Thinking of upgrading your car’s sound system to Bluetooth speakers? That’s a fantastic idea!
These wireless speakers are very convenient to set up.
You can pair your speaker to your car’s audio system or connect it to your smartphone.
Most speakers available are compatible with any smartphone, including Android, iPhone and Blackberry.
If you want the control of taking incoming calls hands-free or being able to skip, repeat, and fast forward on your favorite audiobook while you drive, owning a Bluetooth speaker will be perfect for you.
You now have the convenience to use smart assistants in our cars and enjoy high quality, clear sound anywhere where you are. But how much does all this cost? Prices in speakers vary according to the brand, but many speakers stick beneath the $50 mark.
Many of us don’t know which Bluetooth version is the best, what design is ideal, or if the audio power is what you’re looking for.
That’s where we come in!
We’ve done our research on the best Bluetooth speakers currently in the market, so you’ll be cruising around listening to your favorite tunes in no time! After this guide, you’ll know:
- What are the essential features to consider when choosing a Bluetooth speaker?
- Why choose a Bluetooth speaker for your car?
- And much more!
Here’s a list of the best Bluetooth speakers around. Continue reading for information on fantastic speakers and tips on how to choose the right one:
| Image | Product | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
My Top Pick  | My Top Pick | Alpine UTE-73BT Advanced Bluetooth Mech-Less Digital Media Receiver
|
| View on Amazon |
Best High-End  | Best High-End | Pioneer MVH-S310BT Single Din Built-In Bluetooth
|
| View on Amazon |
Best Budget Pick  | Best Budget Pick | Bluetooth FM Transmitter, Sumind Wireless Radio Adapter Hands-Free Car Kit
|
| View on Amazon |
 | 7 inch Double Din Digital Media Car Stereo Receiver, Touch Screen Car Radio Kit
|
| View on Amazon | |
 | Vintage Classic Bluetooth Car Stereo , FM Radio Receiver
|
| View on Amazon |
What's in this Guide?
Our Overall Top #1 Pick: Alpine UTE-73BT Advanced Bluetooth Mech-Less Digital Media Receiver
The Alpine digital receiver is one of the best options on that market right now if you’re looking for a fully-functional bluetooth speaker system for your car. This radio-replacement still allows you enjoy your favorite FM and AM radio stations, while also letting you use Bluetooth connection to rock out with your favorite music on the go.
The bluetooth adaptor is also great for letting you do hands-free calling, listening to GPS directions from your phone, and other hands-free applications.
This is a reasonably affordable option, but with some higher quality upgrades to the sound quality and durability that really help make us confident recommending this radio system as a good option for just about any vehicles.
Overall, installation isn’t too difficult either, which means you can do a home installation if you want to.
Top 5 Best Bluetooth Speakers for Cars
Need all this information quickly? No problem! We have 5 awesome options below! Continue scrolling for invaluable tips and facts about these Bluetooth speakers.
- Alpine UTE-73BT Advanced Bluetooth Mech-Less Digital Media Receiver (Our Top Pick)
- Pioneer MVH-S310BT Single Din Built-In Bluetooth (Best High-End Pick)
- Bluetooth FM Transmitter, Sumind Wireless Radio Adapter Hands-Free Car Kit (Best Budget)
- 7 inch Double Din Digital Media Car Stereo Receiver
- Vintage Classic Bluetooth Car Stereo , FM Radio Receiver
What are the Benefits of Choosing a Reliable Bluetooth speaker for your car?
Owning a Bluetooth speaker is the ideal choice for someone who needs to take business calls throughout the day without being a hazard on the road. If your job demands you be on the road every day, long trips will feel shorter as you can blast your favorite AC/DC songs on the way.
If you’re taking the family out on vacation, the kids will be occupied by playing their beloved nursery rhymes and songs.
There are plenty of options for bluetooth receivers that take advantage of your car’s existing sound system. That’s great because it helps prevent clutter building up in your car, and can take advantage of any audio upgrades you’ve already installed.
Read More: >> The Best 12 Inch Car Subwoofers
Specialized car bluetooth speakers also tend to be easier to control and use while you’re driving. They’re designed to be safe to use, and to give you more hands-free options while you’re driving in addition to giving you more ways to enjoy your favorite audio media.
What to look for in a high-quality Bluetooth speaker?
Choosing a reliable Bluetooth car speaker system is a confusing business.
While we need to stick to our budgets, there are other important aspects we need to consider: The Bluetooth version, The input options, battery life, will it fit in your vehicle’s console, and a lot more.
Don’t fret! We’re going to give you the rundown of everything you need to know to make an informed decision.
The Bluetooth version
Long gone are the days of using version 1 Bluetooth speakers. The latest version is 5.2, and the most common ones on the market range from 4.0 to 5.0.
What’s the difference? Version 5 with up speeds of about 2Mbps is a lot more quick responding than version 4, which has up speeds hitting only 1Mbps.
