How Do I Tell What Size Stereo Will Fit in My Car?

Are car stereo sizes universal?

Many years ago, car stereos were pretty much the same size. Later, car manufacturers started getting creative with the size of the radio or touchscreen, and the shape changed. For example, some radios taper from top to bottom, while others sit almost flush with the car's dashboard. Recent models have large screens that can display all of the vehicle's information—from the current speed to the display of Android Auto/Apple CarPlay.

What is the difference between Single-DIN and Double-DIN stereos?

A single-DIN radio comes in at about 2” in height and 7” in width. Depth can vary greatly depending on whether or not a CD player is built into the unit in question. These stereos will usually have a small display for music information, the current time, etc. They also almost always have a volume knob on the left side of the front face for convenient volume control.

A double-DIN radio measures in at about 4” in height and 7” in width. These larger radios are generally available in two configurations: a more traditional approach which means a simple display surrounded by buttons that are used to control specific functions of the stereo or a touchscreen where the screen covers most of the front of the unit and is generally accompanied with a few “important” buttons such as volume, track back and forth, etc. for easy access to important settings.

Is there a simple way to know which type of car stereo will fit my car?

Brands like Onecarstereo have car audio systems for almost all car models. You can definitely find the model that belongs to your car here. You just need to contact their staff.

What are the different car stereo size options?

As we spoke about earlier, there are two different radio sizes: single-DIN and double-DIN. However, these are the chassis sizes (aka what will be installed into your vehicle’s current radio area).

As features like navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto continue to gain popularity, touchscreens have become the go-to models, since a touchscreen is required to use these conveniences. Most touchscreens are a double-DIN chassis with a 6” to 7” screen attached to the front of the unit. There are some units available that feature a single-DIN chassis, but have a double-DIN screen attached to the front of it.

Some of these single- and double-DIN options can have a large touchscreen (think anywhere from an 8” to a 10” screen) that attaches to the chassis for a large, floating-tablet like design. These larger screens not only look incredible, the extra real estate in that screen size displays more information that is pertinent to your entertainment or navigation options. One must exercise a little caution when considering something like one of these units – you would want to ensure that the larger screen isn’t blocking something you need to access readily (think HVAC controls, for example).