Choosing the best stereo system for your car is no longer just a matter of sound quality. Modern car radios are compatible with mobile devices such as smartphones. They can receive calls and may even suggest enabling navigation apps.
We can say that the classic car stereo has become a multimedia device. And in our rating of car radios, we will tell you which car radios are the best in sound quality and help you choose the best device depending on your needs and budget.
What you need to know before choosing a car radio
The main thing to know when choosing a car radio is its typical size. The most popular sizes are 1 DIN or 2 DIN. The German abbreviation Deutsches Institut für Normung translates as "German Institute for Standardization".
- Size 1 DIN - 18 x 5 cm, depth, as a rule, up to 19 cm.
- The double DIN has a size of 18 x 10 cm, and a depth of 19 cm. As a rule, such a radio tape recorder has a touch screen.
- The choice of one of these formats depends on the available space in the media compartment.
As for the choice of the manufacturer, then the choice is much wider than in the case of sizes. We have already written about the best manufacturers of car stereos for sound quality, and the five most-most included:
- Alpine;
- Pioneer;
- Kenwood;
- JVC;
- Clarion.
Rating of 1 DIN car radios for sound quality
3. JVC KD-X161
The average price is 2,580 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 1 DIN
- Max. power 4 x 50 W
- USB playback
- front panel audio input
- radio
Before you is the answer to the question of which inexpensive and good car radio to choose, so that later it would not be offended for wasted money.
In our selection of the best car radios, there are models that are more powerful and more beautiful. But the JVC KD-X161 has one distinct advantage - the price. And if you think that such a budget device has bad sound, then you are wrong. It is very clean, although not too loud (4x22W nominal and 4x50W peak).
The radio can be connected to a joystick on the steering wheel of the car and allows you to switch between rear speakers and a subwoofer.
pros: attractive design, attractive price, removable panel.
Minuses: no bluetooth.
2. KENWOOD KMM-BT205
The average price is 4,470 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 1 DIN
- Max. power 4 x 50 W
- USB playback
- iPhone support
- front panel audio input
- radio receiver with RDS
In terms of actual sound quality, this model offers 4x30W rated power and 4x50W peak power. This volume level is more than sufficient for the average user.
With the ability to connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth, KENWOOD KMM-BT205 can open up a whole new world of songs from the Internet, which means that the driver will not get tired of the repertoire even on a long trip. Of course, all your favorite tracks can be pre-loaded onto a flash drive and then connected to the radio.
This model is fully Russified, compatible with steering wheel controls and has a 13-band equalizer.Users can choose one of the presets according to their preferred type of music.
pros: excellent value for money, there is a removable panel, there is support for Russian tags, clear sound even at the maximum.
Minuses: one backlight color, not dimmable.
1. Pioneer MVH-280FD
The average price is 6 570 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 1 DIN
- Max. power 4 x 100 W
- USB playback
- iPhone support
- front panel audio input
- radio receiver with RDS
The 2019 1 DIN Car Radios Ranking leads the creation of one of the most popular brands in the audio industry.
The Pioneer MVH-280FD radio has a dimmable monochrome display and a detachable faceplate for added security. An infrared remote control is included with this unit.
Despite being an entry-level model, it offers many features, including MP3 and WMA playback, five equalizer presets, and twice the power of conventional car radios. The radio works with mobile phones with a USB connection, and you need to install the Pioneer ARC App. Without this application, an Android smartphone will be perceived as a USB flash drive.
pros: full Russification, simple and logical navigation, can be connected to the steering wheel joystick.
Minuses: very thin power wires.
Rating of 2 DIN car radios with touch screen
3. Mystery MDD-7005
The average price is 3,979 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 2 DIN
- 7 ″ touch screen
- Max. power 4 x 50 W
- USB playback
- front panel audio input
- radio receiver with RDS
- SD card support
An ideal option for those who, first of all, need a large screen from a radio, convenient control, beautiful design and good sound, and all sorts of options like Bluetooth support and an equalizer can be neglected.
