The Best In-Car Sound Systems

Hopping into a car nowadays, you take the humble radio for granted. With a flick of a switch, you can have the latest traffic updates, or tap your fingers in time with a favourite song, during rush hour.





The car itself dates from 1885, as the world famous Karl Benz built and patented the world's very first motor driven vehicle. Yet it took almost another 50 years before the first sound systems appeared.





Generally speaking, the world's first commercially sold sound system is considered to be the Motorola model 5T71, dating from the 1930s. Another famous brand also dates from this time, as Blaupunkt started selling its sound systems for the early Studebaker cars.





Things stayed relatively primitive with a simple radio providing two knobs and sporadic sound crackling from small speakers. It was not until the 1950s that the next major development came, as Ford introduced the "seek" function on radio tuning. Since then the pace of change has really taken off, not least as the Japanese entered the market and helped to revolutionise the industry.

For many, a car sound system is a simple choice of what comes with the car, as even a cheap run-around comes with a radio and CD player. However some cars go above and beyond and are keen to meet the needs of the more demanding audiophile, with the days of tinny speakers echoing in the back consigned to history.





So whether you are a boy racer at heart and want to cruise with a tinted windscreen and listen to phat beats, or if you prefer a mountain range with a crisp soundtrack, humming along as you admire stunning vistas, we take a look at some of the best in car sound systems on the market at present.





The Volvo S80 is a stylish sedan and though the car itself is not a spring chicken, its sound system is still one of the best on the market thanks to the Dolby pro Logic audio system. Interestingly, a sleek update of the car was unveiled at Geneva 2010. Another top-tipped car is the Audi A8, generally considered as one of the finest cars on the market, not just for the quality of the drive but audio-connoisseurs are also greatly enamoured with its clean, crisp sounds.





In general though, if you are buying a car for its sound then it is advisable to be on the lookout for some of the more respected brands to be attached to the stereo. A good bet is the Bose product range which is available under most GM labels. In Europe this could be found under the auspices of the former GM subsidiary Saab. Strong vehicle brands when it comes to audio quality are the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and the already mentioned Audi. Those on a slightly lower budget are advised to look at Renault, which provides good kit as standard. Japanese cars, as ever, are well supplied with features and the likes of Honda, Toyota, Mazda or Nissan are considered as providing above average sound systems.





Whatever soundtrack accompanies you driving, we hope the road is as smooth as the sound.