The spare tire subwoofer doesn’t occupy the space a normal car subwoofer does. So it definitely leaves a lot of free space into your car’s trunk.
Most of us don’t wanna attend any car audio competition; just want a bit more depth in our car audio sound. But having those spaces consuming subwoofers in the trunk is kind of a pain in the back. That’s why people nowadays look for a subwoofer that has the minimal bass accuracy but doesn’t eat up a lot of space. So, now we have this spare tire subwoofer that will be kept over the spare tire you have in the trunk and save a lot of space.
Here, we’ll introduce you to the best spare tire subwoofers based on their popularity, uniqueness, and bass accuracy. Two standout options in this category are the Cerwin Vega Active Powered Spare Tire Subwoofer and the Rockville RockGhost V2 Powered Car Subwoofer. Stay tuned to discover which of these will be the next upgrade to your car audio system!
Contents
- Our Top Picks: Reason to Choose These Products
- Top 5 Best Spare Tire Subwoofer Reviews: Choose The Best One for Your Car Audio System
- Things Determine a Quality Spare Tire Subwoofer
- FAQ
- 1. What is a spare tire subwoofer and how does it work?
- 2. Are spare tire subwoofers as powerful as traditional subwoofers?
- 3. How do I install a spare tire subwoofer in my car?
- 4: Do spare tire subwoofers affect the use of the actual spare tire?
- 5: What should I look for when buying the best spare tire subwoofer?
- 6. Are spare tire subwoofers good for all types of music?
- Conclusion
Our Top Picks: Reason to Choose These Products
Here, we have listed 5 of the best spare tire subwoofers from among many spare tire subwoofers, which are detailed below. Let’s dig into it.
Images | Product Name | Reason to Choose | Price |
 | Cerwin Vega Active Powered Spare Tire Subwoofer | Best for Fit on Spare Tire. If you need a sub on a preference of perfect fit on any spare tire, then Cerwin Vega should be at the top of the list. | |
 | JBL Basspro Hub | Best for Powerful Bass. It means this sub fits for spare tire yet it performs close to any full spec subwoofer. | |
 | MTX Audio RT8PT Universal Powered Subwoofer | Best for Filtering Frequencies. Filtering frequency is not new for spare tire sub, but this unit has taken the filtering to an exquisite level. | |
 | Rockville RockGhost V2 Powered Car Subwoofer | Best for Build Quality. It is made of aluminum outer frame and rubber coating on it, so continuous off-road bumps can’t even risk it’s robustness. | |
 | JBL 11" Passive Spare tire subwoofer | Best for RMS Power. 600 watts RMS power subwoofer means it can go more than 600 watts when needed. Pretty rare for a spare tire subwoofer to provide such power. |
Top 5 Best Spare Tire Subwoofer Reviews: Choose The Best One for Your Car Audio System
According to the reddit spare tire subwoofer and other spare tire subwoofer forum discussion, we’ve selected our top 5 spare tire subwoofers. Here we’ll keep our focus on the specifications, features, limitations of each spare tire subwoofer and the important overall review from verified users.
1. Cerwin Vega Active Powered Spare Tire Subwoofer
The CERWIN VEGA’s spare tire subwoofer is the all-in-one bass solution for every car audio enthusiast and additionally it saves the valuable space wherever you put it either on the spare tire or under the seat.
| Specifications | |
| Maximum Power Output | 600 watts |
| RMS Power | 250 watts |
| Impedance | 4 ohm |
| Woofer Diameter | 12 inches |
| Frequency Response Range | 30-150 Hz |
| Weight | 23 lbs |
| Dimensions | 14.2 W x 6.5 H x 6.5 D inches |
Features to Look at
High Power Handling: Already you know from the specification the maximum power output is 600 watts, though it won’t reach that level of power output all the time.
Packed Design: As it is among the best spare tire subwoofers for car audio list, it means this subwoofer fits in the spare tire and under the seat without any adjustments.
Constructed Material: It has used robust high quality material that withstand jolting of everydays driving.
Also this Cerwin Vega spare tire subwoofer ensures a crisp and deep base that will not disappoint you at all.
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Filters frequency down to 30 hz. | ● Wire cord for the remote to control the sub is too short. |
| ● Very slim fit. | |
| ● Comes with all necessary installment equipment screws. | |
| ● Can be louder than expected. |
Customer’s Point of View
No one expects something rattling and has so much louder bass when they look for a spare tire subwoofer. All want zero distortion and space saving and most of the users are happy about this matter for Cerwin Vega.
2. JBL Basspro Hub
If you want a powerful bass without sacrificing space the JBL spare tire subwoofer is the one you are looking for and also it neatly fits into the hub of your spare tire.
| Specifications | |
| RMS Power | 200 watts |
| Impedance | 2 ohm |
| Woofer Diameter | 11 inches |
| Frequency Response Range | 30-150 Hz |
| Weight | 17 pounds |
| Dimensions | 14.17 W x 6.5 H x 14.17 D inches |
Features to Look at
Material: The fiberglass material they use for building this JBL Basspro is very much robust and good to be installed on a spare tire.