Playback speed matters because it tells you how smoothly your audio will play. Playback speed also matters for how much of the audio will carry over. The amount of information being transmitted will influence the quality of your music, but it also influences the quality of your phone calls and other interactions.
The wireless range also depends on the version. Version 5 allows a range of around 120 meters, whereas version 4 mostly caps around 30 meters.
Most smart devices nowadays are compatible with Bluetooth version 5, so opting for version 4 may prove compatibility issues.
This video mostly focuses on headphones and other smaller Bluetooth devices. That’s okay though because the basic explanation of Bluetooth and different kinds of wireless compatibility still applies to bluetooth speakers for cars and other vehicles.
You can also check out this article that describes what is bluetooth technology and how to use the technology effectively, or this article that gives more of a deep dive overview of bluetooth wireless technology.
The Sound Quality
If we read the specifications of a speaker, we might find something like “100Hz to 20kHz”. These figures are the frequency of the speaker.
Speakers with a higher frequency response often have a higher quality sound. In the figures I used, we refer to 100Hz as the low-frequency point, and 20kHz would be the high-frequency point.
The low-frequency point is the most important to pay attention to. It reveals the level of bass we’ll hear.
The wider the range is between the two frequencies, and the lower the low-frequency point is (in this case it was 100Hz), the better.
The Power of the Audio
Not every brand specifies this feature. But it’s something we still need to look for. We would describe the power of the audio as “watts”.
Using a Bluetooth speaker in a car doesn’t require the audio power to be very high. But this depends on what you prefer. 10 watts is super loud. So, stick around that audio power for reliable sound.
Radio, CD, and Other Inputs
One thing to look for in Bluetooth car speakers is whether or not your new receiver can handle other kinds of input as well. Bluetooth might be handy, but radio, CD and DVD drives, and other audio sources all have their place.
Increasingly car Bluetooth speaker receivers don’t have CD drives, but most still come with AM and FM radio receivers. Look for receivers that include those options and more if you’re looking for a really versatile long-lasting device.
Wired Input Options
Not all devices have Bluetooth capabilities. Finding a Bluetooth speaker with wired input options is a huge plus because of this.
We don’t want to limit ourselves in terms of only being able to use the speaker via Bluetooth. For example, you could own a device that has all your favorite audiobooks on it, but the device isn’t Bluetooth optimized.
Owning a speaker that has an Aux or USB input could make it possible to listen through your speaker.
Most speakers come with jack inputs, and while this doesn’t affect the performance of your speaker, it’s still worthwhile to double-check.
Our Reviews of the Best Bluetooth Speakers for Cars
1. Alpine UTE-73BT Advanced Bluetooth Mech-Less Digital Media Receiver
We’ve already talked a little about this Bluetooth car speaker receiver set. It’s a great option if you’re looking for equipment that will add bluetooth capabilities to your existing car speakers.
It’s included AM FM radio gives you a lot of options, and the Bluetooth 5.0 receiver works with all Bluetooth devices, including devices running the most current version.
However, one downside of this speaker for some users is that it doesn’t offer a CD drive. Most people don’t use CDs very often anymore, but it’s not an option here which can be a problem if your devices run out of battery or if your only copy of your favorite song is on disk.
This receiver also offers pandora compatibility. It works well with both Apple and Android devices. That gives you a wide range of compatibility even though the receiver doesn’t have a CD player.
Combine those features with the easy installation process and relatively small receiver and this is a great choice for a new Bluetooth speaker for your car. This design will easily fit inside most car consoles, making it a good choice for everything from compact sedans to full-size SUVs and trucks.
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + Reasonable price + Pandora compatibility + Easy Installation + Relatively durable housing + Fits in most car dashes | – No CD player |
2. Pioneer MVH-S310BT Single Din Built-In Bluetooth
Pioneer’s Built-in Bluetooth receiver is a great option if you’re looking for something that can be installed directly into your car, but that’s also a little more advanced than the Alpine receiver that made our top pick for this list.
This design has just a few more features and functions that make it a great high end option.
For one thing, it’s compatible with both Pandora and Spotify, making it that much easier to enjoy music from your favorite streaming provider on the go. It’s also compatible with both Apple and Android devices,
This speaker system also works with USB cords, which means that you can charge your phone directly on this system. Plus, when your phone is plugged in the speaker system gives you hands-free calling directly through the speaker, without having to change any settings on your phone!
This receiver also features Mixtrax, a Pioneer exclusive that lets you play your audio library without any song breaks, complete with sound effects like a DJ is performing.
This receiver is also reasonably compact. That means it works in a wide range of dashes, and should work in even the smallest compact cars. Auto-switching settings make it easy to move between different sources and settings when you get a call.
