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.
Search used Mazda cars or read our Mazda reviews
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.
Find a used Ford car at Motorpoint or read our Ford reviews
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.
Find a used Mini at Motorpoint or read our Mini reviews
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'.
Find used Jaecoo cars for sale at Motorpoint
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.
View a wide choice of used Toyota cars or read our Toyota reviews
Vauxhall – Focal
The latest Vauxhall Grandland is a substantial improvement over its predecessor. There's more space, a vastly improved infotainment system, and sharper looks courtesy of the sharp 'visor' on its front end. Range-topping Ultimate versions come with a stereo from French audio specialists Focal. This company has outfitted high-end stereos to everything from home cinemas to yachts, and has specced the Grandland with 10-speakers and 690 watts of floor-shaking power.
See used Vauxhall cars for sale or read our Vauxhall reviews
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.
Shop used BYD cars or read our BYD reviews
Chery – Sony
Chery is the parent company of Jaecoo above and, like that brand, has the option of a Sony stereo in its range-topping models. The benefit here, of course, is Chery's incredibly competitive pricing, with its fanciest cars undercutting even the most basic versions of their rivals from traditional brands. That means more people can benefit from the multi-speaker setup, available in the practical Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, and the absolutely enormous Tiggo 9.
Find a used Chery car at Motorpoint or read our Chery reviews
Nissan – Bose
Like Mazda, 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.
Check out used Nissan cars or read our Nissan reviews
Peugeot – Focal
Focal makes another appearance on this list, this time through its partnership with Peugeot. It's now available on the updated Peugeot 408 and could get added to more models over time. Similar to the Vauxhall Grandland, the 408 gets a 10-speaker setup with 690 watts of amplification power. You'll find a centre channel speaker in the middle of the dashboard, plus mid-range drivers and tweeters throughout the cabin, all backed up by a boot-mounted subwoofer which comes with something called 'Power Flower' technology.
Shop used Peugeot cars or read our Peugeot reviews
