Best CD Car Radios

• Posted on Autos.com Editor
• in Aftermarket Parts
• on October 7, 2013

Choosing the best CD car radio for your car can be a tough decision. Like the selection of any component for a car entertainment system, the choice is subjective, and in the end, it has to satisfy what you want it to be.

So, one way to determine the best CD car radio for you is to consider products made by the top companies in the business: Kenwood, Pioneer, Sony, Alpine, JVC, Blaupunkt and Eclipse to name a few. Visit each manufacturer’s website to explore their line of CD radios. You will find that each company offers products ranging from plain, ordinary AM/FM radios with a CD player to multimedia units that play CDs, DVDs, and are Satellite Radio and HD Radio ready. There will also be a wide range of prices based on the features offered.

Choose a couple of units that fit your needs, and print out their information. Then do a search for reviews and ratings of each product on the Internet. Read the ratings and use the information you printed out to compare the different models.

Select a few products from your overall list or perhaps one product from each of the manufacturers. Visit a few car audio specialty retail stores that carry the particular products you are considering. Most car audio retail stores will have a display that allows you to evaluate the radios. Demo each radio, and evaluate the controls to determine which radio is the most comfortable for you to use.

Ask the salesperson any questions you might have about the units. For example, you may want to know what the salesperson thinks of the models you are considering. Ask whether any customers have had any issues with them and whether there have been any returns. Also ask if the unit can be upgraded in the future. You may only be interested in an AM/FM radio CD player at this point, but it’s good to know if the ability to play MP3s or if a Satellite Radio and/or an HD Radio receiver can be added down the road.

Consider what you have learned about each of the CD car radios on your list and select the one that fits your budget and best fulfills your expectations.
Some popular units you may want to consider in your search are:

• Pioneer — DEH-P800PRS, DEH P800BT
• Kenwood — KDC-138
• JVC — KD-S100
• Sony — DAV HDX589W, CDX GT620IP, Xplod CDX-GT630UI
• Alpine — CDA-9883
• Blaupunkt — New Orleans MP58