Mystery MDD-7005 has good Russification, allows you to play music and videos from both SD-cards and flash cards, and reads the most common formats. What else is needed for such a price?
pros: large selection of button illumination, content is conveniently sorted into folders.
Minuses: The panel is not removable, slightly slows down the video in high definition.
2. KENWOOD DMX6018BT
The average price is 17,990 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 2 DIN
- touch display 6.95 ″
- Max. power 4 x 50 W
- USB playback
- radio receiver with RDS
- SD card support
This infotainment system is one of the largest in its class. It is designed for playing music or streaming video via Bluetooth, has support for ID3 tags and is equipped with a 24-bit DAC - this is enough for most "four-wheeled music lovers".
Have we already mentioned the big screen? Well, it also supports gesture control! And the radio tape recorder reads not only usb-flash drives, but also usb-hard drives.
pros: Many sound settings, supports communication with multiple smartphones at the same time via Bluetooth.
Minuses: clumsy Russification, only 1 USB input, and quite fragile and does not work with adapters and hubs.
1. Pioneer AVH-190G
The average price is 10 190 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 2 DIN
- touch screen 6.2 ″
- Max. power 4 x 50 W
- USB playback
- iPhone support
- front panel audio input
- radio receiver with RDS
How to choose a car radio in a car? Here are three easy steps:
- We take a Pioneer car radio with clear and loud sound, add a large touch screen with a fast response to it.
- We are looking for the device to be fully Russified, have convenient control and play audio and video files of the most popular formats.
- And we get the Pioneer AVH-190G.
And this device also has something that many users lack in other models - the ability to change the backlight color. A trifle, but nice.
pros: High-quality build, five-band equalizer, external amplifier and rear view camera can be connected.
Minuses: no bluetooth support.
Best 2 DIN car radios for Android
3. Navipilot DROID7L Universal 7 ″ 2DIN
The average price is 15,900 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 2 DIN
- GPS navigator
- display 7 ″
- without power amplifier
- USB playback
- Android operating system
- radio
This novelty among 2 DIN Android 7.1 car radios offers pleasant sound in a small space, such as in a car, minibus or SUV. It is equipped with a 7-inch frost-resistant screen with a resolution of 1024 x 600 pixels, and allows you to connect a huge number of devices most needed in the car. Curl your fingers:
- front and rear view cameras;
- video recorder;
- external hard drive;
- active USB hub;
- 4G / LTE USB modem;
- 4G Wi-Fi router,
- steering wheel mount;
- BluRay player;
- TV tuner DVB-T2;
- acoustic amplifier and processor.
The fingers on our hands are already over, and we have not yet named the diagnostic adapter OBD-II and TPMS - a tire pressure monitoring system.
If necessary, you can turn your car into a Wi-Fi hotspot and display the vehicle's standard information on the radio screen. And that's not to mention the presence of navigation software, which eliminates the need to spend money on a GPS navigator.
pros: full Russification, there is a dependence of the sound level on the speed.
Minuses: sometimes programs that were open before shutdown may not start the first time, the dependence of the volume level on speed does not always work correctly (for example, the device may "scream" if you are in a traffic jam).
2. Ownice C500
The average price is 30,900 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 2 DIN
- GPS navigator
- Max. power 4 x 45 W
- display 8 ″
- USB playback
- operating system Android 8.1
- radio
- Bluetooth
This model, released by the Chinese company Ownice, has earned the love of many Russian motorists due to its wide functionality.
This head unit comes with a built-in GPS navigator, a microphone (you can also connect an external one), a Wi-Fi module and has a high-quality audio chip. So your favorite tunes will sound loud and clear.
Also, Ownice C500 is equipped with two USB inputs, two AUX OUT and a separate subwoofer output, allows you to display information from the front and rear view cameras and supports buttons on the steering wheel. There are different Ownice C500 models, suitable for a specific car brand (for Mazda 3, universal for Volkswagen, for Kia Ceed 2, etc.).
pros: Can connect a stereo headset, can work as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
Minuses: high price, built-in microphone may sound dull when making calls and voice search, it is better to connect an external one.
