Best 4-Inch Car Speakers of 2024, Tested and Reviewed (2024)

Choosing a set of car speakers is actually pretty difficult when you’re limited in terms of room. This is why picking the best 4 inch car speakers is a task that’s oftentimes trickier than you’d think.

That being said, there are some options that are absolute champs in terms of audio quality and performance, and if you choose carefully, you won’t even spend that much money either.

Best 4-Inch Car Speakers Buying Guide

To make things even better for you, below we’ve got five of the best 4 inch car speakers that you can get. There’s a bit of variety in terms of brands, and there are different price points for you to choose from.

In the end, you’ll be able to easily pick the ones that suit your needs best and just get them. Let’s not waste any more time and dive into the details, shall we?

1. NVX VSP4: Best Budget 4-Inch Car Speaker

NVX has some really great products in their lineup, but the 4 inch pro-grade VSP4 is a great choice for people looking to get a high-quality set of speakers, without spending too much.

They come in a set of two, so you can buy more if you need them, and while they do come in larger sizes as well, we’ll be focusing on the 4 inch model.

First things first, this is a set of 2-way, coaxial car speakers. This means you’re getting a bass woofer and a tweeter to take care of the high frequencies.

While this isn’t ideal, and sometimes a midrange driver is a good idea, too, it’s a great way to make these speakers more affordable. And if you’re upgrading from your car’s built-in speakers, this is still going to be a massive upgrade in just about any way.

The 25mm silk dome tweeter gets you clarity like you wouldn’t expect at this price point, and the cone is made of polypropylene, which is strong and lightweight.

This gets you a very accurate low end of the spectrum. And to make things even better, you get a Y30 Ferrite motor structure, so each tone is crisp and tight.

The RMS power of the VSP4 is 60 watts per pair, and with a peak power of 120 watts per pair, you won’t need too much to drive these, which is nice.

NVX paid attention to durability as well, which is why you have a stamped steel basket to increase the durability and overall life expectancy of the speaker.

To add to this, you’re looking at a high-temperature TSV Voice Coil which helps dissipate heat and get it away from the speaker.

While the sound quality itself might not be the absolute best, you’re looking at a pair of very efficient 4 inch car speakers. A great choice if you’re budget-oriented.

Pros:

• Excellent price
• Easy to install
• Good build quality

Cons:

• Audio quality could be better
• Not very powerful

2. DS18 EXL-SQ4

DS18 takes things up a notch with the EXL-SQ4.

Even though there are definitely cheaper models out there, if you’re a person that believes in spending a bit more to get much better quality, these should certainly be on your shortlist. So, are they worth the somewhat high asking price? Let’s find out.

First things first, this is a two-way speaker, so again, you’re getting a tweeter and a woofer. The woofer cone is made of glass fiber and the surround is of rubber – both durable materials that last a good while, and a combination that offers you great low-end sound.

The 21mm tweeter, on the other hand, has a neodymium magnet and a PEI dome, so sound quality shouldn’t be an issue here.

While commonly with two-way speakers there is a very noticeable lack of midrange, DS18 has managed to take care of that, and you won’t notice it with the EXL-SQ4.

It’s like they have a third midrange driver, they’re that good. Even if you take away everything else about them they’re worth the price.

Now, it’s also worth mentioning that these are some pretty powerful speakers. While they’re rated at 60 watts RMS power, and come with a 3-ohm sensitivity, their maximum power is 260 watts.

This is quite honestly a lot, and not something you’d expect from speakers at this price point, and at this size.

However, note that if you want to make the most of them, you’ll need a decent amplifier running them, one that can take the load.

But if you’ve got one, oh boy are they good. They aren’t just a replacement for your stock speakers, they’re a replacement for that replacement, too, and they’re probably better.

If we’re being honest, many will say that it’s not really worth it to spend this much on a pair of two-way speakers, but we’d disagree. Pair that sound quality with excellent build quality and durability, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

Pros:

• Very powerful
• Good sound quality
• Attractive design

Cons:

• Require a good amp to run well

3. Alpine S-S40: Best 4-Inch Car Speakers For Value

There isn’t a person who’s looked at car audio and didn’t come across Alpine at some point. The brand is synonymous with quality sound equipment, which is why their S-S40 speakers are one of our top picks when it comes to the best 4 inch car speakers.

They’ve got a lot going for them, and even though they’re far from being the cheapest, for many they’ll be the perfect option.

To begin with, you probably expect this by now but you’re looking at two-way coaxial speakers. They come with a poly-mica cone woofer with a rubber surround, and a ¾” silk dome swivel-mount tweeter.

What does this mean?

Well, basically it means that someone at Alpine wanted to really make sure these sound as good as possible.

