Do I need a premium sound system in a new car?
You’re sitting in a showroom. The salesperson taps the center screen, and music begins to flow gently from the speakers. With deep bass and crisp treble, the entire cabin transforms into a mobile concert hall. A smile appears on the salesperson’s face. “This is a thousand-dollar upgrade option, available for just a little extra.”
Suddenly, you start to hesitate: Do I really need this?
Importantly, this question isn’t troubling Chinese consumers alone. From Sydney to Munich, from Los Angeles to Bangkok, car buyers around the world are facing the same dilemma. And ultimately, the answer is far more complex than you might think.
Part One: The True Cost of Premium Audio
First, let’s confront the most practical question: How much does a premium audio system actually cost?
In the UK market, upgrading to the Harman Kardon system in a Volkswagen Golf costs £630 (about $790). For the BMW i4’s 17-speaker system, it’s £850 (around $1,070).
Across the Atlantic, U.S. consumers face similar choices. Opting for the Burmester 4D surround sound system in a Mercedes E 350 costs $1,030. It’s a 17-speaker setup with considerable power.
But that’s not the ceiling.
If you want the ultimate experience, the Cadillac Escalade offers an extravagant 40-speaker AKG system—complete with speakers built into the rear headrests. However, that requires purchasing the Executive Second Row package, at a price far exceeding a standalone audio system.
Turning to the used car market, an original Bang & Olufsen premium speaker system for a BMW X5 is listed by a seller in Latvia for $1,396.95. What’s more, that doesn’t even include cross-ocean shipping or destination-country tariffs.
Thus, the numbers are clear: premium audio is no small expense. The real question is: Is it worth it?
Part Two: Expert Blind Tests Reveal the Truth
UK automotive authority Auto Express recently conducted an intriguing experiment. They brought in professional audio expert Shaun O’Connor, blindfolded him, and had him test the standard and premium audio systems of three popular models.
The results, it turned out, were surprising.
In the case of the Kia Sportage: The standard 6-speaker system was described by the expert as “quite muddy, blending all sounds together.” Moreover, the low frequencies were noticeably cut off at high volumes. By contrast, the upgraded Harman Kardon system was significantly better, with the expert praising it as “really good.” But here’s the catch: this system is only available as part of the GT-Line S package, which costs an extra £5,200 (about $6,550). So what was the expert’s verdict? “No, absolutely not worth the price difference.”
Regarding the Volkswagen Golf: The standard 7-speaker system performed so well that the expert initially thought there was a subwoofer hidden under the seat. The low-end punch was powerful, and with electronic music, it even outperformed the premium system. However, during the climax of a classical piece, the standard system showed slight distortion. In contrast, the premium system excelled here, with noticeably better clarity. The upgrade cost: £630 (about $790). Consequently, the expert’s advice: If you’re an audiophile, it’s money well spent; if you primarily listen to the radio or pop playlists, the standard system is more than sufficient.
As for the BMW i4: This was the most surprising result. The standard 7-speaker system performed so well that the expert repeatedly thought he was listening to the premium system. It delivered balanced sound across all frequencies, only sounding slightly strained at very high frequencies. The 17-speaker premium system was indeed “exceptional,” with tweeters in the A-pillars aimed at the driver creating an immersive experience. Yet the expert still noted: “For 90% of people, the standard system is all you’ll ever need.”
All things considered, the conclusion is clear: The marginal benefits of premium audio are far smaller than manufacturers want you to believe.
Part Three: Who Is Breaking the Old Rules?
The audio strategy of traditional luxury brands has long followed a clear logic: good sound = expensive option = status symbol.
Now, that logic is crumbling.
So where are the disruptors coming from? The answer is Chinese car manufacturers.
While legacy automakers cling to the “pay more for prestige” approach, Chinese new-energy brands like Zeekr, NIO, and AITO are leading a global movement toward feature equalization. Indeed, they are redefining the market with chinese cars for sale that challenge conventional pricing models.
Their approach is refreshingly straightforward.
To start, they make premium audio standard. Systems with over 20 speakers and support for 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos now appear on Chinese-brand models priced around 200,000 RMB (approximately $28,000). This was unimaginable in the era of fuel vehicles.
Additionally, they redefine “luxury audio.” NIO has enlisted Rolls-Royce’s go-to sound tuner; the AITO M9 features Huawei SOUND, enabling zone-specific audio control across the cabin via a speaker matrix; Zeekr partners with the UK brand Naim to integrate high-power systems into the vehicle at highly competitive prices.
Furthermore, they replace badges with ecosystems. Chinese brands no longer just tell you, “This is a branded audio system.” Instead, they let you access lossless music libraries from Huawei Music or NetEase Cloud Music directly, pairing the sound with ambient cabin lighting and seat vibrations to create a contextual auditory experience.
So what does this mean?
Put simply, it means you no longer need to pay a premium of thousands of dollars for that badge.
In the Australian market, for instance, Chinese brands captured a 22.4% market share in January 2026, a year-on-year surge of 77%. In Spain, Chinese brands hold a 12.5% share, with 9,169 vehicles sold in a single month. Meanwhile, in Germany, one Chinese new-energy brand sold 2,629 units in January, a tenfold year-on-year increase, overtaking an American brand locally for the first time.
Behind these numbers are rational choices made by global consumers: they’re voting with their orders, telling the market—I no longer accept hardware premiums. And this, ultimately, is the core value that chinese cars for sale bring to consumers worldwide.
Part Four: So, Do You Actually Need It?
Let’s strip away the marketing jargon and get back to your real-world scenario.
You need premium audio if—
- If you commute for over an hour daily.
- If you subscribe to a lossless music platform.
- If you can tell the difference between a 128kbps and 320kbps MP3.
- If you spend more time in your car than in your living room.
For you, that $790 (Volkswagen Golf upgrade) or $1,070 (BMW i4 upgrade) isn’t an expense—it’s an investment.
You don’t need premium audio if—
- You mainly listen to the radio, podcasts, or stream TikTok through your phone.
- Your commute is under 30 minutes.
- You often have noisy kids in the car.
- What matters to you is whether the navigation instructions are clear, not whether the bass is deep.
In that case, feel free to stick with the standard system. After all, the BMW i4’s standard setup was good enough to fool an expert into thinking it was the premium version. You won’t miss out.
You need to listen carefully during test drives—
Don’t just look at the badge on the speaker grille. Turn off the demo track the salesperson plays. Instead, connect your phone and play the songs you usually listen to. Roll down the windows, hit the highway, and hear how much of the system’s performance remains under road and wind noise.
That’s the only test that matters.
Conclusion: The Era of Rational Consumption Has Arrived
Now, back to the original question: Do you need premium audio?
The answer is simple: If you truly needed it, you wouldn’t be asking this question. If you’re asking, you probably don’t need it.
That’s not a criticism. On the contrary, it’s a sign of rational consumption making a comeback.
