolant - 1 Gallon | $ |  | |
 | Prestone AF850 Dex-Cool 50/50 Antifreeze - 1 Gallon | $$ |  | |
 | Genuine Ford Fluid VC-7-B Gold Concentrated Antifreeze/Coolant - 1 Gallon | $$$ | | |
 | Prestone AF2100 Extended Life 50/50 Antifreeze | $ | | |
 | Genuine Honda Parts OL999-9011 Blue Type 2 Coolant - 1 Gallon Bottle | $$ | | |
 | BMW 82141467704 Grey Antifreeze Coolant - 1 Gallon | $$$ | | |
 | Genuine Audi Fluid G013A8J1G Radiator Anti-Freeze and Summer Coolant - 1 Gallon | $$$ | | |
 | Zerex ZXGO51 G-05 Antifreeze | $$ | | |
 | Prestone AF3100 Prime All Vehicle 50/50 Antifreeze | $$ |  | |
 | PEAK PER0A3 RV and Marine Antifreeze - 1 Gallon | $ | |
Zerex Original Green Antifreeze/ Coolant – 1 Gallon
This will surely give your engine and radiator the best protection against freezing. In fact, it can provide protection up to -34 fahrenheit.
With its ethylene glycol content that will handle the antifreeze and coolant protection, the low silicate content will also help in preventing corrosion and rust to your engines’ internal parts as well as to your radiator.
Very safe and can be used on almost all types of vehicles including off-road vehicles particularly the GM, Ford and Chrysler models. Included in the list of vehicles are ATVs, SUVs, sport and off-road motorcycles, scooters as well as marine personal crafts. This product follows an old formulation and still doing its job well. It has a service life of five years or equivalent to 150,000 miles.
Reviewers say this is actually a concentrated antifreeze which is not indicated on its label.
Prestone AF850 Dex-Cool 50/50 Antifreeze – 1 Gallon
This is an inorganic coolant and an essential antifreeze that was blended with premium long-lasting inhibitors to stop corrosion. It is actually a 50/50 mix so you can use it instantly.
Perfect for cars and light-duty trucks that have radiators made of aluminum. It can protect your engine and radiators even from extreme temperature while preventing the formation of rust and corrosion. Service life is also 5 years (150,000 miles).
Aluminum engine blocks and cylinder heads basically require antifreeze that is specifically made for them to avoid corrosion and this product is made to work best on these parts. Best use for American cars, it is also compatible for all types of vehicles from motorcycles to motorized boat engines.
This antifreeze is also not for BMW cars.
Genuine Ford Fluid VC-7-B Gold Concentrated Antifreeze/Coolant – 1 Gallon
For longer life coolant, this ethylene glycol based coolant is compatible with gasoline and diesel engines and can provide protection all year round. It has anti-corrosion and antifreeze formula that is concentrated so you have to mix it with 50 percent distilled water before pouring it in.
It can actually provide freezing protection up to -34 degrees Fahrenheit and boiling protection to a maximum of 265 degrees Fahrenheit. A bittering agent is also added into the solution. This is to make animals avoid licking it in case of accidental leakage.
This is the best antifreeze and coolant for almost all types of Ford vehicles and perfect as a replacement formula for the classic coolants. However, the radiator and the storage tank must be totally flushed out so that this new formula won’t get mixed up with the old stuff which may cause issues.
This works best for any Ford vehicle types.
Prestone AF2100 Extended Life 50/50 Antifreeze
Best for almost all types of cars and makers such as European, American and Asian cars. It can also be used for small cars to light duty trucks and will not cause problems even if it is mixed up with other antifreeze/coolant of any color.
It will prevent corrosion in your engine block and radiator and can maintain your engine’s cooling system efficiently even if these have aluminum parts. It also passes the ASTM D3306 and D498 standards for corrosion protection. Service life is 5 years (150,000 miles)
This product is already 50/50 blend with 50 percent antifreeze/coolant to protect engines and radiators from freezing during the very cold weather and also to prevent corrosion and 50 percent distilled water to serve as a heat transfer agent. It is basically a universal coolant/antifreeze for all model vehicles including off-road vehicles.
We have not fully reviewed this on heavy duty trucks so please take caution when using this.
Genuine Honda Parts OL999-9011 Blue Type 2 Coolant – 1 Gallon Bottle
This exactly fit for all Honda models. As a Type 2 coolant, it has an advanced protection for Honda vehicles including some of the Acura car models.
Its component is made to provide utmost protection against corrosion on the car’s cooling system components. As a 50/50 mix, this does not require mixing with distilled water.
Silicate free. Always reliable for use with any Honda models. This product is the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) coolant that Honda vehicles are built with so you are ensured that with your Honda vehicle, you will be using its original antifreeze/coolant and definitely your car won’t run on issues such as corrosion.
Although reliable and works great, this coolant from Honda is quite expensive.
BMW 82141467704 Grey Antifreeze Coolant – 1 Gallon
For BMW cars only. It is EG based which makes it an effective and efficient antifreeze/coolant for BMW car engines.
It also provides utmost protection such as cast iron, aluminum and steel which other coolants can’t afford to protect.
This is genuine BMW coolant and should not be mixed with any other coolant. This will definitely give your car year round protection against boilovers, heat damage and corrosion.
Genuine Audi Fluid G013A8J1G Radiator Anti-Freeze and Summer Coolant – 1 Gallon
This is ethylene glycol based formula that is without phosphate and silicate is especially formulated for Audi cars for almost any model.