Built-in Amplifier:It uses a 30 ampere fuse in it and the class-d design certainly draws less current from the car’s battery.
Protection: The unique kick and punch of JBL bass comes with current and temperature protection.
Remote Control: the wired remote control ensures you manually set the bass ready for having the best possible experience.
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Remote enables control gain, crossover point, phase etc. | ● Price is much higher. |
| ● Fits easily in any 15 inch spare tire. | |
| ● Minimal level of distortion even in maximum db. | |
| ● Fills all the missing low frequencies above 30 Hz. |
Customer’s Point of View
Most of the customers agreed, this thing is a beast and can rattle our brains if we want it to do. So no doubt it’s a good one.
3. MTX Audio RT8PT Universal Powered Subwoofer
The MTX Universal Powered subwoofer is not a spare tire subwoofer but it is compact in size and delivers bass like only MTX.
| Specifications | |
| RMS Power | 120 watts |
| Impedance | 2 ohm |
| Woofer Diameter | 8 inches |
| Frequency Response Range | 50 Hz and above |
| Weight | 20.8 pounds |
| Dimensions | 9.84 W x 9.84 H x 21.25 L inches |
Features to Look at
Integrated Amplifier: It holds an integrated amplifier in it so that whatever the db you are setting, it rarely distorts.
External Bass Control: It comes with an external bass control so that you can filter the frequencies.
Easy Installation: All you need is to connect the RC cables and keep the unit in the trunk. Tie down material comes with it too.
| Pros | Cons |
| ● Very well built. | ● You have to maintain a medium low speaker sound to hear the bass sound. |
| ● Does a good job for feeling the lower frequencies. | |
| ● Below 60 Miles per hour speed, still the bass sounds great. |
Customer’s Point of View
Most of the users find it very compact like a spare tire subwoofer, but it’s not louder than most of the users expected. Yet doesn’t miss any low frequencies.
4. Rockville RockGhost V2 Powered Car Subwoofer
The Rockville RockGhost V2 Powered car spare tire subwoofer keeps the trunk completely clutter-free and the innovative mounting design helps to mount it with any size of tires.
| Specifications | |
| Peak Power | 800 watts |
| RMS Power | 200 watts |
| Woofer Size | 11 inches |
| Frequency Response Range | 20 – 150 Hz |
| Weight | 20 pounds |
| Dimensions | 14.17 inches diameter x 4.92 height |
Features to Look at
Material: It is made of cast aluminium and has flexible rubber surround.
Distortion less: The RockGhost V2 produces clean deep bass without any distortion and sound gets transmitted cleanly all around the vehicle.
Built-in Amplifier: Obviously this powerful subwoofer offers built-in amplifier and additionally it offers PWM MOSFET power supply.
Package Includes: It comes with writing kits, remote to control the gain, phase etc and mounting hardware.
| Pros | Cons |
| ● The 11 inch subwoofer remains hidden from view. | ● It overheats sometimes due to high bass music. |
| ● It includes a Long wired dash remote. | |
| ● Auto turn on and turn off. | |
| ● Comes with protection for short circuit and thermal damage. |
Customer’s Point of View
The subwoofer is one of the Best spare tire subwoofer for cars in terms of build quality and its performance. Yet some users complained about faint bass.
5. JBL 11″ Passive Spare tire subwoofer
This JBL passive spare tire subwoofer can handle 600 watts RMS power, so you can have a clear idea how powerful this small compact unit is.
| Specifications | |
| RMS Power | 600 watts |
| Impedance | 4 ohm |
| Woofer Diameter | 11 inches |
| Frequency Response Range | 20 – 150 Hz |
| Weight | 30 pounds |
| Dimensions | 16.73 D x 16.73 W x 9.25 H inches |
Features to Look at
Material: The JBL BASSHUB 11” cone made of fiberglass and rubber surrounding.
Power and Impedance: The RMS power is 600 watts and the 4 ohm impedance has flexibility of choosing 2 ohm or 8 ohm impedance.
Enclosure: The enclosure is made of densely die-cast aluminum material for matching more low frequency and exposing the bass sound more efficiently.
| Pros | Cons |
| ● The size is fit for any spare tires. | ● The height is an issue, the floorboard of the trunk doesn’t seem flat over it. |
| ● Saves a lot of trunk space. | |
| ● Voice control feature. |
Customer’s Point of View
Rarely made anyone disappointed, most of them are so impressed by this spare tire subwoofer and its deep bass. And almost fits in every vehicle like car, SUV, jeep etc.
Things Determine a Quality Spare Tire Subwoofer
The spare wheel subwoofer basically saves the space inside the trunk or people keep it under the seat. So the priority is saving the space and then the bass. Otherwise people would like to sacrifice space for a good larger bass. Here we’ll let you learn about a few things about the spare tire subwoofer that ensure your subwoofer doesn’t compromise much.
