Best Car Sound Systems Ranked! (2021 Edition) 

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You are the only one who reviews the loudspeakers of different car brands, and yet you take it beyond the scope of individual videos. For me personally, this is a particularly important criterion when buying a car. Thank you very much for your hard work! In addition, I would like to hear different tracks for a change. So that the tracks do not harm monetization and copyrights, it is enough when searching for music at the end to add copyright free or use youtube phonoteka))

Frankly the B&W in Volvo stands in a class of its own. I have compared it to high end Burmester and personally can recognize a significant difference.

This video is audiophiles heaven

Rolls-Royce Phantom combined with their bespoke audio system is mind blowing. I’m lucky enough to work with these cars and every time I hear the system, I’m blown away every time.

Ranking by brand definitely isn't the best way to do it, but I guess it's a general approximation. Would love to see savagegeese make a list of specific systems as they do objective measurements of them

Totally agree with Volvos ranking, my brother owns a 2013 xc60 and man that thing sounds incredible! You can feel the whole car shake when the volume is turned up!

This is helpful! I’ve always hated how most car reviews gloss over sound quality if they even mention it at all, especially on anything other than top trims

We own several Acuras… we love their sound systems as it feels like you’re in a movie theater.

I have always been in to car audio since 1986. I own Volvos and Mazdas and I was blown away by the audio systems in both cars. I had a dynaudio system in my C70 Volvo and it was amazing, loud and crystal clear even with the top down at 80+ mph. I have a 2006 s60r and my stock system is so loud and clear with the dolby atmos turned on, I swear it sounds like I have a modern upgraded system. It's not perfect by any means but it does the job better than other car systems out there and it's old. I had no idea Volvos had such great audio systems until I owned one.

When it comes to Benz audio systems, even their in-house non branded audio systems are pretty good. I own a Benz with the Harmon Kardon Logic 7 sound system and that is the best car stereo system I’ve ever had.

Back when I was in the market for my first car I wanted a great audio experience. I had someone recommend the 08 Acura TL to me. I was absolutely blown away by the thing. I couldn’t believe an audio system that old could keep up with the most demanding songs in my playlist. I got a type s this year and have no plans on getting another vehicle until I can afford the maintenance on a Mercedes’ lol. Looks like I made the right choice

Great list. We have a Honda Accord base model for my son and I just got the Volvo with the Bowers and Wilkins. I can tell you that Honda's is godawful and the Volvo is absolutely ridiculous. It is so good that when I get home and pull into my garage I'll just sit there and continue to listen to music with a huge smile on my face. Random family members will get in the car with me to listen when they hear me in the garage. Just listened to Eugene's Lament by the Beastie Boys for about the 500th time but for the first time in the Volvo, heard the bow sliding across the violin strings like it was 3 feet from my head. Incredible. Have had the Burmester in a Porsche Panamara and the Harmon/Kardon in a BMW. Both good systems but the B&W is next level.

Here's to 2022's list including Porsche, Bentley, Audi, and JLR!

As someone that worked at IAP and constantly worked on Volvo cars, I can vouch for the Bowers & Wilkins package. Audio is very important in the cars that I own, but Volvo definitely produces a sound that I haven't heard out of any other manufacturer ever, period. We had Maybach cars come in as well, and they are very nice don't get me wrong, but if you want the best speaker package, Volvo definitely outdid themselves.

Thank you Charlie, as an audiophile this is great!!

Love the sound system in my 2016 Mazda 6 GT. Had to add Dynamat to my driver side door to deal with door rattling and later replaced my driver side mirror that had begun to rattle. Once those two things were done, my car has a pristine sound that passersby routinely nod their heads in appreciation.

As a former pro musician the audio system is important. I had an AM 2003 Vanquish with an awesome sub and sound quality for a GT. However, my 2012 Jag XFS has the B and W 1200w system. It is INCREDIBLE. Whatever you chuck at it, it's clear very loud with a full frequency range/stereo image wherever you sit in the car. I suspect the system cost more when new than the entire car is now worth (175,000 miles).

