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The problem with wiper blades is not the blade. It is the arm. The clip on the end of your wiper arm has a name, and that name is what decides which blade fits — but the three biggest manufacturers in the industry call the same clip three different things. This guide shows you how to identify yours by looking at it, and translates between the naming systems so you can buy with confidence.
Start here: three things to look at
Lift the wiper arm away from the glass and look at the very end of it, where the blade attaches. You are answering three questions.
- Does the arm end in a hook? A flattened metal arm bent into a “J” or “U”, with the blade sliding on and locking into the curve. This is by far the most common fitting on older UK cars.
- Does the blade clip on top of a flat arm tip? The arm ends in a flat, straight tongue, and the blade sits over it with a button or tab you press to release. If so, measure the width of that tongue in millimetres — 16mm and 19mm are the two common sizes, and that measurement is what retailers are asking for.
- Does a pin stick out sideways from the arm? A short round post protruding from the side of the arm tip, with the blade pushing on over it.
If you can answer those three questions you can identify almost any modern fitting. Measuring beats guessing from the car’s model — see why the same model can take different blades below.
The fitting types, and what each manufacturer calls them
This table is the reason this page exists. Every one of these names is real and published by a manufacturer — but no two manufacturers use the same set, and the numbers overlap in ways that catch people out.
| What it looks like | Bosch calls it | Valeo calls it | Champion / DRiV calls it | Common retail name |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arm bent into a hook, blade slides on | Hook 9×3, Hook 9×4, Hook 6×8, Hook 12×4 | — | J-hook (9×3, 9×4, 7mm, reverse 9×4) | Hook / U-hook / J-hook |
| Flat arm tip, blade clips over the top, 19mm wide | — | Top Lock Wide — 19mm | — | Push button 19mm |
| Flat arm tip, blade clips over the top, 16mm wide | — | Top Lock Narrow — 16mm | — | Push button 16mm |
| Blade squeezes on with a tab each side | — | Pinch Tab (plus BMW and Mercedes variants) | Pinch tab, pinch tab button | Pinch tab |
| Blade slides onto a spigot and locks | Bayonet 5×2, Bayonet 7×2.5, Bayonet 7.2×2.5 | Bayonet | Bayonet (5mm, 7mm, 19mm, 22mm) | Bayonet |
| Round pin protruding from the side of the arm | — | — | Side pin (quarter-inch, 3/16 inch, 19mm, 22mm) | Side pin |
| Clip engaging the side of the arm tip | Side Lock, Special Mercedes Side Lock | Side Lock Narrow 17mm, Side Lock Wide 22mm | — | Side lock |
| Various proprietary designs | Quick-Clip (Bosch’s own) | — | Saddle, wrist action, dead locker (Champion’s own) | — |
Recommended Wiper Blades
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The thing nobody tells you: “push button” is not an official name
Valeo is an original-equipment wiper manufacturer. Look through Valeo’s own fitting documentation and you will not find the phrase “push button” anywhere. What UK retailers sell as push button 16mm and push button 19mm is Valeo’s Top Lock Narrow 16mm and Top Lock Wide 19mm. Bosch doesn’t use “push button” either — Bosch refers to push-pin adapters.
“Push button” is aftermarket shorthand. It is a perfectly usable term when you’re shopping, but it isn’t what the part is actually called, which is why you’ll sometimes search for it on a manufacturer site and get nothing.
There is a second trap in the same area. Champion lists side pin at 19mm and 22mm. Valeo lists Top Lock Wide at 19mm and Side Lock Wide at 22mm. Those are the same numbers attached to physically different connectors. The measurement on its own is not enough — you need the measurement and the shape.
Multi-fit versus exact-fit blades — and which you actually want
Once you know your fitting, there are two ways to buy. This distinction matters more than the brand.
Exact-fit blades
Supplied with the correct adapter already fitted for one specific arm type. Nothing to choose, nothing left over, and the fit is the tightest. Bosch’s Aerotwin Original “A” range works this way — over 150 part numbers, with the original adapter pre-assembled. Valeo’s Silencio range is the same idea, sold against a vehicle application list. Champion’s Aerovantage is ranged the same way, and notably Champion publishes a dedicated right-hand-drive catalogue for the UK. Trico’s UK range is sold as Trico Exact Fit, with the connector pre-assembled.
