If you’re a music lover and you drive, then you know that your car speakers are a crucial piece of equipment.
Factory-installed speakers just don’t always cut it, which is why many drivers turn to aftermarket car speakers to get the sound they’re looking for.
Whether you’re a casual listener or an audiophile, new car speakers can make all the difference. Not only will they give you better sound quality, but they can also improve your driving experience on long trips.
There are many ways to improve your in-car entertainment experience. One of the most popular options is adding a set of 3.5” aftermarket car speakers, which can be installed at any time and provide several benefits that OEM or factory speakers cannot offer.
To help you make an informed decision about this purchase, we’ve compiled this detailed review of the 10 best 3.5-inch car speakers.
Whether you are an audiophile looking for great sound quality or a driver looking for something that will fit into your tight budget, we have something for everyone on this list! So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Best 3.5” Car Speakers – Quick Summary
If you have a busy schedule, this is a brief rundown of some of the top-ranked car speakers on our list.
1. Overall Best 3.5” car speakers: Infinity Kappa Perfect 300m – 3-1/2″ Component Midrange Speakers (Pair)
These speakers deliver excellent sound quality with crisp highs and clear midrange tones. They feature a sleek design that will look great in any car, and they handle extreme temperatures and road conditions.
2. Best Budget 3.5” Car Speakers: BOSS Audio Systems CH3220 Car Speakers
These are some of the best car speakers on the market today when it comes to affordability and quality. With crisp sound reproduction and excellent bass response, these speakers are perfect for any music lover on a budget.
3. Best Universal Fit Speakers: KICKER 43DSC3504 30W 2-Way Speakers Coax (Pair)
These bad boys deliver some serious sound, filling your car with rich audio that will make any journey more enjoyable. Plus, they’re designed to fit most vehicles. If you’re looking for big sound without any hassle with installation, look no further than the KICKER 43DSC3504 30W 2-Way Speakers Coax.
4. Best for Clear And Accurate Sound Output: Rockford Fosgate P132 2-Way Full Range Speakers
These little beauties offer stunning sound quality and clarity. Whether you’re hitting the open road or just jamming out in your own driveway, these speakers are sure to provide an amazing listening experience.
5. Average Pick: Jl Audio C2-350x 3.5-Inch 2 Way Speakers
[wptb id=3182]The Jl Audio C2-350x 3.5-Inch 2 Way Speakers offer great sound quality, durability, and value for your money-making them a smart investment for any audio enthusiast or driver.
10 Best 3.5-inch Car Speakers:
1. Rockford Fosgate P132 Punch 3.50″ 2-Way Full-Range Speaker (Pair)
Rockford Fosgate is a well-known and respected brand in the car audio industry. They design and manufacture some of the best quality speakers on the market, and their P132 Punch 3.50″ 2-way full-range speaker (pair) is no exception.
Whether you’re hitting the open road or want to crank up your favorite tunes, these Rockford Fosgate speakers will deliver! However, they are not so loud.
The Punch P132 speakers have a 4-ohm impedance, peak power rating of 40 watts, 20 watts RMS power handling, 120Hz – 22kHz frequency response, and 85 dB sensitivity.
Each of the speakers has a PEI dome tweeter with a built-in crossover that drives clear sound without consuming much power. The tweeter features an injection-molded polypropylene cone with a butyl rubber surround that ensures it produces nothing but accurate high-frequency reproduction.
These Rockford Fosgate speakers’ high-quality flexfit slot basket design allows for easy adjustments when installed by aligning them perfectly against the mounting holes on your car. However, they don’t fit all cars.
When you buy these speakers, they come fully equipped with all the mounting hardware you’ll need! Plus, Rockford Fosgate offers a one-year warranty on defects in materials or workmanship.
Benefits
- These speakers have low power consumption.
- Rockford has a one-year warranty on them.
- They feature sturdy, flexible construction.
- These speakers produce great sound and feature a built-in crossover.
