10 Best Car Speakers of 2023

If you’re like us when you turn on the music in your car, you want to feel it, not just hear it. But the only way you’ll be able to do that is with a set of high-quality speakers. And the last thing you want is to spend a ton of time and money on a set of new speakers only to find that they don’t deliver the results you want.

We understand, and it’s why we took the time to track down, highlight, and review ten of the best car speakers on the market today. Whether you’re looking for a clear upgrade or replacement speakers, we have what you’re looking for here.

Not all speakers fit in all cars without modifications. Either you need to check the original speaker size in your car, or you need to modify the car’s interior. Learn more in our guide in the bottom of the article, or here.

10 Best Car Speakers

We know you’re busy, and it’s why we want to start this guide off by jumping straight into the reviews. These are the ten best speaker options on the market today for your vehicle! If you don’t know what you’re looking for just yet, do yourself a favor and jump down to the buyer’s guide before going through the reviews.

1. Rockford Fosgate PPS4-6 – Best Car Speakers Overall

• Maximum Wattage: 200
• RMS Wattage: 100
• Speaker Size: 6.5″

If you’re looking for the best combination of price and value for car speakers, it’s tough to top the Rockford Fosgate PPS4-6 speaker system. It’s not the most affordable option out there but it’s far from the most expensive, especially considering it comes with four different speakers for your vehicle.

They have an outstanding wattage range that works with tons of vehicles and sound systems, with a maximum RMS of 100 watts and the ability to handle peak wattage up to 200.

But not only does it provide great maximum power, but it also provides outstanding sound quality that easily exceeds stock systems. It’s a one-stop shop to upgrade your vehicle’s speakers, just verify fitment before you put in an order.

Because while it’s a great value, especially since you’re getting four speakers, it does cost a bit more than many of the mid-tier options out there.

RELATED: 10 Best Car Amplifiers

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2. Pioneer TS-F16634R – Best Budget

• Maximum Wattage: 200
• RMS Wattage: 25
• Speaker Size: 6.5″

If you’re on a tight budget but need new speakers for your vehicle the Pioneer TS-F16634R speakers might be just what you’re looking for. They’re an extremely affordable option that comes with two speakers.

However, keep in mind that while these speakers certainly deliver acceptable quality and sound levels, they’re not always an upgrade over many stock setups. But if you have a blown speaker and simply need a replacement, this is a great choice.

The reason it’s not much of an upgrade all comes down to the maximum RMS wattage. At “just” 25 RMS watts, it can’t keep up with most upgraded sound systems. But while it’s not going to win any sound competitions, it’s more than enough for a stock setup.

Not only that, but it also delivers outstanding sound quality, which is also a pretty big deal. At this price point you won’t find a better set of speakers for your vehicle.

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3. Infinity KAPPA-90CSX – Best 6×9″ Speakers

• Maximum Wattage: 405
• RMS Wattage: 135
• Speaker Size: 6″ x 9″

The Infinity KAPPA-90CSX speakers just narrowly missed our top three and a special accolade, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a top-tier speaker option. This speaker setup is relatively easy to install compared to many speaker options, and there’s no denying the maximum and RMS wattage it can handle.

These numbers translate to an outstanding sound system that pushes quality and sound for an outstanding experience. However, while there’s no denying the sound quality and the noise it can produce, it did miss our top three for a reason.

And for the Infinity KAPPA-90CSX it all comes down to the price. It’s nowhere near as expensive as the Focal 40th Anniversary Car Audio Kit, but since this system only comes with two speakers, there’s no denying the higher price tag. It’s an outstanding speaker pair, but it’s also going to cost you a bit more.

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4. Focal 40th Anniversary Car Audio Kit – High-end Choice

• Maximum Wattage: 1,000
• RMS Wattage: 600
• Speaker Size: 10″

If you want the best of the best and don’t care how much you’re spending, you won’t find an option that outdoes the Focal 40th Anniversary Car Audio Kit. It’s a complete sound system for your vehicle that includes top-notch speakers.

While it will take a bit more work, time, and money to install this sound system, you’ll also get professional-quality results that are a clear upgrade over just about any other system. Even better for you it comes with a remote control so it’s easy to change the settings to match the music you’re listening to.

You’re not going to find another sound system on our list that can keep up with either the maximum or RMS wattage numbers of this system, but know that each component does have its own ratings. So, while this system can get loud you are going to sacrifice sound quality a bit at the highest noise levels.