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + High speed bluetooth connection + Compatible with apple and android devices + Easy installation + CD player + USB charging connection + Hands free calling design | – Navigating the different settings can take some getting used to |
3. Bluetooth FM Transmitter, Sumind Wireless Radio Adapter Hands-Free Car Kit
This model is a little different from the other sets we’ve looked at.
Instead of being a built-in receiver that turns your car speakers into bluetooth speakers, this is an adaptor that adds the functionality to your existing equipment without needing any additional install.
Like other bluetooth adaptors for your car, this setup is largely plug and play.
All you have to do is make sure you’re connected and using the right setting, and you’re ready to go.
This device works by transmitting the Bluetooth audio it receives on an FM radio band. It works anywhere there is a free FM band available, but it won’t override the signal from existing radio stations or other sources.
That means that you might have to change the channel on long roadtrips or anytime you’re driving between different station areas, but it’s not too bad to manage overall. If you’re driving on the highway a single radio band is usually good for 1-2 hours of travel. Sometimes the channel will last even longer if you’re not in an area with a lot of radio traffic to compete with the transmitter.
A 1.7 inch LED screen makes it significantly easier to see what settings you on and make changes compared to earlier models of this kind of transmitter. While these used to need a passenger in the car to make them most effective, this one is simple enough to be used by the driver safely.
Several USB ports, including a fast-charge connection, work with both Apple and Android devices and will automatically detect if the connected device is eligible for faster charging speeds.
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + Can charge your phone on the go + Plug and play design + Easy to use + LED screen for better accessibility + Several charging ports available | – Needs an available FM radio band to function |
4. 7 inch Double Din Digital Media Car Stereo Receiver
This built-in design is a great choice if you’re looking for a more modern fully-touch-screen design.
This kind of receiver is commonly used in more recent models of vehicle, from sedans to trucks.
It’s a great choice if you prefer screens to physical buttons, but it can mean a few extra steps in installation and your dash may not be designed for this kind of screen if you didn’t already have one.
On the other hand, installing this screen is a lot easier than trying to install a regular bluetooth receiver if your car came with a screen originally.
This design also gives you some additional functionality since it works well with both front and rear cameras.
This screen also gives you phone mirror link connection, which means you’ll see the same options on your dash screen that are on your phone. It’s great for when you’re using GPS or a directions program like Google Maps, and for answering and hanging up phone calls without too much difficulty.
It’s a lot safer than trying to look at your smaller phone screen while you’re driving.
The screen display is crisp and clear, and has great color, which means it is really easy to navigate the different menus. Plus, it’s got great audio processing, so your speakers will really be able to show off their full range.
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + Touchscreen design + Hands-free calling supported + Great replacement for broken screens + Relatively easy installation if you had a screen dash previously + Compatible with a wide range of audio formats + Phone mirroring technology | – Hard to install in a dash that isn’t designed for a larger screen |
5. Vintage Classic Bluetooth Car Stereo , FM Radio Receiver
This option is great if you’re looking for an upgraded sound system for your vintage car, but want to preserve the vintage appearance.
This receiver gives your Bluetooth connectivity, works as an FM radio receiver and gives you a USB and aux connection to help give your speakers a lot more versatility.
Like most of the other receivers on this list, this one isn’t really designed with CDs in mind. There is no built in player in this design, so if you want to still use CDs for some of your music you’ll need to get a seperate CD player.
Audio support includes MP3, WAV, and WMA music formats, so you’ll have a lot of compatibility with music players other than just your phone.
Since this design is also compatible with both Apple and Android, it’s also a good option for most smartphones.
This design is really great for maintaining the classic look of your car while still letting you upgrade for better performance.
| PROS (+) | CONS (-) |
| + Vintage appearance + Wide range of compatibility + High speed Bluetooth connection + USB and Aux compatible + Built in microphone for hands-free calling + Comes with a remote control | – Can be difficult to wire |
Our Top Pick: Alpine UTE-73BT Advanced Bluetooth Mech-Less Digital Media Receiver
Of all the options on this list this Bluetooth car speaker receiver is the most versatile and the most effective for the price. There are some other options that are better than the Alpine depending on your specific car type and needs, but this will work for the widest variety of vehicles.
It’s reasonably affordable price also makes this a great option for anyone whose looking for an upgrade, even if your car already has a built-in bluetooth receiver and speaker system.
It’s high sound quality and great Bluetooth connection speed help preserve the best possible audio quality for your music, phone calls, and all other audio media.
Final Thoughts On The Best Bluetooth Speakers for Cars
Choosing a great Bluetooth speaker for your car can be incredibly difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. All of these receivers work with the equipment already in your car, so if you’ve upgraded the speakers or installed an additional subwoofer system these receivers will work with that system.
All you need to do is install these Bluetooth receivers to turn your regular car speakers into bluetooth speakers. They’re easy to use and designed to be relatively easy to install.
Now that you know what the best bluetooth speakers for your car are, there’s just one thing left.
Enjoy your tunes!
