A speaker sits in the seat of a vehicle.

To find the right speakers that fit your car, you need to think of the type of speaker you’re looking for, the size of the speaker, the sound quality, and how much you’re looking to spend. All of this has to revolve around what will fit your vehicle as well.

When looking for a stereo system to amp up your car’s sound quality, finding speakers that fit your car will make speaker installation quick and simple. Our team has put together this informational guide to help make choosing the best car speakers easier for you.

Speaker Sizes

An array of car speakers.

Car speaker sizes are often categorized and grouped according to their measurements. While car speakers will be close to the listed measurement, the genuine size of each speaker depends on the manufacturer’s design, making speaker adapters especially useful if you want to replace your factory speakers in the near future. This section breaks down the differences between car speaker sizes so you know what to look for and which speakers will be the best fit for your vehicle moving forward.

Differences Between Speaker Sizes

Highlighting the different car speaker sizes and the main qualities of each speaker system will hopefully give you a better idea of what speakers you’re looking for so you can focus solely on finding the right speakers to fit your car and replace factory speaker systems

3.5-Inch Speakers

3.5-Inch speakers are some of the most common audio speakers you’ll find for cars. They produce high-range sounds and are more compact than other replacement speakers. These speakers might be best for smaller cars because they consume less power, with an average power handling range between 15.0 to 30.0 watts.

While these speakers provide high-quality audio with high- and mid-range audio waves, the smaller cone size affects the bass sounds. However, these speakers are generally the most cost-effective.

4-Inch Speakers

4-inch speakers deliver high- and mid-range audio waves. These might be the right choice if you don’t care for heavy bass sounds. However, if your vehicle has enough installation space, these speakers can be paired with larger speakers if desired.

These speakers will most often be installed in your car’s dashboard since they’re smaller in size. Power handing generally ranges from 25.0 to 45.0 W. They’re also available in various styles including woofers, component speakers, and coaxial speaker arrangements with tweeters and woofers.

5.25-Inch Speakers

5.25-inch speakers provide a better mid-range bass sound than the two prior speaker sizes, although they’re still relatively small in size. You’ll likely install these in your car doors, more commonly your rear door panels if applicable. 

This speaker size is affordable and small while still offering good sound quality. You can also enhance the speaker’s audio by combining them with tweeters and woofer cones. While your vehicle may not be large enough to accommodate the addition of larger speakers, there are speaker adapters that can enhance sound quality without tweeters and woofers.

6-Inch and 6.5-Inch Speakers

Both 6- and 6.5-inch speakers are available in coaxial speaker designs, although 6.5-inch sizes are more common. These speakers are great for producing mid-bass and mid-range sounds to get a lower-end bass. 

These speakers are commonly installed and found at the front door of your vehicle. They offer a versatile audio experience, but some models can have sound distortion when playing music at higher volumes.

4-By-6-Inch Speakers

4-by-6-inch speakers are fairly common in most vehicles because they offer good sound quality without breaking your budget. Installing these speakers with a subwoofer gives you more control across varying frequencies to optimize your listening experience. Even without additional car subwoofers, these speakers seem to deliver a consistent, high-quality audio experience. 

Regarding installation and where these speakers fit in a vehicle, they’re sometimes installed in the dashboard of your vehicle, which can affect bass sounds. It’s important to note that in some vehicle models, these factory speakers are installed with a grille, which you’ll have to remove in order to properly install new speakers and get a better audio sound. 

5-By-7-Inch Speakers

5-by-7-inch speakers are found in the rear side panels, often in shorter vehicles like a sedan or a hatchback. They have a power handling range between 30.0 and 50.0 W, offering a good bass sound. 

These speakers are not most people’s go-to replacement speakers because they’re less available and less compatible with many vehicles, sometimes requiring adapters. However, adapters are easy to come by and these speakers can then be installed in place of a 6- or 6.25-inch speaker.

6-By-8- and 6-By-9-Inch Speakers

6-by-8- and 6-by-9-inch speakers are a few of the larger car speakers available. They offer good air circulation due to the oval-shaped cones amplifying bass sounds even without a subwoofer. These speakers are especially favorable because they can be installed in pre-designed speaker enclosures if your vehicle has no speaker openings, making them easy to install and get set up in your vehicle. 

4-By-10-Inch Speakers

4-by-10-inch speakers are solely designed for larger trucks and SUVs because of the longer horizontal measurement, taking up the majority of space for sound systems in your dashboard. These speakers offer good midrange audio but don’t provide great bass sounds. However, the crisp audio might be enough without additional speakers to complete your car audio system.

The size of these speakers, similar to the 5-by-7-inch speakers, is less common to find. If you think these speakers are for you and you own a larger car, you may need to go straight to a car stereo company or store, or potentially your car dealership.

Determining Your Car’s Factory Speaker Sizes

Car speakers on a dashboard.

Pinpointing the size of your car’s factory speakers can be difficult because many manufacturers don’t follow the same size ranges you see on aftermarket sites. Factory speakers are designed to work with your specific vehicle model. While a Toyota and BMW might both be able to fit the same set of aftermarket replacement speakers, they’re not going to have the same factory speakers, which can make it difficult to determine your car’s speaker sizes.

Keeping this in mind, you’ll want to locate all speakers in your vehicle. Sometimes, it’s hard to tell the size of your speaker if it’s inside or under a door panel, or if it has a grille installed on top of it. Many vehicles have different-sized speakers throughout the car, even between the front door and rear door. Measuring each location and taking the time to locate all the speakers you want to replace will give you peace of mind that you’re finding the right speakers that fit your car. 

What Car Speakers Fit My Car?: Bottom Line

Taking into account the different speaker sizes, highlighting the qualities of each speaker, where they’re often located, and what to keep in mind when replacing your factory speakers has hopefully given insight into finding the right speaker fit for your car. This guide is a tool for finding the right sound system. Learning about the various speaker sizes and identifying the difference between factory and replacement speakers will give you the knowledge to enhance your car audio system in the future.

Car Speakers: FAQ

*Data accurate at time of publication.