The optimized airflow design makes a difference as well, and similar to some other models, you’ll feel like there is a midrange, and not just a tweeter and woofer.

Alpine has also added a very low distortion strontium magnet, which deals with distortion very well, something that can’t be said for many other speakers at this price point.

The design is made to be durable. From the stamped steel basket frame to the overall very well built design, these are speakers you’ll buy once, and use for years to come. You should keep one thing in mind, though, you’re looking at some rather hungry speakers.

The RMS power is at 90 watts per pair, but peak power is 280 watts per pair, which is nothing to joke with if you want to take advantage of these like they were meant to be used.

At the end of the day, yes, to some extent, you do pay a slight premium for the Alpine name.

But if they fit within your budget, and you don’t mind paying that premium, you’re looking at a pair of excellent speakers overall.

Whether you’re still using the stock speakers, or you’re going for an upgrade, the S-S40 come with great sound quality, excellent durability, and plenty of power.

Pros:

• Reputable brand
• Excellent sound quality
• Pretty powerful

Cons:

• You pay a slight premium for the name

4. Kicker KSC404

Kicker does have somewhat of a reputation when it comes to powerful speakers, and if you’ve heard of that, the case of the KSC404 is no different.

This is a pair of very powerful, and very good sounding two-way coaxial speakers, and while they aren’t cheap by any means, they’re an excellent choice if you want something a bit more premium. So, what do you get for the price?

Well, to begin with, while pricey, these are still two-way speakers. However, the tweeter is ½”, while the woofer is 4”, and you’re looking at a rated impedance of 4 Ohms.

Pair this with continuous power handling of 75 watts, and a peak power of 150 watts, and you’re looking at a pair of very powerful speakers.

How do they sound? Phenomenal. You’ve got silk dome tweeters and a polypropylene woofer with tough rubber surrounds for an overall durable speaker that sounds really, really good. You’ll get that deep, extended bass, and the highs are as smooth and crisp as they get.

What’s interesting is that you won’t really feel like you’re missing any midrange, because Kicker did a great job with the tuning.

The lows are powerful, but not too powerful, something that has been a complaint from Kicker users for a while now. The highs are clear and accurate, and you get brilliant tone reproduction even in the midrange, where you don’t really have a dedicated midrange speaker.

As far as the design goes, you’re looking at a thin-mount design that’s pretty easy to fit behind factory grilles. But if you don’t like what you have, you get grilles so you can go with them as well.

They look pretty good. Everything is made to be as durable as possible, and it’s obvious that Kicker wants you to use these for years to come, not replace them in a few months.

Yes, people will complain about the price, but quite honestly, if you care about quality, great sound reproduction, and a good design, the price shouldn’t be that much of an issue.

Pros:

• Very easy to install
• Highly durable design
• Good sound with extended bass

Cons:

• Not exactly the most wallet friendly
• Grilles don’t look too good

5. Rockford Fosgate P142: Best 4-Inch Full Range Car Speakers

Rockford has a reputation for high-quality speakers, and the P142 Punch is their take on a 4”, 2-way speaker that gets you the best possible audio quality.

This is the most expensive set on our list, so do they justify the price, and are they the best 4 inch car speakers? Let’s find out.

First things first, as we mentioned, these are two-way speakers. Rockford wanted to make sure they’re an easy upgrade over your factory speakers, without any complications during installation.

However, they come with a PEI dome tweeter that has a built-in crossover, as well as an injection-molded polypropylene cone with rubber surround. Not only do you get a pretty crazy output, but the frequency reproduction is astonishingly good, too.

Rockford themselves say this is meant to be a high-quality factory replacement, and we’re inclined to agree with that, completely.

One thing that not a lot of people are fans of is power handling – you’re looking at 30 watts RMS and 60 watts peak. Many of the competitors’ models come with higher power ratings, which is definitely something to take note of.

As far as the build quality goes, the Fosgate 142 Punch comes with a FlexFit basket design. Instead of single screw-sized holes, here you get slots that allow you to slightly adjust the speaker itself.

This gets you a lot of versatility because OEM mounting holes aren’t always identical, and getting things right is actually very important.

If you’ve ever struggled to mount a pair of speakers, you probably know the struggle. And overall, they’re built very, very good, with no design flaws or things that could become a problem down the road. They’re meant to be durable.

Aside from power handling, they do come with one other major flaw – price. But when you factor in the fact that you’re looking at a premium-built product that sounds better than most, if not all, competition, that price becomes very much worth it.

Pros:

• Premium in every possible way
• Don’t require a powerful amp to run
• Sound quality is impeccable

Cons:

• Not very powerful
• Very expensive

Best 4-inch Speakers: FAQs