1. CARMEDIA OL-7002
The average price is 26,900 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 2 DIN
- DVD-player
- navigator with GPS, GLONASS
- 7 ″ touch screen
- Max. power 4 x 45 W
- USB playback
- Android operating system
- radio receiver with RDS
Here is a car radio assembled in China. And if at the word "China" you felt a desire to switch to another model, then it is completely in vain. This model features superior sound quality and IPS display.
It is equipped with convenient hardware buttons that allow you to perform standard actions in the Android OS and the ability to play from CD and DVD media.
This head unit supports micro SD cards, has a built-in 3G / 4G (LTE) modem and the ability to install a SIM card. And if you want to "hook" your mobile phone to the radio tape recorder via Bluetooth, you can do it quickly and without problems. Agree, a good set of functions for a reasonable price.
pros: there is an adjustment of the screen brightness and button illumination, can be connected to the joystick on the steering wheel,
Minuses: Although there is support for IR remote control, it needs to be purchased separately.
Top car radios with GPS navigation
3. ACV AD-7180
The average price is 11 490 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 2 DIN
- GPS navigator
- 7 ″ touch screen
- Max. power 4 x 50 W
- USB playback
- Android operating system
- radio
With its attractive design based on a large and bright 7-inch display, this car radio is one of the most interesting projects in its class.
Support for MirrorLink technology allows you to broadcast data from a smartphone to the screen of the radio, as well as connect a remote control on the steering wheel, rotary knobs or additional buttons to it. This provides the driver with secure access to their favorite mobile applications while driving.
In addition, the ACV AD-7180 allows you to view data from the rear view camera on the screen of the radio, supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and has a built-in radio receiver.
As for the navigator, it has a built-in map of Russia, many POIs are marked, as well as the most convenient routes.
pros: continues playing the track from the point where it was interrupted, Android 8.1, you can customize the color of the touch buttons.
Minuses: there is no slot for an SD card, the glossy plastic covering the screen is easily scratched, the real dimensions of the radio are 177x103 mm, and not 180x100 mm declared by the manufacturer. Because of this, the system may not match the standard mount.
2. Alpine INE-W990BT
The average price is 44,490 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 2 DIN
- DVD-player
- GPS navigator
- touch display 6.1 ″
- TV tuner
- Max. power 4 x 50 W
- USB playback
- iPhone support
- radio receiver with RDS
If you prioritize sound quality over price when choosing a head unit, then the Alpine INE-W990BT is the perfect choice. This top-class car radio with Navitel navigation software installed can play audio and video files from all media except Blu-ray, has an equalizer, TV tuner and amplifier. You can also connect a smartphone to it via Bluetooth and, if necessary, make voice dialing.
The screen of this radio has a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels, and users can enjoy movies or any other type of HD video on the go.
With integrated compatibility with Apple and Android devices, the Alpine INE-W990BT is a true multimedia combine capable of offering you a comprehensive and highly enjoyable experience while listening to music or watching videos.
pros: Convenient operation, includes a microphone, multicolor backlight, can be connected to the steering wheel joystick, can be connected to a rear view camera.
Minuses: not full Russification, remote control is not included in the package.
1. Mystery MDD-6280NV
The average price is 11,145 rubles.
Characteristics:
- car radio 2 DIN
- DVD-player
- GPS navigator
- touch screen 6.2 ″
- TV tuner
- Max. power 4 x 50 W
- USB playback
- front panel audio input
- radio
- SD card support
This car radio has everything you need from such a device. From the ability to play files from CD and DVD media, the presence of an equalizer and TV tuner and ending with an infrared remote control, the ability to connect to the joystick on the steering wheel and a rear view camera.
The sound of Mystery MDD-6280NV cannot be called "mind-blowing", but if you are not an avid audiophile and do not plan to pump the sound in the car using this radio, then take it boldly.
And the cherry on top is customizable key illumination.
Navitel software operating in offline mode is installed as navigation software.
pros: price, simple menu, excellent radio reception, responsive touch controls.
Minuses: no bluetooth support, reads data from flash drive slowly.