I have the 2017 Mercedes C coupe AMG with the Burmester Hi-Fi system. I was scared how loud and still clear the volume can get and how powerful the bass can be 🤤 best system I ever had !

Really impressive that Genesis is so high up. Really disappointed BMW falls so low though, but I suppose you can't have it all since they're providing the most usable infotainment system by far.

I would definitely put the Bose system from Infiniti a little higher. While its not the best, its pretty good. I would also put the ALS system from Acura higher probably to the highest tier. Its an insane sound system.

Honda needs to bring some of their Acura audio to the Honda line up.

ELS 3D sound system is so good when I heard it in TLX type S, thats only a compact sedan. Imagine it in MDX type S. I've just never experienced that good sound system before

I drive a 2020 C300 and the Burmister system is second to none. I have been in many cars and I have never heard a system that is so rich in sound.

Speaker quality and ride quality 2 biggest factors for me. This list is pretty accurate. I had an 11 ford fusion stock stereo and the bass hit so low and so loud people would ask me what subs I had and they were often shocked when I told them it was stock, which it was. I have a new Honda Civic now and am missing a good ride and good speakers 🤦 Go American

Acura’s els is definitely S tier but I agree the Mercedes is top notch as well

Honda definitely deserves a Z. That's the one thing that has kept me from buying one.

I knew my Volvo XC90's Bowers & Wilkins system would be the best.

I have the H/K system in my 2020 Volvo S90, and I never want to get out of the car when I get home!! It’s that good!

Loved my lexicon system in my Genesis. The 15speaker Harmon Kardon system in my Kia Stinger is pretty good also. The meridian system in my Range Rover was nice too! I lease so I get to try a new car every three years and I got to have top trim level to get the good sound system.

Nice!! I might have ranked Toyota and Honda together at the bottom for sound. Of course, nobody buys a Toyota or Honda for sound. Today we picked up a new 2022 Nissan Rouge Platinum with Bose. I like the sound in this redesigned Rouge, but Nissan and Bose are working to improve their reputations. It takes time regardless of the quality.

Yeah look forward to seeing more like JLR, Bentley and Audi / Lamborghini B&Os, and the Burmester in the Porsche, love listening to really good sound systems, although the normal B&Os on the Audis aren't as good as the Burmesters in the Mercedes in my opinion that is, great comparison though!!

I got my 2010 accord form a local dealership and honestly the sound system is great people ask me if I put in aftermarket speakers and I have a sneaking suspicion that whoever owned it before probably did so because the sound is very clear and crisp and booms quite well

I don't know why the new MDX lowered the Acura score, but RDX 2020 and TLX 2022 Studio 3D are still S level and sound more organic and acoustic than other systems, very studio-like. Quick tip: if you close your eyes and you can hear the sound is coming from a speaker, and can even imagine the speaker type and material, and you can feel the size of the space of the cabin, then that's BAD system. A good system doesn't give away what material the speakers or their size, and good laid array will trick you into believing you are in a room as big as the room it was recorded. The Acura ELS 3D roof speakers replace the car roof reflections (or absorbtion) with recorded sound, making it feel like you're on a bigger room.

The Bose 7 speaker sound system in the Renault is phenomenal. great sound.

The mid-level Harman Kardon sound system in Volvo's is really impressive.

I've driven so many cars and love good quality sound. I've never been a huge Bose fan but I can say that the Bose system in the Q50 is pretty amazing and far better than any BMW I've owned or been in, including the Harmon Cardon system. I've even had the privilege of spending a lot of time in an Alpina B7 with the Bowers and Wilkinson system and it's a beautiful sound but not that much better.

The Volvo system is incredible! One thing that really stinks about the German offerings is that they are only offering their top tier on the V8 abs performance options now. I would love to hear your thoughts on the Acura ranking after the MDX TypeS debuts this summer. The 25 speaker/22 channel audio should make a difference. Also looking forward to where Audi ranks when you get more.

