Are Bose Car Speakers Worth Adding as an Upgrade to Your Vehicle?
Bose car speakers have a reputation for premium audio quality. Knowing that a new car includes or offers a factory-installed Bose sound system is a selling point. Alternatively, some vehicle owners add these speakers as aftermarket accessories, especially drivers looking for higher-quality audio. You don’t have to drive around listening to bland audio. But is a Bose sound system really worth adding as an upgrade?
Are Bose car speakers good?
Top trim levels of specific vehicles include Bose Premium Audio-branded surround-sound systems. They create a concert-like sound inside the vehicle, using acoustic benefits with incredible clarity, high wattage, and impressive sound generation.
To deliver the highest sound levels, Bose works with automakers to tune the acoustics of the audio system to suit the specific cabin. Bose is a widely used premium audio brand, offering sound systems for nearly every automotive class, including a line dedicated to small vehicles like the Nissan Kicks.
Often, car audio systems are rated on the best application of that system. The Centerpoint Surround Sound System in the Infiniti QX80 is among the best Bose units. It isn’t the highest setup, but MotorTrend ranked it among the top eight premium audio systems. The 13-speaker system for the QX80 comes standard and offers a wide range of sounds but is less detailed than some higher-ranking systems.
What car brands use Bose audio systems?
Bose car speakers are found in a wide variety of vehicles across many brands. They include the following:
- Buick
- Chevrolet
- Cadillac
- Fiat
- GMC
- Honda
- Hyundai
- Infiniti
- Kia
- Mazda
- Nissan
- Porsche
Some automakers install Bose car speakers in the base models, while others offer premium systems as part of the higher trim packages. For instance, the Mazda CX-5 comes with a standard six-speaker audio system, but once you reach the CX-5 2.5 S Premium trim, a 10-speaker Bose audio system is included.
Does an upgraded sound system add value to a car?
Premium audio systems in higher trim levels add value to those vehicles, but that added value has more to do with the entire package than just the audio system. For the most part, an upgraded sound system doesn’t add value to a car, whether it comes with the vehicle from the factory or is added as an aftermarket accessory.
When can an upgraded sound system add value to a car? Typically, an audio system adds value only when a used-car shopper is searching for a specific upgraded unit. That generally happens only when an owner is selling a car with an aftermarket premium sound system.
Bose car speakers provide excellent sound quality and can turn a car into a concert hall, but they don’t add significant residual value to a vehicle. Still, these speakers can be worth the cost as an upgrade and provide years of enjoyable driving, thanks to crisp, clear music.