Drawbacks
- They don’t fit all cars.
- These speakers aren’t very loud.
2. Jl Audio C2-350x 3.5-Inch 2 Way Speakers
If you’re looking for an affordable set of car speakers that will give you great sound quality, the Jl Audio C2-350x 3.5-inch 2 way speakers are worth considering.
With their ability to handle up to 25 W watts RMS power, these little gems can deliver impressive sound even when driving at high speeds. They’re perfect for drivers who appreciate high-quality music reproduction and distortion-free audio.
The Jl Audio C2-350x 3.5” 2-way speakers have a 4-ohm impedance. Each delivers a frequency response of 130 Hz – 22 kHz and 82dB sensitivity.
Thanks to their innovative design, they provide accurate midrange and highs, as well as accurate bass responses. This design includes 0.75″ silk dome coaxially mounted tweeters and precision-engineered polypropylene cones, with solid steel frame woofers. Also, they’re compact enough to fit into just about any vehicle.
Benefits
- This pair of speakers is very affordable.
- They have excellent construction that ensures durability.
- Their sound output is top-notch.
- They fit almost all cars.
Drawbacks
- None.
3. Infinity Kappa Perfect 300m – 3-1/2″ Component Midrange Speakers (Pair)
There are a few things you can’t do without when it comes to car audio. A decent set of midrange speakers is one of these. And if you’re searching for something to give your music a rich, full sound, the Infinity Kappa Perfect 300m car speakers are worth considering.
Featuring Infinity Kappa 3½” patented carbon fiber woofer cones combined with a polyimide silk dome tweeter, these speakers are capable of delivering impressive performance and distortion-free sound reproduction.
The Infinity Kappa Perfect speakers can handle up to 300 watts peak power and 75 RMS power. They put out a frequency response of 150 Hz – 10KHz, 82dB sensitivity, and 3.5 ohms impedance.
Additionally, they come with eight 1″ screws, 8-speed clips, and 2 adhesive-backed foam gaskets for mounting. The only downside to these speakers is that their wire clamps are inferior. Overall, the Kappa Perfect 300m is a top-notch midrange speaker that will make any car audio system sound better.
Benefits
- These speakers are excellent midrange speakers.
- They provide clear and accurate sound reproduction.
- They come with eight 1″ screws, 8-speed clips, and two adhesive-backed foam gaskets for straightforward mounting.
- Each of these speakers features a sturdy build with high-quality materials.
Drawbacks
- The wire clamps included in these speakers are terrible.
4. Hertz Dcx87.3 2-Way Car Speakers
Tone up your ride with Hertz! Hertz has always been a car audio brand known for its quality and innovative products, such as this DCX87.3 2-way car speakers.
These speakers are coaxial that combine a high-performance woofer and a neodymium tweeter with a unique PEI dome to provide an excellent sound that will delight any music lover. They sound impressive enough to shut out wind noise with all windows open. However, they will blow if you play them at a very high volume for too long.
The Hertz DCX 87.3 2-way car speakers have a peak power handling of 60 watts, 30 watts RMS, 4-ohms impedance, 21 to 130kHz frequency response, and a sensitivity of 92 dB. They have a fabric surround for broad excursion and resonance damping, as well as a water-repellent coated paper cone. In every configuration, the DCX 87.3 speakers will provide wide frequency response and excellent sound.
Hertz, the manufacturer, went to great lengths to ensure that the speakers will endure a long time while remaining reliable and conductive. They protected the DIN size basket by painting it with abrasion-proof dust paint, tin-plated high current terminals, and silver-plated lead wires. These speakers are easy to install and will improve your car’s audio system.
Benefits
- These speakers are well made.
- They produce decent sound at a moderately high volume.
- They are easy to install in any configuration.
- They are affordable too.
Drawbacks
- They will blow if played at high volume.