Mazda should be reconsidered. Their Bose systems are truly amazing. I own a 22 Mazda 3, 23 CX-50, and a 21 CX-9, and all of them are mind blowing. I agree with chevy, they're trash. Toyota should be down there with Honda honestly. Also, don't worry about testing Audi's sound systems. Just put them in the D or F tier and forget about them. They're actually hard to listen to

Great ranking for the "2021 Best Car Sound Systems". I'll be watching for your 2022 Best Car Sound Systems ranking. It will be interesting to see where Acura's 25 Speaker LS STUDIO 3D | SIGNATURE EDITION system in the 2022 MDX ranks.

Tested Volvo, Lexus, Honda and Toyota, yup, agree a 100% with this ranking.

Pair Acura’s ELS 3D system with Apple Music’s lossless audio and it’s perfection

about to buy a volvo s90 with every option avalible including the B&W so this list makes me happy

I've heard the B&W in a friends XC60 and it's crystal clear to the max volume. Truly awesome for factory sound. I've had the Beats audio in a Chrysler 300, mid level Bose in a Cadillac XT5, and most recently, the regular B&O (not the unleashed) in an F-150. I'd rank them as B&O > Beats > Bose. The Bose was crap although I hear the higher systems are okay. The Beats obviously had bass but the highs were quite bad until I replaced the (3) 3.5 mids on the dash, then it was darn near perfect. The F-150 is tuned really well and sounds nice, the best of the 3, it just lacks overall bass since ford dropped the 8-inch sub and switched it to a 6x9.

Rotary knob infotainment is a must have once you use it long enough. Using a knob is wayyyy easier to use while driving and feels much more accurate.

Heard Acura is making a signature version of the ELS system that’s supposed to be the better than their best. I would also put bmw in the A tier, their systems are nicely crafted light up, and their latest models have been revised.

Tbh my parents have a 2014 Honda Pilot touring and I can turn the volume all the way up with the bass boost and subwoofer all the way up and it still sounds so good

My 2010 Mazda w/ Bose took me back with how nice it sounded compared to my previous Infiniti’s. Idk if I’m just not picky, but it sounds so nice to me.

Thanks for doin this rankin. So many car reviewers on RU-vid and they almost all gloss over the sound system quality. No one ranks them. You are doing a public service and public good with this video.

Our Honda FR-V has unbranded, but upgraded speakers. They actually sound very good, much better than every BMW, Škoda and VW speakers I've ever listened to.

We need a yearly update to ranking car sound systems, or at the very least a 2023 update!

The Bang & Olufsen system I had in my Audi A5 from 2009 was the best one I’ve ever had. Next car I get will definitely have it

As an audiophile I disagree with a lot of these evaluations, but great to see someone ranking audio systems.

Cadillac is definitely S tier. The AKG surround system tuned correctly is insane and the XT6 Bose pro series is also very impressive + has that big stainless grille. I personally would put Audi in A tier. the RSQ8 B&O is great and the 3D sound actually works on all models. the non premium audio still sounds good too.

Volvo is tops, for sure. Their mid and high tier systems are delightful. Even my 1998 C70 stock has Dynaudio 8” woofers in the doors and deck, dome midranges and tweeters up front and an OEM version of the then-popular 400W Alpine V12 amplifier powering everything. It was considered the best stock stereo back then. My rescued 2001 S60 even has 14 speakers. The woofers with their 3” voice coils and Kevlar cones… mids facing right at you… impressive sound just about as good as the C70. Clear, natural and loud if you want it. This audiophile is impressed.

Hey, I think my 2014 Honda CR-V (2 tweeters, 4 woofers, 1 subwoofer) sounds pretty good!

Agreed! A 2011 Hyundai Sonata with only 4 speakers sound as good if not better than a 2022 Honda Accord with 8 speakers.