Multi-fit blades
Supplied with a set of adapters in the box, covering several arm types. Useful if you are not completely sure what you have, or you are buying for more than one car.
- Bosch Aerotwin Universal “AM” — a pre-assembled universal Multi-Clip adapter covering the four most common wiper-arm types, across just seven part numbers.
- Bosch Aerotwin Universal “AP” — a modular adapter system, four adapters covering ten common types, across fifteen part numbers.
- Valeo HydroConnect — three included adapters matching twelve different arm types, which Valeo states covers 96% of the European car parc.
- Valeo First — a “multiconnection” system on the flat blades and a one-click pre-mounted adapter on the conventional blades.
- Champion Easyvision — multi-clip technology.
- Michelin Stealth hybrid blades ship with a hook connector fitted and side pin, bayonet, push button and pinch tab connectors in the box.
The special case: retrofitting flat blades onto hook arms
If your car has old-style hook arms and you want modern flat-beam blades, that is a specific product, not a multi-fit one. Bosch’s Aerotwin Retrofit “AR” range exists purely for this — around 50 part numbers, hook-type arms only, adapter pre-assembled. Michelin’s Radius Retrofit Beam does the same job.
Blade length: millimetres, inches, and why the two sides differ
Both units are in use, and Bosch publishes lengths in both within the same document — inches (11, 13, 15, 22, 24, 26, 28 inch) alongside millimetres (280, 350, 550, 600, 700, 800). UK retail leans towards millimetres, but you will meet both.
| Inches | Millimetres (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 14 in | 350mm |
| 16 in | 400mm |
| 18 in | 450mm |
| 20 in | 500mm |
| 22 in | 550mm |
| 24 in | 600mm |
| 26 in | 650mm |
| 28 in | 700mm |
The driver’s blade is often longer than the passenger’s. That is deliberate, not a mistake — the swept area is biased towards the driver’s field of view. Retailers commonly describe the difference as two to four inches, though that is a generalisation rather than a manufacturer specification, and plenty of cars are genuinely symmetric. Bosch sells both asymmetric sets and matched pairs. Always check both sides.
Why two cars of the same model can take different blades
Because manufacturers change parts mid-production without changing the model name. Wiper catalogue data is split by production date, not just by model — one popular hatchback is listed as one blade set for cars built up to November 2004 and a different set from December 2004 onwards. Another model carries three separate date ranges, two of which overlap by a couple of months.
What causes it: a facelift, a mid-production supplier change, or a different market specification. What it means for you is simple — a registration lookup is a sorting tool, not proof. It narrows the options; it doesn’t guarantee the answer. On an imported vehicle, or a car built in a facelift year, confirm against the arm itself.
Use our car parts compatibility checker to narrow it down, then verify physically before you buy.
Rear wipers: why they are the awkward ones
Rear blades are far more likely to be vehicle-specific than front ones. Bosch states that rear blades must be replaced with the technology specified by the vehicle manufacturer, and that some of its rear blades are developed specifically for each vehicle — its “design plastic” rear blades are described as almost identical in form and function to the original equipment. Notably, Bosch publishes no rear blade lengths on its own rear-wiper page at all.
Rear arms are short, single, and often integrated assemblies with proprietary attachments. Typical rear lengths run roughly 240–400mm against 600–700mm at the front, though that range comes from retailer data rather than an OE specification.
There is one useful exception: Valeo extends its HydroConnect adapter system to rear blades as well. Otherwise, buy rear blades vehicle-specific. See our rear wiper blades guide for the detail.
Wipers and the MOT
Worth knowing precisely, because the difference between an advisory and a failure is not what most people assume. The DVSA MOT inspection manual covers wipers and washers under section 3, “Visibility”.
| Condition | MOT result |
|---|---|
| Wiper blade defective (worn, smearing) | Minor — advisory, the car still passes |
| Wiper blade missing, or obviously not clearing the windscreen | Major — fail |
| Wiper not operating, or missing | Major — fail |
| Washers not working, or not providing enough fluid to clear the screen | Major — fail |
The rear wiper is not tested at MOT. Sections 3.4 and 3.5 refer only to the windscreen. That is a statement about the MOT test specifically — it is not the same as saying a broken rear wiper can never matter for roadworthiness, so fix it anyway if it has failed.
More detail in our MOT preparation guide.
Which wiper blade to buy
Products below are current manufacturer lines verified against the manufacturers’ own published range information in August 2026. Blade length is vehicle-specific — check yours before ordering.
