As you sit in a near-endless traffic jam, bumper to bumper, you’ll undoubtedly be in need of some in-car entertainment. Whether it be Motörhead or One Direction, music can make even the most tedious of journeys slightly enjoyable. With music streaming now a heavy-hitter and traffic jams going nowhere any time soon, it’s a good idea to look into the best in-car entertainment options.
In the past, in-car entertainment meant an AM/FM radio blasting away through a set of speakers, so basically anything more complex than a ringtone sounded like static. These older cars are prime candidates for adding in-car entertainment upgrades. After all, it’s not hard to add Bluetooth connectivity, DAB radio or Apple CarPlay to a car. Best of all, there’s no need to break the bank either; you can totally transform your audio experience with a relatively affordable set of speakers.
More modern cars have come a long way since these dark days of entertainment, but we’ve still found ways to improve your overall in-car entertainment experience, even if it’s only buying a tablet to keep children entertained on a long trip. We’ve even got you covered if you’re driving the most stripped-out track car that has an empty slot in the dashboard where the radio used to be, ensuring you can listen to Jazz FM in the comfort of your bucket seat. If you’d like to upgrade some of the stereo hardware in your car, we’ve ranked our favourite car stereo sets.
The best in-car entertainment options at a glance:
Pioneer DMH-A240BT – The best car stereo
Pure Highway 400 (DAB+/DAB) – The best DAB radio adapter
Anker Soundsync Bluetooth Receiver – The best hands-free Bluetooth device
The best in-car entertainment options in detail
The best car stereo
Pioneer also include WebLink, a service that offers a number of apps for streaming content (including video for when you're stationary), all displayed on a crisp 6.2" touchscreen display. Just remember that while this will fit any Double DIN car, trim pieces may need some minor finessing to get everything into place.
Pros
- Packed with great technology
- 13-band equaliser for customisation
Cons
- Why not buy a satnav?
| Phone connectivity | Yes |
| Colour touchscreen display | Yes |
| Adjustable | Yes |
The best DAB radio adapter
The stand-out feature is the addition of DAB radio, a form of radio that has better sound quality and way more stations than a standard AM/FM radio. Beyond that, the Highway 400 features Bluetooth connectivity, Spotify Connect and voice controls. It's an amazing in-car entertainment option for any car with an AUX slot.
Pros
- Great value
- Voice controls
Cons
- Lacking colour touchscreen
| Phone connectivity | Yes |
| Colour touchscreen display | No |
| Adjustable | Yes |
The best hands-free Bluetooth device
Think of it as a digital AUX cable, connecting your phone to your car's speaker system for hands-free phone calls and music streaming. It's really affordable, has a fool-proof design and really simple to set up, a must-have for anyone lacking Bluetooth in their car (so long as you have an AUX cable).
Pros
- Inconspicuous
- Great value
Cons
- No customisation possible
| Phone connectivity | Yes |
| Colour touchscreen display | No |
| Adjustable | No |
| Handsfree calls | Yes |
The best car speaker
Pros
- Great for quality audio upgrades
- Great value
Cons
- Bass response could be improved
| Frequency Response | 55 - 22000 Hz |
| Top-mount Depth | Top-mount Depth: 2-5/16" |
The best car subwoofer
Made from diecast aluminium and boasting 300W of power, this lightweight subwoofer is a quality item built here in the UK, comes with a wiring kit and has some sound deadening to stop any annoying rattles. The included remote control to adjust everything is just the cherry on top.
Pros
- Great quality audio upgrade
- Fantastic bass response
Cons
- Perhaps a little bit overkill
| Wattage | 300W |
| Dimensions | 280mm x 200mm x 75mm |
| Weight | 1.5Kg |
The best tablet for car journeys
Boasting an impressive 10.5-inch screen, 32GB of internal storage and a 1920x1200 resolution, it balances performance with a very reasonable price tag, perfect for keeping younger children entertained on long road trips. It also comes with Samsung's renowned build quality meaning it should survive a particularly arduous trip.
Pros
- Great value
- Lots of internal storage
Cons
- Not as capable as an iPad
| Screen size | 10.5-inch |
| Storage | 32GB |
| Weight | 508g |
The best audio option for a campervan
And that's just the start: the sound is projected 360 degrees, has a great Bluetooth range, and the speaker is IP67 rated (perfect for any rain or dust). Partner this with a runtime that can reach 24 hours if you're prepared to crank everything down a little, and the MEGABOOM can't be beaten for your next campervan excursion.
Pros
- Lots of power
- 360-degree projection
Cons
- Lots of power
| Screen size: | 10.5-inch |
| Battery life: | 20 hours |
| Weight: | 920g |
The best portable speaker
Most impressive of all is the clever carabiner design that makes this speaker super portable. If space is a real concern (and you don't want your speaker free to rattle about), clip this onto any surface and let it safely dangle.
Pros
- Light and portable
- Great value
Cons
- Might want something louder
| Battery life | 10 hours |
| Power output | 5W |
| Weight | 239g |
| Charging time | 3 hours |
The best in-car entertainment options: FAQs
Jargon Buster
Aux – The 3.5mm plug you plug headphones into. Not really found in new cars anymore, before the widespread adoption of USB, Aux ports were the easiest way to connect a phone to your car.
Bluetooth – A way of wirelessly connecting your smartphone to your car’s multimedia system.
DAB – Digital audio broadcasting is a form of radio broadcasting that uses a digital signal as opposed to AM/FM options. The sound quality will be better, and it’s not region dependent.
DIN – The standard measuring unit for a car radio size. A single DIN is 2×7″, while a double DIN is 4×7″. This standardised unit ensures aftermarket compatibility.
Infotainment – The big screen in the centre of most modern car dashboards. It delivers information to the driver (like sat-nav) and provides entertainment (music and radio).
Mirrorlink – Software that allows you to connect your smartphone to your car and control apps via your infotainment screen.
Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers and CAR, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. With an MA in Automotive Journalism, when he’s not testing buckets he can be found looking at old Porsches.
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