I knew that Honda was going to rank last lol. Thank goodness that Acura has the ELS Sound System. Hopefully that rumour about Honda switching to a branded sound system is true 🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾🤞🏾

My 2008 Chrysler Sebring Steel Top Convertible had a Boston Sound System if memory serves me. It sounded fantastic. I opened the top every chance I could. I had an amazing sound system experience. I made my own dance remixes so you heard everything clear as day. My side view mirrors would dance to the beat of the drums. My 2018 Lincoln MKZ Reserve AWD has the ultimate in sound system’s that I never thought would be possible. It was better than my 2011 MKZ. I open the Moonroof & the windows & put on my Dance Music & it like my own Dance Club on wheels! They have the Speakers & Tweeter’s placed in the right locations. I don’t recall the number of speakers but it Phenomenal to me. I’m very picky about my sound system’s. I still have Vinyl, Cassette, CD & MP3. I only had one tape get damaged. It was a cheap tape that was given to me. I bought professional tapes & bought professional cleaning products for tape’s & CD’s & vinyl cleaner for record’s.

I'd say from personal experience, Acura's are s tier!

We do love our 19 B&W in our Volvo certainly the best car sound experience we ever had

I would love to see something like this for noise vibration and hum (NVH). A lot of manufacturers and reviewers say a vehicle is quiet inside and it’s shocking when you actually get in the car and you feel like you’re in a jet plane. Correction: on a jet plane

I just stumbled across this after I purchased a new car. I love most of these opinions. I am an audiophile and the sound system is one of my key elements in evaluating cars. When I test drive cars I bring a USB stick with my favorite audio recordings and they are all .flac files, which I consider the best format with the least amount of compression. They also allow 192kHz 24 bit files which is the highest resolution I have found. I owned an Audi SQ5 with the Bang-Olufson system and loved it! I ended up buying a Mazda CX 50 with the Bose 12 speaker system and it is just as good as the Audi. Plus it plays flac uncompressed files, which makes a HUGE difference. When I first saw you were putting Bose systems way down in the C-D category I was annoyed until I saw you put the Mazdas in the B category. Great job. Just wanted to point out that the best speakers/amps/subwoofers are marginalized if they only play MP-3 or don't recognize hi-res file formats. Case in point: I drove Genesis cars and they do NOT play flac files. I highly recommend to everybody to explore the supported file formats when deciding car audio!

Really surprised that BMW is content to be so far behind their direct rivals in such a key area.

Lincoln needs to be A tier that revel really shines

Great list. It would be great in future reviews if you could show what EQ settings you use for each vehicle as that usually can make a big difference.

AMAZING VIDEO. You did a wonderful job my man! As an audio enthusiast myself this was an amazing comparison of what I was looking for. 5 Stars!

As a Honda owner you’re completely right, the speakers are trash

Glad to see that Volvo made it to the top of the list. I am a bit surprised that Mercedes did, but I guess they're spending more money on audio development these days than they were back in the early 2000's.

Just bought a Mazda 3 Premium trim with the Bose 12-speaker sound system. It sounded rich and the base pounded, so I'm happy to hear my impression isn't misguided as Mazda sits in the B tier on this list. I'm perfectly happy with that.

Volvo really does have some of the best sound systems in their cars. Even the audio system in my 2013 c30 sounds incredible.

I agree with you when it comes to Mercedes, even their free speakers sounds really crispy and good

I used to have a 1995 Maxima SE that had the optional Bose system (so at least 27 years for that partnership you mentioned) and it was shockingly good, especially in the mid-bass realm. I replaced it with a 1999 Lexus GS400 with a Nakamichi system that was highly regarded for its time, and while it sounded great in nearly all ways, it still didn't produce anywhere close to the tight punchy mid-bass that Maxima did. I also sampled the Bose system in a 2002 Altima when they first came out - expecting it to be even better than my old Maxima. But I was really disappointed by what I heard. It was a huge step down, actually.

thank you for this, been looking for a review of this kind.