If you know your fitting exactly
Bosch Aerotwin Original (A-series) — flat beam, adapter pre-assembled for your specific arm type, the widest range Bosch offers. The default choice if a lookup has given you a confident answer.
Check price on Amazon UK
Valeo Silencio — Valeo’s exact-fit range, sold against a vehicle application list, covering 98% of European vehicles. Available in conventional, hybrid, flat and rear.
Check price on Amazon UK
If you are not certain what fitting you have
Valeo HydroConnect — three adapters in the box covering twelve arm types, which Valeo puts at 96% of European cars. The most forgiving option if you are buying blind, and the adapters are available for rear blades too.
Check price on Amazon UK
Bosch Aerotwin Universal (AM / AP) — the AM uses a single Multi-Clip adapter covering the four most common arm types; the AP is a modular four-adapter system covering ten. Fewer part numbers to choose between than the exact-fit range.
Check price on Amazon UK
Michelin Stealth Hybrid — ships with the hook connector fitted plus side pin, bayonet, push button and pinch tab connectors in the box.
Check price on Amazon UK
If you have old hook arms and want flat blades
Bosch Aerotwin Retrofit (AR-series) — built specifically to put modern flat-beam blades onto hook-type arms, sold as pre-assembled sets. Bosch AR604S is a common set reference; check the lengths against your car, as retailer listings for this reference are not entirely consistent.
Check price on Amazon UK
Conventional metal-bracket blades
Bosch Twin / Twin Spoiler — the traditional articulated design, with a pre-assembled Quick-Clip adapter. The right answer on older cars where a flat blade would not sit correctly against a curved screen.
Check price on Amazon UK
How to be certain before you buy
- Registration lookup — narrows the field. Treat it as a shortlist, not an answer.
- Check the handbook — the most authoritative source for your specific build.
- Identify the arm connector physically — lift the arm and look. This is the step people skip and it is the one that matters most here, because the same connector has three different names depending on whose catalogue you are reading.
- Measure the old blade — rubber tip to rubber tip, and do both sides separately.
Frequently asked questions
Are wiper blade fittings standardised?
No. There is no single industry standard for how a blade attaches to an arm, which is why the same physical connector carries different names at Bosch, Valeo and Champion. Even a UK retailer will tell you the market is populated with several competing fitting types.
Is “push button” the same as “top lock”?
Yes. What retailers call push button 16mm and 19mm is Valeo’s Top Lock Narrow 16mm and Top Lock Wide 19mm. The dimensions are the reliable part; the name is aftermarket shorthand.
Will an adapter fix a mismatch?
Sometimes. Multi-fit blades from Valeo, Bosch and Michelin include adapters covering several arm types. But an adapter cannot convert between fundamentally different arm designs — a hook arm and a side-pin arm need different products, not a different clip.
Why is my driver’s side blade longer?
It is designed that way, to maximise the swept area in front of the driver. It is not a fitting error and you should not “correct” it by fitting two matching blades.
Do I need to replace both blades at the same time?
They wear at similar rates, so if one is smearing the other usually is not far behind. It is not a requirement, but replacing as a pair keeps the wipe consistent.
Are rear wiper blades different?
Usually yes. Rear blades are far more likely to be vehicle-specific — Bosch describes some of its rear blades as developed specifically for each vehicle. Buy rear blades against your registration rather than by fitting type.
Does a worn wiper blade fail the MOT?
A defective blade is a Minor defect, so the car still passes with an advisory. A blade that is missing, or obviously not clearing the windscreen, is a Major defect and a fail.
Related guides
- How to fit wiper blades — step by step
- Wiper blade sizes explained
- Rear wiper blades guide
- Flat beam vs conventional wiper blades
- Wiper blade noise troubleshooting
How we check fitment for this guide
Connector names and dimensions on this page are taken from the published range documentation of the manufacturers that make the parts — Bosch, Valeo and Champion/DRiV — rather than from retailer listings, because the retailer names are where the confusion starts. Where a term is aftermarket shorthand rather than an official designation, we say so. Where sources disagree, we leave the number off rather than guess.
Blade lengths and fitting types vary by production date, market and factory options on the same model. Use a registration lookup to narrow the choice, confirm against your handbook, and check the arm itself before ordering. How we check fitment.
Last verified: August 2026.