Overall, there’s a reason it’s our premium choice, but part of that reasoning is the price. It’s not just a little more expensive, it’s more than quadruple the cost of any other choice on our list. But if you decide to go with this kit and install it correctly, you’ll never need to worry about getting a new sound system for your vehicle again.

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5. MB Quart PS1-316 – Speaker Kit

• Maximum Wattage: 200
• RMS Wattage: 100
• Speaker Size: 6.5″

Smack dab in the middle of our list is the MB Quart PS1-316 speaker system, and that’s pretty much right where it belongs. Unlike many other speaker systems on our list that only come with 2 or 4 speakers, this one sets itself apart from the pack by coming with six speakers you can install in your vehicle.

Not only that but since each speaker comes with an RMS wattage rating of 100, it’s more than powerful enough to push a ton of noise. And because it’s pushing that much noise through multiple speakers, you’re not sacrificing quality the same way you would with other speaker systems.

It’s a complete setup and because of this if it fits into your vehicle, it’s pretty easy to install too. However, because of the additional components, it doesn’t fit into quite as many vehicles without modifications, and it’s a slightly more expensive option.

It’s still a great deal overall, but you better be ready to drop a few hundred bucks if you want this sound system in your vehicle.

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6. Alpine SPS-610

• Maximum Wattage: 240
• RMS Wattage: 80
• Speaker Size: 6.5″

Alpine is a huge name in the automotive sound system industry, and with products like the SPS-610 speakers it’s not hard to see why. These speakers are a phenomenal combination of price and quality, actually coming in on the more affordable side of things despite coming from a big brand name.

They’re a clear upgrade over most stock speakers (unless you have a vehicle where the manufacturer already upgraded to an Alpine sound system!) and they’re among the easiest options to install. In fact, many vehicle manufacturers will offer upgraded models with Alpine sound systems already installed!

Just know that this kit only comes with two speakers, so you likely won’t be able to replace every speaker in your vehicle with just one set. Finally, while they’re more powerful than most stock speakers, they can’t compete with many upgraded sound systems.

An RMS wattage of 80 is more than enough for the casual music fan, but if you’re looking to put together the best sound system on the market, these speakers might not be able to keep up.

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7. Kicker CS Series

• Maximum Wattage: 225
• RMS Wattage: 75
• Speaker Size: 6″ x 8″

Kicker is another huge name in the automotive sound system industry, so it’s a little surprising to find their CS Series speaker system falls all the way to 7th on our list. But when you look at what these speakers offer and compare it to the other options here, it’s right where they belong.

These speakers are one of the more affordable options out there, and since they come from a huge name in the industry, you know you can rely on them. They’re also relatively easy to install as long as they fit the openings already in your vehicle.

And despite their lower price tag these Kicker CS Series speakers are a clear upgrade over most stock sound systems. This is in large part because of their wide wattage range, with a maximum RMS wattage of 75 and a maximum peak wattage of 225.

But while those are impressive numbers, they fall just a smidge behind the Alpine SPS-610 speakers which are available for an almost identical price. This is why they fell to 7th because while they’ll outperform most stock speakers, they don’t provide the same sound quality or level of noise as many of the other options on our list.

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8. Kenwood Excelon KFC-X683C

• Maximum Wattage: 180
• RMS Wattage: 60
• Speaker Size: 6″ x 8″

The Kenwood Excelon KFC-X683 C speakers are another speaker option that falls into the same price and performance classification as the Alpine and Kicker speakers we already highlighted. And while there’s nothing wrong with these Kenwood speakers, and you’ll probably be happy with them in your vehicle, there is a reason it fell behind the Alpine and Kicker speakers.

It has pretty much everything to do with the maximum and RMS wattage outputs of these Kenwood speakers. With a maximum wattage of 180 and an RMS wattage of 60, it’s just a smidge behind the other two options.

And while we wouldn’t care about the slight difference if there was an increase in sound quality with the Kenwood speakers, that’s simply not the case. They don’t sound any worse, but they don’t sound any better either.

Still, they’re easy to install, they do provide outstanding sound quality, and you get two speakers with each purchase. They’re great speakers, but with options like the Kicker CS Series and the Alpine SPS-610 we simply can’t recommend it.

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9. JBL GTO629

• Maximum Wattage: 200
• RMS Wattage: 60
• Speaker Size: 6.5″

The JBL GTO629 speakers are an option you’ll want to consider if you’re looking for some super affordable speakers for your vehicle that are an upgrade over the stock option. These JBL speakers will almost certainly outperform a standard stock setup, but they won’t keep up with most aftermarket options.