It also has a mixture of inhibitors to add more protection to the vehicles’ parts such as the radiator, water pump, coolant passages and cooling system pipes thus preventing issues such as overheating, freezing, corrosion and formation of rust inside the radiator and engines. It can also protect aluminum parts
Nitrate and phosphate free so it won’t harm your gaskets and seals. Once it gets mixed up with 50 percent water, the solution goes up to work efficiently. This is basically a genuine concentrated formula formulated exclusively for Audi vehicles on almost all models.
Zerex ZXGO51 G-05 Antifreeze
This gives you the protection for up to 5 years and will protect all metals including aluminum in your cooling system all year round.
With low silicate content, low-Ph and without phosphate, this is actually one the best antifreeze with the cleanest formula so that it could only serve its main purpose. Using hybrid organic acid technology (HOAT), its formula will totally minimize depletion of the inhibitor.
This product with the HOAT chemistry also combines the technology of formulating organic acid-based chemistry which will result in providing your cars utmost protection against corrosion and rust formation. Approved by Ford and Daimler/Chrysler for their vehicles with gas and diesel engines, this is the ultimate antifreeze/coolant that you won’t worry using for these cars.
Fluid is clear (not colored) which becomes hard in identifying its base.
Prestone AF3100 Prime All Vehicle 50/50 Antifreeze
For those who want to mix other antifreeze/coolant in their current coolant to ensure that their vehicles won’t get caught up with busted overheated engines or frozen dead engines, this 50/50 antifreeze is compatible with any coolant.
Even the engines have aluminum parts, there’s nothing to worry. This is formulated with long-lasting inhibitors that will guard your radiator and engine against extreme temperature as well as protecting it against rust and corrosions.
This product basically meets the ASTM D3306 and D4985 standards for corrosion control on all metals. It is perfect for all car types, light-duty trucks and off-road vehicles and protection is up to 5 years or 150,000 miles.
Definitely one of the best antifreeze to control freeze-up and boil-over. It is also very affordable and no need it mix with water as it is already pre-diluted.
PEAK PER0A3 RV and Marine Antifreeze – 1 Gallon
Are you looking for best antifreeze you can use for your water pumps, boat motors and water lines which normally stall due to freezing weather?
This product is what you need. It is basically a marine antifreeze that is formulated to winterize the said motors and even the water plumbing system. It can protect the tanks and lines up to -50 Fahrenheit and it is safe to use even with brass, copper or plastic pipes on the tanks.
All the ingredients contained in this product are rated as Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) so this is the ideal antifreeze to winterize your recreational vehicles, trailers or even swimming pools.
Use it full strength and your lines and tanks will be fully winterized. You just need to flush out fully these containment to avoid ingesting the chemicals and although these are safe, these still contain inorganic compound not fit for human consumption. This is not for use for automotive engines.
Difference Between Coolants And Antifreeze
Many people get confused about the difference between antifreeze and coolants. However, these are in the same category. Antifreeze and coolants are exactly the same solution.
They can keep the car engines including the liquid on the radiators from freezing during the icy weather while also preventing the engine from overheating by utilizing the lubricants in the coolant to grease up the engine parts.
Years ago, the normal type of antifreeze is ethylene glycol (EG) based and it is colored green. EG is an antifreeze and a coolant in one solution with a high heat transfer. It prevents engines from freezing and acts as a coolant for engines during summer.
However, this is highly toxic to mammals. Then propylene glycol (PG) was introduced. PG comes from glycerin or petroleum and also has an antifreeze and coolant elements.
Today, antifreeze/coolants are generally mixed up with various elements for specific use for certain car models. They also have varying colors which represent their components.
Types of Antifreeze:
- Inorganic coolants which are usually green in color utilize the Inorganic Acid Technology (IAT) in its formula. It can be composed of EG and PG. It has a service distance of 30,000 miles (50,000 km.) before it must be replaced.
- Organic coolants use the Organic Acid Technology (OAT) in manufacturing. The formula can be EG based or PG based but usually it’s more on EG based with the usual color of orange and red. However, green, pink and blue also represent OAT coolants. Service distance is 150,000 miles (250,000 km) and then must be replaced. OAT should not be mixed with other coolants or this can cause corrosions.
- Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT) is a combination of OAT and IAT. It sometimes comes in orange or in yellow liquid form. Normal service distance is 150,000 miles or 5 years equivalent.
- Nitrited Organic Acid Technology (NOAT) is basically OAT with added nitrite. It can be used on all types of vehicles. NOAT and HOAT have almost the same performance but its service life and distance covered is yet to be established.
- Universal antifreeze coolants are also known as the 50/50 premix antifreeze/coolants. This means 50 percent distilled or demineralized water is already added to the solution and no need to add water during use. These types are mainly EG based mixed with low amount of silicate to protect engine parts and the radiator from corrosion as well as the aluminum parts.
Note: All types of antifreeze come out of the mixers without color but clear. But due to their formulation and for marketing purposes of manufacturers, they are added with dyes for easy identification. In addition, avoid mixing types of coolants unless there are universal coolants in it because once chemicals get mixed up, this could form into gel which can restrict flow of liquid from radiator to the engine and can cause problems.
Wrapping Up: What’s The Best Antifreeze?
When using antifreeze/coolant, it is best to comply with your car user’s manual or read the label on the containment because not every antifreeze can be suitable to all car models or brands as the new breed of cars today have other metals in their engines that may get harm with some of the antifreeze components.
These products on our list will surely serve their purpose because they were carefully chosen and regarded as the best antifreeze in the market according to the consumers/reviewers who have used it for years.