The best car speakers completely dominate those stock things many popular cars include in their standard sound systems. Nothing beats being able to drive around with our windows down in perfect weather listening to our favorite tunes. As we continue our quest to create the perfect car audio sound system, today we’re met with an important decision: Which car speakers are the best for my system? As we learned in our car stereo receivers, best car amplifier and car subwoofers articles, the best car audio gear all depends on a few factors. When it comes to speakers in particular, there are some different types, shapes, sizes and priced models for your car to keep in mind when buying. We help elaborate more on those as well as chose the 10 best picks to help you with your process today.
Picking the best speakers for your car
- Your budget – It all depends on the cost of the speakers you’re looking at and how much cash you’re willing to invest into your system. We found a few budget-friendly car speakers for those who wanted to save some money (especially if you still need to buy your sub, amp and deck to go along with it), as well as some top-of-the-line models if you were looking for the best of the best.
- Speaker size – You need to make sure your speakers fit the car you plan on installing them into. The most popular sizes of speakers range from 4″ to 9″ and in between. If you need to double-check before buying your speaker (which we highly recommend – you don’t want to buy some new car speakers and not have it fit your car!), we love Crutchfield’s car What Fits My Vehicle? tool.
- Type of speaker – The most common types of speakers include 2-way, 3-way and (some) 4-way. So what does this mean? Well, it describes what’s built-into the car speaker (for example, 2-ways have a woofer built-in for lower frequencies and a tweet for higher, while 3-way divides the frequencies into 3, having a woofer for lower, mid-range for middle and tweeter for the higher). Many car audio enthusiasts state that the higher you go (such as 2-way vs. 3-way), the better sound quality you’ll have. That makes sense in a way, considering you’re getting separate components for each frequency in a 3-way; however, comparing a budget-friendly 3-way model to a higher-priced 2-way speaker would be unfair. Take your pick!
- How many speakers do you need? We know some who love their system with only two upgraded speakers up front, while some want some in the rear as well to keep it well-rounded. This all comes down to your preference and of course, budget. We found some that come in pairs as well as individual to give some options. Keep this in mind when factoring how much you can spend, too. Our installing a car sound system guide may help you with these tricky concepts, too.
The top 10 best car speakers in the market
Kicker 41KSC354
Check pricing of the 41KSC354: US | UK
The Kicker 41KSC354 can easily be considered the best car speaker due to its superior sound quality and excellent design. More often than not, talk to any car sound system enthusiast and they’ll praise Kicker for the car audio gear. This car speaker is pretty easy to install, so you will be enjoying an enhanced music experience in your vehicle in no time (although we always recommend getting professional help just in case). Its 3-1/2” polypropylene woofer delivers a full sound that will not disappoint. It’s a 2-way speaker, and the ‘reduced mounting depth’ means it can be fit into almost any car. Its frequency range is 80-20,000 Hz and power range is 2-50 watts RMS. Almost every review you can find for this speaker online is almost five out of five stars, so it is definitely worth the investment to have this piece of art added into your vehicle.
Polk Audio DXi691
View price of the DXi691: US | UK
Up next, the Polk Audio Dxi691 is comprised of a pair of 6” x 9” 3-way car speakers. Their design offers a great range of sound and a surprising amount of bass. Many users would add it to the list of best car speakers available on the market since it’s super affordable. Its power range is 2-100 watts RMS with an impressive peak power of 300 watts. This speaker model is made of high quality materials and the best technology to excite the users with its awesome sound. It can turn even the most routine of driving chores into an awesome musical experience. It also comes with a1″ liquid-cooled silk/polymer composite dome tweeter and a 3/4 in. aluminum dome super tweeter. This car speaker will not disappoint!
Infinity Kappa 682.11CF
Check prices of the 682.11CF: US | UK
This is one of the best car speaker models you will be able to get your hands on if your budget allows. The Infinity Kappa 682.11CF comes highly recommended by car audio enthusiasts and receives perfect score after perfect score on its online reviews so we had a hard time ignoring this one. These 5″ x 7″/ 6″x 8″ 2-way car speakers offer a power range of 5-100 watts RMS with 300 watts peak power and a frequency response of 40-25,000 Hz. It is designed to be durable and reliable while delivering the some of the best car audio sound waves out there. The speakers are able to enhance the details of every song, and some say you will feel like you are at a live concert in the comfort of your vehicle. Its Plus One+ glass-fiber woofer cone with hi-roll rubber surround and 1″ edge-driven, soft dome tweeter help to deliver a great build and sound for the money. It’s quite affordable on top of it all as compared to a few other pricier models in the market.
Alpine SPS-410
View pricing of the SPS-410: US | UK
The Alpine SPS-410 4” 2-way car speakers offer impressive sound at a more affordable price point than the others previously listed. Its mineral-fortified polypropylene woofer cone works along with the 3/4” silk dome tweeter to deliver great clarity and improvements in sound quality. Its power range is 2-45 watts RMS with 140 watts peak power and it has a sensitivity of 86 dB. The speakers also offer a frequency response of 97-22,000 Hz. People who give this speaker a chance are immediately impressed with the sound that it produces and even consider it to be among the best car speakers. You should note before buying however that grilles are not included. It’s one of our favorite budget-friendly models out there, so if you wanted to save some space in your wallet and needed a pair of 2-way speakers, here’s your pick.