Build Quality and Mounting
The material used to build the best quality spare tire subwoofer should be the one you look for. Look for something made of cast aluminium, so that it doesn’t weigh much and the rubber surrounding it will make the subwoofer non-slip. The build quality is important because when you keep it over the spare tire, any bump on the road will shake the tire even if you keep it in the trunk. So sometimes low build quality subwoofers get damaged due to the normal bumps on the road.
Moreover, always look for a subwoofer that has similar mounting holes to your spare tire that is very straightforward to mount. So whenever you will need the spare tire, you don’t need to take too much hassle.
Slim Fit
Well most of the best spare tire subwoofers are very slim fit, their height doesn’t even cross the height of the spare tire after placing them in the middle. But when you will try to have JBL BASS TUBE or anything better, it means when you don’t wanna sacrifice both the car’s trunk space and the bass quality, then you will require a slightly larger one in height like a JBL spare tire subwoofer which is completely okay, though some people don’t feel okay when the trunk plate over the spare tire doesn’t look flat because of the little more height of the spare wheel subwoofer.
So, do not forget to match heights of the both spare tire and spare tire subwoofer. Try to make sure the subwoofer is slim enough. Also the 10-12 inches spare tire subwoofers are mostly okay, if you exceed 12 inches, make sure your spare tire has that much space inside the frame.
RMS Power Rating
RMS power is the average power your subwoofer will draw from your power source. Hopefully you are not a very good bass enthusiast, so 150-250 is a good range of subwoofer RMS watt. Also 50-150 Hz frequency range is good enough.
But if you desire deep bass with much rattling, then you must go for higher RMS watt subwoofer and frequency range will be between 30-150hz.
Additional Things
From the spare tire subwoofer reviews, we already have learned that it is more about saving space and making your music experience better. It is not like you have to have the best bass for winning any competition. So we think for a spare tire subwoofer, you should go for a budget friendly one, which offers remote cables, RCA cable, mounting screws and a remote dial to change the gain, crossover, phase setting etc.
Read More: Cerwin Vega or JBL Spare Tire Sub: Which One Is The Best?
FAQ
1. What is a spare tire subwoofer and how does it work?
– A spare tire subwoofer is a compact, circular subwoofer designed to fit neatly inside the spare tire well of a vehicle. It saves trunk space while delivering deep, powerful bass. These subwoofers use specialized enclosures to maximize low-frequency output without compromising cargo capacity, making them ideal for drivers who want strong audio performance with a discreet installation.
2. Are spare tire subwoofers as powerful as traditional subwoofers?
– Modern spare tire subwoofers are engineered to deliver bass performance comparable to traditional box-style subwoofers. While they may not reach the extreme output of oversized enclosures, they provide clean, punchy low frequencies suitable for most music genres. Their design balances compact size with efficient power handling, making them a practical solution for everyday drivers who value both audio quality and trunk space.
3. How do I install a spare tire subwoofer in my car?
– Installation usually involves placing the subwoofer into the spare tire cavity, connecting it to the amplifier, and securing wiring to the head unit. Many models feature built-in amplifiers, simplifying setup. While DIY installation is possible for enthusiasts with basic car audio knowledge, professional installation ensures optimal performance. Always check compatibility with your vehicle’s spare tire dimensions before purchasing.
4: Do spare tire subwoofers affect the use of the actual spare tire?
– Most spare tire subwoofers are designed to fit inside the wheel cavity without interfering with the spare tire itself. However, depending on the model and vehicle design, you may need to remove the subwoofer to access the spare. Manufacturers prioritize convenience, so many units are lightweight and easy to remove if needed during emergencies.
5: What should I look for when buying the best spare tire subwoofer?
– When choosing the best spare tire subwoofer, consider power output (watts RMS), frequency response, built-in amplifier options, and compatibility with your vehicle’s spare tire size. Decide whether you prefer plug-and-play models or those requiring external amplification. Trusted brands like Pioneer, JBL, and Kenwood are popular choices, offering reliable performance and compact designs. Reading customer reviews and checking installation requirements ensures you select the right model.
6. Are spare tire subwoofers good for all types of music?
– Yes, spare tire subwoofers are versatile and perform well across genres. They deliver strong bass for hip-hop and EDM, while maintaining clarity for rock, jazz, and classical music. Their balanced design ensures low frequencies enhance rather than overpower mids and highs. For audiophiles seeking a discreet yet powerful solution, spare tire subwoofers provide excellent all-around performance.
Conclusion
It’s good to have a spare wheel subwoofer in the car when you don’t want to spend too much money for a clean and deep bass system and when your car is not ready to give so much power to the subwoofer. Again make sure the build quality, space saving and decent bass are the primary things for a spare tire subwoofer.