5. JBL GX302 2-Way GX Series Coaxial Car Audio Loudspeakers
JBL released their GX302 2-way GX series coaxial car audio loudspeakers in 2015, and since then, these speakers have been feeding the audiophiles’ ears with excellent sound. They are for anyone looking for an upgrade to their car audio setup.
With a peak power rating of 150 watts, 50 watts RMS power handling, 90Hz – 21kHz frequency response, and 89 dB, these speakers will deliver crystal clear sound.
The JBL GX302 2-way GX series coaxial loudspeakers have a HARMAN-exclusive tweeter deflector with an edge-driven soft dome tweeter and three-ohm voice coil for optimal power output. In these speakers, JBL combines the tweeter with the Plus One polypropylene woofer cone and rubber surround for clear sound reproduction & powerful bass response.
Additionally, the coaxial design helps to reduce distortion and ensure a smooth frequency response. However, their treble output is shrill and overbearing.
The JBL GX302 2-way coaxial loudspeakers are an excellent value for money. These speakers will fit most OEM speaker spaces in cars.
Benefits
- These 2-way speakers are inexpensive and offer excellent value for money.
- They are universally compatible and simple to install on most vehicles.
- JBL made them with high-quality materials.
- They deliver clear sound reproduction & powerful bass response.
Drawbacks
- They produce too sharp and overbearing treble.
6. Infinity Reference REF-3032CFX 3-1/2″ 2-Way Car Speakers (Pair)
The Infinity Reference REF-3032CFX 2-way car speakers (Pair) is one of the cheapest on our list. These speakers offer amazing sound quality, making them perfect for people who want to experience music the way it is meant to sound.
Thanks to their sleek design, they will look great in any car. With their balanced design and impressive 75W peak power, 25W RMS power handling, 3 ohms impedance, 91dB sensitivity, and 85Hz – 21kHz frequency response, these speakers deliver excellent sound reproduction.
Infinity Reference has used audiophile-grade edge-driven textile tweeters in this product line, which delivers smooth highs without fatiguing your ears or making you feel like they’re playing through loudspeakers at high volumes. The tweeters offer adjustable output levels to suit the installation location or the listener’s preference.
In addition, each of the speakers has Harman’s unique Plus One cone, which has an oversized speaker-cone surface area, resulting in enhanced sensitivity, improved low-frequency output, and precise sound reproduction.
The Infinity Reference REF-3032CFX speakers are easy to install (Plug and play). However, depending on your car, you may purchase the Metra connector.
Benefits
- These speakers are so affordable, and they deliver value.
- They feature well-built construction that ensures they last long.
- They are easy to set up in any car.
- These speakers will deliver excellent sound reproduction.
Drawbacks
- If you overpower them, they start to crackle and pop.
7. Pioneer TS-A878 2-Way Speakers
Pioneer has been a mainstay in the car audio industry for many years, and their TS-A878 3 1/2 inch 2-way speakers are perfect for those looking for great sound without breaking the bank.
These speakers feature an impressive 4-ohms impedance, 60 W peak power, 15 W RMS, frequency response of 60 Hz to 28 kHz, and 88dB sensitivity, ensuring that you will be able to hear all of your favorite music no matter what style it is.
Additionally, they incorporate a powerful carbon-graphite IMPP synthesized cone woofer and 1” Poly-Ether Imide dome tweeter to provide clear highs and deep lows, giving your music real depth and dimension.
Pioneer tailor-made these speakers to fit GM Ford and Volkswagen cars. You’ll get mounting hardware and an installation guide included in its packaging.
Benefits
- These speakers are very affordable.
- They come with mounting hardware and an installation guide.
- Pioneer custom-made them to fit GM Ford and Volkswagen vehicles.
- Their sound reproduction is laudable.
Drawbacks
- They don’t fit all cars.
8. KICKER 43DSC3504 30W 2-Way Speakers DSC35 DS35 Coax (Pair)
Kicker has always been a go-to brand for affordable and great-sounding car audio equipment. The 43DSC3504 coaxial speakers are no exception, delivering clear, balanced sound that is perfect for music lovers and travelers alike.