Dang before it even started I was guessing Acura and Volvo would be the only ones in S tier. I was so close. You even said you bumped Acura down at the last minute. Just wait till you hear the Signature ELS in the MDX Type-s. It will definitely go back to S tier.

I have not been in any vehicles that scored super high one the list but here is what I can say. our family has a 2021 Ram 1500 Limited, (Max trim or such) and the speakers are Fantastic. I am no audiophile, but when you get in the truck you can fell the sound all thought the truck. You can most certainly fell it in your seat.

Interesting how the list of the most solid and well rounded sound systems is reflecting a lot of brands on the come up...essentially brands that have been meteoric in elevating their driving quality, brand recognition and prestige in the past decade. Case in point...Mazda is in the High B Tier, which I can certainly attest to. The premium Bose system in my 2021 3 Turbo Hatch is incredibly full sounding, dynamic, and can get a little too loud lol. Certainly raising the bar.

Putting Hyundai and “Genesis” over Volkswagen, INFINITI, Ford, and Chevrolet, and also putting Hyundai on the same tier as Mazda, Cadillac, BMW, Lincoln, and Tesla is insane..

Woah thank you for this!!!

The 14 speaker Bose system in the C8 is incredible. So loud you can't hardly hear yourself scream as loud as you can! I love it. Hurts my ears on max after 5-10 min

I’ll say some nissans depending year have amazing bass, but I can’t say the same for Infiniti

My 2021 Tahoe Z71 with the Bose speakers, are phenomenal! I was surprised to see them down on the list.

The premium Bose system in my wife’s Mazda CX-5 is amazing. It destroys the system in my ‘17 Camry SE.

Definitely can support the rank of both Mercedes & Volvo! Especially Volvo both Harman/Kardon & B/W are awesone

Day 2 of requesting an older volvo with premium audio or dynaudio

My Mazdas sound system is INSANE! it is one of the best soundsystems in a premium brand ever! Im so happy with my Bose.

Definitely not surprised that Volvo and MB are S tier. Savagegeese does measured audio testing, and these two brands consistently are top performers.

My Acura always blows me away from how good it sounds

I had a chance of listening Bentley Continental GT’s NAIM audio system and was completely blown away. It would be great to see you testing it and hear your opinion.

I have a 2006 mdx touring and I bet it would be in the A or S tier over the new mdx. It hits the lows perfectly and is crystal clear at higher volumes.

Disappointed you didn’t include Audi, however u did say u didn’t test enough. The B&O 3D audio is really impressive. Looking forward to your next review.

I had a 202 Mercedes CLA 250 & it’s sound system was fantastic

Another fun fact regarding Volvo’s commitment to high quality audio, before the days of Bowers + Wilkins, Volvo offered a truly excellent system from DynAudio in some models. I have it in my C30 and have the B+W in my XC60 and feel very spoiled by both.

I drive 15yr Volvo as my daily - aaand it has audio that i love ❤️

Oh, I want to seriously try out the Lexicon sound system of Genesis, waiting for the 2022 GV70.

Acura TL tech package has built in subs with a Bose surround sound system and sounds CRAZY good

I agree with you , the mercedes is great

I have a 2021 Mazda3 Hatch Premium and man that Bose package is just great! Super happy to hear that you rank the Harmon Kardon system in the Hyundai the same. I’m currently looking into the Kona Electric!

Getting the EQ settings exactly right is a great way of saving money on a speaker upgrade in my experience. Not all UIs have the best EQ interfaces so it can take a lot of trial and error to find what you like, but all I’ll say is standard 2013 Honda Odyssey speakers sound incredible when EQd properly through system settings. Same with my 2017 Chevy Sonic. Some speakers are beyond saving though unfortunately :/

Going from my old 2013 Lexus to 2017 Lexus IS200T. The sound is so amazing!