On long, boring drives, most of us reach for the stereo so we can pass the time belting out our favourite tracks.
But, while basically all cars have sound systems, only some of them 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 treads a fine line, with materials, styling and build quality that gives premium German rivals a run for their money, while costing noticeably less to buy. If you pick a higher trim level in your Mazda, you'll get an upgraded stereo 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) that has no place putting premium audio equipment 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 less 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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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 enhanced 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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Tesla – 14-speaker stereo
Rather than partner with a high-end stereo manufacturer, Tesla decided to outfit its popular Model 3 EV with a great audio setup from the factory. Standard Range cars have an eight-speaker audio system but mid-spec Long Range and top-end Performance models get a 14-speaker surround sound system plus a thumping subwoofer for improved bass. And, with so many Model 3s entering the used market, prices have fallen substantially compared to just a few years ago, meaning more buyers can benefit from this car's long list of talents.
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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. Their systems are available across the range, but the Lexus UX in top-spec Takumi guise is among the most affordable ways to get some Mark Levinson goodness in your ears.
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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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Volkswagen Polo – Beats Audio
Volkswagen has cottoned onto the fact that Polo buyers are often a bit younger and more into their tunes than Golf owners, and that’s why the brand introduced Beats Audio systems into some of its Polo models. Look out for Beats editions of the small hatchback – you can usually spot them by way of a thin red stripe on the bonnet. Inside, they get a smart red, grey and white interior, as well as a collection of speakers to put any gig venue to shame. This system has particularly thumping bass, so works best with modern pop, dance and rock music.
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