They have a slightly lower RMS wattage (for aftermarket systems) at 60, and they don’t provide the same sound quality as other systems. But while these JBL GTO629 speakers aren’t our favorite option on the market, they did make the list for a reason.

First, they’re super easy to install. If they fit your vehicle, these are speakers you should be able to install in about an hour. Not only that, you do have to consider the price. These speakers are affordable, so if you want an upgraded sound system but are on a tight budget, they’re worth checking out.

We like them, and they’re better than stock, we just don’t love them and we think you can do a bit better if you’re willing to spend just a little bit more.

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10. Cerwin Vega XED693

• Maximum Wattage: 350
• RMS Wattage: 50
• Speaker Size: 6″ x 9″

These Cerwin Vega XED693 speakers might be the last option on our list, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth checking out and putting in your vehicle. They’re another super affordable speaker option, and with an RMS wattage of 50 they’re an upgrade over many stock speaker options.

If something happened to the stock speakers in your vehicle and you want to replace them with something a little more powerful, these speakers might be the way to go. They’re not going to keep up with some of the most powerful aftermarket speakers out there, but at this price point, they’re a great deal.

These speakers are also easy to install and Cerwin offers tons of additional components you can use to either upgrade the system or make it even easier to install. This set comes with two speakers, and we know you can do better if you’re willing to spend a bit more, but if you’re not that serious and just want a slight upgrade, it’s not a bad deal.

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Car Speakers Buyer’s Guide

With so many great speaker options out there, it can be challenging trying to narrow it down to just one for your vehicle. We understand the struggle, but to find the best speaker for your vehicle you need to know what you’re looking at and what you’re looking for.

That’s why we came up with this comprehensive buyer’s guide that will walk you through everything you need to know when you’re picking out speakers for your vehicle.

Verifying Fitment

Before we dive too far into anything else we want to highlight this. Not every speaker is the same size, and you need to ensure that the speaker you’re looking at will fit in your vehicle.

You’ll want to take measurements of the current speakers in your vehicle and ensure they’re compatible with the speakers you’re looking at purchasing. But keep in mind that it’s not just the height and width of the speakers you need to worry about, but also the depth. 

The good news is that with most of the speakers on our list all you need to do is follow the link and then put in your vehicle’s information on top of the Amazon page. Once you do this Amazon will tell you if the speakers you’re looking at will fit your vehicle.

You might be able to get larger speakers if you’re willing to cut and modify the panels in your vehicle a bit, but unless you’re extremely confident in your abilities, we strongly advise against this.

What to Look for in Speakers

When you’re shopping for new speakers for your vehicle there are a few things and terms you’ll need to look for and understand. There are a ton of different terms out there, but we’ve highlighted and explained three of the most important for you here.

Power Handling

Power handling refers to the wattage a speaker can handle. This comes in two different forms, and you’ll want to know both numbers when picking out a speaker. The two power handling measurements are the RMS and the Peak rating.

The RMS rating is how much wattage a speaker can continuously handle. Meanwhile, the Peak rating is how much power a speaker can handle for short bursts. Many speaker manufacturers will highlight the peak ratings of their speakers because the numbers look more impressive, but the RMS rating of the speaker is a better indicator of performance.

Sensitivity

Too often people only focus on the wattage output of their speakers but completely ignore the sensitivity rating. Trust us when we say that this is a big mistake. That’s because a speaker’s sensitivity rating refers to how efficiently it can use the power it gets.

This means that a speaker with a higher sensitivity rating can make better use of the wattage it gets. It also means that a speaker with a higher sensitivity rating can often outperform a speaker with more wattage but a lower sensitivity rating.

Not only does this translate to more power but it also means better sound quality! When you’re picking out speakers for your vehicle you’ll want to track down the sensitivity rating.

Frequency Range

When you’re shopping for a speaker the wider frequency range the better. You measure the frequency range in Hz and it’s simply talking about how low and how high the speaker can emit noise. The larger the frequency range the more sounds the speaker system can handle!

Check the Rest of Your Sound System

If you’re just replacing the speakers in your vehicle, it’s probably better to stick with a lower-end option from our list. The reason for this is that you can’t just upgrade the speakers and expect a massive difference in sound quality.

That’s because everything in the sound system works together, and to get the results you want you need to upgrade everything together. For instance, if you install extremely powerful speakers without upgrading the amplifier in your vehicle, there’s a good chance you’ll damage it and need to replace it anyway.

Everything needs to work together, and it’s why we recommend upgrading the entire sound system at once, not component by component. However, if you’ve already upgraded to an aftermarket system or you’ve ensured the current system is compatible with the speakers you’re looking at, there’s nothing wrong with getting just the speakers.

