For decades, Kenwood and Pioneer have been two of the most popular and successful car audio brands on the planet, and with good reason. For starters, both electronics brands offer high-quality car audio systems and components across a range of price points. And both Kenwood and Pioneer have embraced technological advances in car stereo and entertainment systems, at times being at the forefront of innovation. When it comes to consumer awareness, Pioneer may have the edge. But when it comes to quality, is Kenwood better than Pioneer? 

Kenwood VS Pioneer - Comparable histories

Both Pioneer and Kenwood are Japanese audio manufacturers with histories nearly as long as the automobile itself. Pioneer first launched as a speaker manufacturer way back in 1938. Kenwood followed in 1946, specializing in amateur, 2-way radios. Both companies quickly found a niche in car audio radios and speakers, and both have made names for themselves, worldwide, over the past half century. When it comes to brand recognition, Kenwood may not be better than Pioneer, but it’s pretty close.

Kenwood VS Pioneer - Single DIN receivers

For decades, the base car audio unit is what they call the single DIN receiver. All this means, is the car stereo receiver fits into the standard 2- x 7-inch slot found in every car’s dashboard. When it comes to single DIN receivers, Kenwood is better than Pioneer in the sense it offers a greater breadth of options. At roughly the same price point, Kenwood offers single DIN car stereo receivers with options to suit your various needs. You’ll find models with or without: CD players, HD radio, Sirius XM satellite radio, Amazon Alexa voice control, the ability to play lossless audio digital formats, internet radio, and iPhone/Android smartphone compatibility. Most Kenwood single DIN receivers are Bluetooth compatible, and in the case of the popular KDC-BT282U, you can find a 13-band graphic equalizer for greater control over your audio output.

While Pioneer offers similar options at a comparable price point, it offers fewer models to choose from, making it less likely to find your preferred range of features. However, at the extreme high end, Pioneer offers innovative single DIN receivers including the DMH-WT8600NEX — models that fit into the single DIN slot, yet also provide a pop-out touchscreen display usually only found in double-DIN models. 

Kenwood VS Pioneer - Double DIN receivers

For dashboards that can fit them, all the best car receiver options these days are double-DIN — meaning double the height of a single-DIN slot at 4- x 7-inches. These have taken off in popularity since the advent of smart-phone compatible touchscreens that truly brought car audio into the 21st century. 

As one might expect, these models are inherently higher end, and stack most desirable modern features, including Bluetooth and smartphone compatibility, lossless audio playback, plus HD and satellite radio compatibility. They also tend to offer video camera connectivity, most commonly employed as rear view cameras now standard in all new car models. Pioneer is known for exceptional quality across all its double-DIN models. But again, Kenwood is better than Pioneer in this category, by a hair, in that it likewise offers a better range of models at the lower price point. However, Kenwood truly proves itself at the high end of the double-DIN market, with the Kenwood Excelon Reference DMX1057XR, a top tier double-DIN model offering a large, 10.1-inch video display, compared to the 6.7-inch standard.

Make your best car receiver choice with Car Audio City

Whether you decide Kenwood is better than Pioneer, or vie-versa, you’ll find many quality options for your car stereo upgrade when you pay a visit to Car Audio City. Contact us today to find out which brand is best for you