They’ve a shallow mount, so they’ll fit any vehicle’s door right away. Although, they rattle.
Featuring a 30-watt peak power and 15-watt power handling capacity, 80-20,000 Hz frequency response, 88 dB sensitivity, and an impedance of 4 ohms, they can easily handle not-so-demanding applications.
Kicker used stiff polypropylene cones and ribbed U-treated foam surrounds for these speakers to ensure durability. Plus, the included zero-protrusion PEI dome tweeters deliver clear, sharp sound.
Benefits
- These speakers fit all car’s doors.
- They are well-built for durability.
- Their sound output is clear and balanced.
- They are inexpensive and bangs for the buck.
Drawbacks
- These speakers tend to rattle.
9. BOSS Audio Systems CH3220 Car Speakers
BOSS Audio Systems is one of the most popular car audio brands with products that deliver quality while being affordable. If you’re looking for an audiophile-grade car speaker system that will give your music the depth and richness it deserves at a fraction of cost, their CH3220 model might be just what you need.
Suitable for drivers of all experiences, these speakers provide clear sound reproduction and accurate tonality, making them perfect for any music.
Each CH3220 speaker delivers 70 watts MAX, 35 watts RMS power handling, 100 Hz to 18 kHz frequency response, and 88dB sensitivity.
Their cones are made from polyurethane to offer great sound reproduction with the advantage of lasting long. Plus, they have a rubber surround to endure harsh use and abuse without much wear and tear.
BOSS Audio Systems equipped these speakers with a piezoelectric tweeter that resists overloads and has an electrical property that allows it to work with a crossover. What’s more, they’re easy to install but won’t fit all cars. Plus, they have a one-year warranty.
Benefits
- These speakers are the cheapest you can get that will offer you value for your money.
- They provide clear sound reproduction and accurate tonality.
- Each of the speakers has a sturdy construction that ensures longevity.
- There’s a one-year warranty on them.
Drawbacks
- They are too big for a lot of OEM car door speakers.
- They tend to blow up when played at their maximum volume for a while.
10. Skar Audio TX35 3.5″ 120W 2-Way Elite Coaxial Car Speakers (Pair)
The last 3.5” speaker on our list is the Skar Audio TX35 3.5″ 120W 2-way elite coaxial car speakers. Designed with audiophiles in mind, these speakers deliver professional-grade sound quality that will make your music listening experience better to an extent.
However, they don’t bring out all the details in a song.
The Skar Audio TX35 3.5″ 120W 2-way elite coaxial car speakers feature a high-quality 1” copper voice coil and a premium ferrite magnet.
A pair of these speakers will deliver 120 watts peak power handling and 60 watt RMS power handling. Each has a 4 ohms impedance, frequency response of 145 – 20kHz, and 84 dB sensitivity.
Skar Audio built these speakers with fiberglass cones and a solid TPE surround, making them exceptionally sensitive throughout a wide frequency range. They come with a 0.8” silk dome tweeter that offers rich, high-frequency clear sounds.
Thanks to their compact size, they will fit most cars, and they don’t need wiring harnesses, just spade connectors. Plus, with their coaxial design, you’ll get clear and distortion-free sound from all angles.
Benefits
- These car speakers’ sound output is decent and loud.
- Skar Audio made them from durable materials.
- They don’t need wiring harnesses to work.
- Their compact size makes them fit most cars.
Drawbacks
- These speakers don’t bring out all the details in a song.
Final Thoughts
The importance of aftermarket car speakers cannot be overstated. Whether you’re looking to replace old and worn-out factory speakers, or want to upgrade your system with a new set of high-performance speakers, the car speakers on our list will do the job.
Each of them will make whatever sound you’re listening to come alive with crystal clear highs and deep bass that makes any road trip more enjoyable. In conclusion, take some time to select from our list and purchase one that fits your budget and sound quality needs!