Installing Your New Speakers

Once you get your new speakers in the next step is putting them on your vehicle! Even the best speakers in the world won’t give you the results you want if you don’t install them correctly, and that’s why we wanted to give you a brief rundown of the installation process here. 

If you’re not comfortable installing your own speakers, we highly recommend taking your vehicle to a professional shop where they can do it for you.

Start by disconnecting the battery. Disconnecting the battery ensures you won’t accidentally short anything out and damage components during the installation process.

Next, you’ll need to remove any panels or other instrumentation around the speakers in your vehicle. The exact steps for this will vary depending on your vehicle.

From there, remove the old speaker. Typically there are screws or other similar hardware holding the speakers in place, but once again, this will vary a bit depending on what you drive.

After that connect the new speakers. If you have compatible wiring, this is a pretty straightforward task, if not the speakers you purchase should come with a guide on how to convert your system. If it doesn’t reach out to a professional.

Before reinstalling all the hardware around the speaker, do yourself a favor and test it out. This will save you a ton of frustration if you reinstall everything only to find out the speaker isn’t working the way it should! Don’t forget to reconnect the battery when testing the speakers.

Once you verify the speaker is working properly, disconnect the battery again and reinstall all the surrounding panels and instrumentation. Once you have everything tightened back up and on your vehicle, you’re good to go!

Other Considerations

When you’re shopping for car speakers, there’s a ton to consider, and while these aren’t our top concerns, these are a few more things you’ll want to look at before making your decision.

Start by looking at the core material of the speakers. Paper cones at the core produce outstanding sound quality, but they don’t last very long. The next level up is polypropylene cones. They still produce exceptional sound quality and they last a bit longer than paper cones, however, they cost a bit more than paper cones.

The final option out there is Kevlar cones. They’re by far the most durable option and they still produce phenomenal sound quality, but they cost a bit more than the other options on our list.

Finally, consider if you’re getting coaxial or component speakers. Both types are “full-range” speakers. Coaxial speakers combine everything into one component, while component speakers have a woofer, tweeter, and a crossover. Components speakers typically offer a little better sound quality, but they’re also a bit more expensive.

Of course, you can also get single-component speakers, but then you’ll need to invest in each component to get the overall sound quality you want. These systems often provide the best sound quality overall, but they’re far more complicated and they cost more to set up.

Sound systems can get confusing quickly, and if you’re new to the game, it’s perfectly normal to have a few questions. We understand completely, and it’s why we took the time to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about speakers for cars for you here.

How Many Watt Speakers Are Best for a Car?

The answer to this question really depends on what type of sound system you have in your vehicle. This is because it’s best to get a speaker with a wattage rating that’s at least half of the amplifier rating. So, if you have a very powerful amplifier you can get a more powerful speaker, otherwise you might want to stick with a lower wattage rating even if it means less sound!

Is a 1,000 Watt Speaker Loud?

Typically a 1,000-watt speaker will be a part of a very loud system, however it’s important to get a speaker with a high sensitivity rating if you want lots of sound. Moreover, look at a speakers RMS wattage rating when you’re trying to get an accurate gauge of how loud it will be.

How Loud Are 100-Watt Car Speakers?

It’s going to vary a bit depending on the entire system you go with, but generally a 100-watt speaker will be able to put out roughly 110 dB of noise. But keep in mind that to consistently hit this noise level the speaker needs to have 100 RMS wattage, not 100 peak wattage.

What Size Amp Do I Need for 500-Watt Speakers?

If you have speakers with 500 watts, you need a speaker with at least 1,000 to 1,200 watts. That’s a pretty large amplifier, so keep this in mind when you’re picking out your new car speakers!

How Many Watts Is a Good Bass?

It depends on what you want to use it for, but for most cars a 100-watt speaker will provide more than enough bass. In fact, a 100- to 150-watt speaker will usually provide enough bass for a small gig or rehearsal, let alone for an automobile!

If you’re still trying to figure out which speakers are right for your vehicle after reading through the reviews and the buyer’s guide, don’t overthink it. There’s a reason the Rockford Fosgate PPS4-6 speakers are our top choice, as they expertly combine price and quality for one great speaker set!

Of course, if you’re simply trying to replace blown speakers in your vehicle, you can’t go wrong with the Pioneer TS-F16634R speakers. Just ensure whatever speakers you’re ordering will fit in your vehicle then pick out your favorites and get them on order!

Categories: Reviews