Kicker 40CSS674
Check price of the 40CSS674: US | UK
This impressive pair by Kicker can easily be included in a list of the best car speakers as this popular brand makes their second appearance in here for good reason. The Kicker 40CSS674‘s two woofers, two tweeters, and two crossovers work together in great harmony to bring out even the slightest detail in all of your favorite tunes. In terms of specs and the build, it features 6-3/4″ polypropylene woofers with polyester foam surround and 3/4″ titanium dome tweeters to deliver above-average sound. It has been designed to work with an external crossover network with three tweeter levels (0, +3, +6 dB). Users will be happy with its power range of 2-100 watts RMS with 300 watts peak power — not necessarily the most beastly but you’ll be getting power, don’t worry. It can be a little difficult to install, but all the online reviews will tell you it is well worth the effort.
MTX Terminator653
View prices of the Terminator653: US | UK
We’re big fans of MTX when it comes to their price points and overall quality of car audio gear. They’ve designed the MTX Terminator653 to offer the best possible sound at a price that won’t break the bank. Don’t let the lower price point fool you – this car speaker offers serious sound with impressive quality. These speakers come as a pair of 6-1/2″ 3-way car speakers with a polypropylene woofer cone, Mylar dome tweeter and supertweeter. It also comes with grilles included and a frequency response of 54-20,000 Hz. Users won’t be disappointed by its sensitivity of 89 dB and its RMS power of 2-45 watts (90 watts peak). This car speaker is sure to enhance your music listening experience every day as you travel from point A to point B, without leaving you with a guilty feeling from paying too much.
Polk Audio MM5251
View pricing of the MM5251: US | UK
The MM5251 by Polk Audio looks sleek and sounds even better. It’s no wonder that so many people consider this to be the best car speaker available in the market when it comes to the higher end price points if you’re able to drop some more cash than the average. This car speaker is comprised of two very big 5-1/4″ woofers, two tweeters, and two external crossovers that work in unison to produce a nice and fuller sound than others. It has a very strong build and design that includes a woven honeycomb glass fiber composite woofer cone and a 1″ silk composite dome tweeter that has a swivel mount. This car speaker has been certified for marine use as well which probably increases that price a bit, so it works great in your vehicle on land and in the water for boats. Its 2.7-ohm impedance delivers extra power and is compatible with just about every factory or aftermarket car stereo model — just double-check to be safe before you buy it.
Alpine SPR-69
Check prices of the SPR-69: US | UK
Nearing the end of our guide, the Alpine SPR-69 is a favorite of many car audio enthusiasts and it is thought by many to be the best car speaker you can get your hands on. Alpine has specifically designed this speaker system for those who like to turn their music up to the max. It delivers a clear and full sound even at the highest volume. The speakers have been created with powerful neodymium magnets and the small size of these allows its polymer frames to be versatile enough to fit into places most 6″ x 9″ speakers can’t. It has a power range of 2-100 watts RMS with 300 watts peak power and a frequency response of 60-29,000 Hz. You can always rely on Alpine to deliver the best car speaker quality and we recommend this pair if the previously listed model by the brand wasn’t enough power.
JL Audio TR650-CXi
View prices of the TR650-CXi: US | UK
There is a reason the JL Audio TR650-CXi is considered another one of the best car speakers, mainly because it comes with some of the most positive reviews on the net we’ve seen. Car audio enthusiasts love the overall quality and serious sound this pair of 2-way 6-3/4″ speakers, injection-molded mica-filled polypropylene woofer, and 1/2″ textile dome tweeter produce. JL Audio’s extensive testing and research is legit, and it’s paid off with this model that features 4-ohm impedance, a 10-50 watts RMS power range and a frequency response of 59-22,000 Hz. The good news with these car speakers is that they come in a wide range of sizes, so they can be fit into just about any vehicle you can imagine. It is sure to greatly improve your music listening experience in your day-to-day drives in your vehicle.
Kenwood KFC-X683C
Check price of the KFC-X683C: US | UK
If its excellent online reviews are any indication, they very popular Kenwood Excelon series does not disappoint with its KFC-X683C. In fact, many people put it at the top of the list of best car speakers (we didn’t list it last for a particular reason, per se). This pair of 6″ x 8″ 2-way car speakers works with their uniquely designed ‘Diamond Array Pattern’ carbon-polypropylene woofer and 1-3/16″ PEI balanced dome tweeter to deliver very high quality sound with enhanced details and lower distortion. It has been created to last with its durable butyl rubber surround that keeps the music coming for a wise investment in terms of longevity. It has a power range of 2-60 watts RMS with 180 watts peak power, a frequency response of 80-21,000 Hz, and an 88 dB sensitivity. You cannot go wrong with this car speaker system if you are looking to drastically improve your car audio system. It’s pretty affordable, too.
