Nearly all cars have sound systems – but only a handful have the bright sparkle and pounding bass to match the fanciest living room audio setups.
The good news is smart shoppers don't need to spend loads to get great sound quality on the road – especially if they pick a great-value used car with an upgraded stereo. Here are 10 of our favourite affordable cars with top-notch audio.
Mazda – Bose
The Mazda range is full of cars with the materials, styling and build quality to gives many German brands a run for their money, while costing a good chunk less to buy. High-spec Mazda models get upgraded stereos from audio legends Bose. Not only does this add plenty of extra speakers to the cabin, you get fancy-sounding tech like 'Centerpoint' that adapts surround-sound audio for in-car listening, along with 'Bassmatch' that repositions the subwoofers to the car's corners for better bass response.
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Ford – B&O Play
You might think Ford is an afFordable brand (sorry), so putting premium audio equipment has no place in its cars. But pick the right EcoSport, Fiesta, Focus, Kuga or Puma and you’ll be treated to a full-on B&O Play sound system, from the geniuses at Bang & Olufsen. The system in the Fiesta sports no fewer than 10 speakers, including a fat 200mm subwoofer under the boot floor. You’ll be blown away by the bass, yet there’s still enough treble detail to make podcasts a joy to listen to at motorway speeds.
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Mini – Harman/Kardon
Ask modern Mini fans what optional extras they’d pick, and a good proportion would say the Harman/Kardon sound system. With 12 speakers, it has three times as many speakers as the standard system, plus a beefier amp and subwoofers under the front seats. You can turn the bass right up – ideal for blasting those block-rocking beats – or knock it back for a more nuanced, sophisticated listening experience. It's offered as an upgrade across the Mini range and is usually included as part of an options pack.
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Jaecoo – Sony
Jaecoo is another fairly fresh face on British shores but its affordable J7 model is already scoring strong sales. Not only does this city-friendly SUV undercut most western rivals on price, but it's also packed with features so it doesn't feel like a bargain-basement special. In fact, the J7's price is so approachable that you might be tempted to step up to Luxury trim, which brings with it an eight-speaker Sony stereo. Jaecoo says this delivers a 'concert hall experience on wheels' and envelops you in 'rich, nuanced audio'.
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Toyota – JBL
Most Toyota cars come with smooth hybrid systems that keep engine noise to a minimum around town. This gives you more space to enjoy the audio quality from the upgraded JBL audio system – available on high-spec versions of several models including the Toyota Yaris, Toyota RAV4 and Toyota Corolla. As you'd expect, this adds a host of extra speakers to the setup to broaden the overall frequency range and improve the surround sound performance. Like other setups here, audio engineers have spent hundreds of hours tuning each JBL setup for the specific Toyota model it's fitted to.
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Hyundai – Bose
Hyundai is another brand that's turned to Bose to step up its audio game. That's why the majority of the Korean brand's lineup is available with Bose-developed audio if you choose a higher-spec trim. For most models, you're looking for Ultimate trim which, as the name suggests, means you already get everything plus the kitchen sink in the cabin – so why not go all the way with great audio, too? This means the likes of the i20 hatchback, the Kona compact SUV and the Tucson family SUV can all be specced with Bose's finest speaker tech.
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BYD – Dynaudio
Unlike some Chinese cars now in the UK, BYD isn't a value-focused brand. Instead, it makes feature-packed premium models that aim to challenge some of the pricier European brands. So, while the BYD Seal's £45,000 starting price isn't exactly budget-friendly, the fact you get a premium 12-speaker stereo from Danish audio company Dynaudio on every model represents impressive value for money. If you wanted an equivalent stereo upgrade in one of the Seal's German rivals, you'd be looking at spending tens of thousands more.
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Lexus – Mark Levinson
Every model in the Lexus lineup has the option to be upgraded with a Mark Levinson sound system. The team at Mark Levinson don't just add a few extra speakers and call it a day – they tailor their stereos to each specific model in the Lexus range, ensuring they’re tuned for clarity and perfectly balanced bass. Mark Levinson systems are available across the Lexus range, but a used Lexus UX in Takumi guise is a fairly affordable way to get some Mark Levinson goodness in your ears.
Find a used Lexus at Motorpoint or read our Lexus reviews
Nissan – Bose
Like Mazda and Hyundai, Nissan has also partnered with the audio wizards at Bose for its upgraded stereo setups. Shop for a higher-spec example of popular models like the Qashqai, Juke or X-Trail and it'll come outfitted with a Bose stereo, complete with a full suite of speakers for superb surround-sound reproduction. You'll also find recent Juke models equipped with a Bose Personal Plus setup – this positions eight speakers around the cabin as well as two individual speakers in the driver and passenger headrests to deeply immerse you in your favourite tracks.
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Range Rover – Meridian
Meridian is a British company that makes some of the finest audio systems we've ever heard. It's partnered with fellow British luxury brands Range Rover and Land Rover for their upgraded stereo options. Obviously, top-spec Range Rovers aren't cheap, but Meridian audio is available across the range, including the Range Rover Evoque, Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Velar, which are quite a bit more affordable to finance. The Evoque’s system comes with either 12 or 15 speakers, and up to 650 watts of tune-pumping power. Both setups are specifically tweaked for the Evoque’s internal acoustics and sound absolutely fantastic.
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