Top 6 Best Truck Subs On The Market In 2022 Review

Adding a subwoofer to your truck serves a single purpose, adding bass to your sound system. While audio is usually considered a sense for your ears, having a decent sub turns that experience into more than just hearing the music, but feeling it as well.

Not only does the speaker vibrate, but it can also send that same sensation throughout your entire body. So, if you want to enhance your listening experience and create a sensory overload in your truck, you’re in the right place.

Join us as we go through the best truck subs currently on the market and find the perfect one for your truck…

Top 6 Best Truck Subs In 2022 Reviews

1 Rockford Fosgate Punch P3S 10” – Best Big Bass Truck Sub

Car audio enthusiasts certainly will be familiar with Rockford Fosgate. For decades they have been a well-respected player in the car audio industry. Offering a wide range of amplifiers, speakers, signal processors, enclosures, and of course, subs.

Rockford Fosgate says Punch is their best performing series of subwoofers. They have been designed to max out your vehicle’s audio system by providing deep, clean bass that will make you not want to leave your vehicle.

Full of features…

To keep the motor cool, these subs feature anodized aluminum cones and dust caps, along with unique spider venting. The cone’s surface area has been increased up to 25 percent over previous models using VAST Technology.

Mounting is made easy thanks to the use of a FlexFit basket that uses slots instead of holes. Basket strength is maintained while at the same time minimizing weight and resonance by using a new hybrid stamp-cast process.

Small but powerful…

The 10 inch is the smallest in Rockford’s Punch lineup. Despite its size, it is still rated at 500 watts RMS, or 1000 watts maximum, with a 2.5-inch diameter voice coil. SPL is rated at 82 dB. This thing will put out some serious bass.

The speaker is heavy using an 81-ounce magnet but can be shallow mounted. It needs a mounting depth of 6.18 inches. Sealed enclosures will require 0.59 cubic feet of volume, while vented enclosures require 1.4 cubic feet.

2 JL Audio 13.5” – Most Powerful Shallow Mount Truck Sub

The largest diameter sub we have here is the JL Audio 13.5 inch 13TW5V2-2. Even though the sub itself is large, the depth required for mounting is only 2.5 inches. That makes this bad boy perfect for installing in trucks with limited cabin space.

JL Audio uses patented thin-line woofer technology to compress the architecture of the speaker. By using a concentric tube structure, it supports a 7-inch diameter voice coil and the suspension attachments.

Clever engineering…

This thin-line technology permits placement of the large motor structure much further forward in the speaker. This provides excellent linear excursion capability and fantastic mechanical stability.

The cast alloy chassis has been modified for greater strength, along with a redesigned motor featuring an annular vent. By taking advantage of all these advancements in engineering, you can now have big bass sound in even the tightest of spaces.

Keeping slim…

Staying with the tight spaces mission, JL Audio has optimized this sub for small enclosures. The mounting system uses the same footprint as the average 12-inch sub, while the required airspace is the same as what a 10-inch sub would require.

JL Audio recommends an amplifier between 250 watts and 600 watts to power this slimline earth shaker. Never has such high-quality bass been possible, even in the most challenging of installation applications.

3 JL Audio 10” – Most Powerful Small Truck Sub

We like JL Audio so much that two of their products have made our best truck subs review list. This sub is a little smaller than the previous one at 10 inches. While the volume and levels of bass will be a bit less, so is the cost.

This is still a slimline subwoofer and only requires 3.25 inches of mounting depth. However, even though this is a smaller speaker, the TW3 series still requires 0.75 inches more than its larger diameter TW5 counterpart.

Same great technology…

These TW3 subwoofers use the same patented thin-line woofer technology to compress the architecture. Slightly different in the TW3, they still use a concentric tube, only this time it’s built onto an injection-molded cone body.

The structure supports a voice coil and full annular spider so that again the motor structure can be placed further forward. Even though more mounting depth is required than the TW5, these can still fit in some tight spaces.

Mount and hear…

Utilizing a tab-ear mounting design allows for maximum cone area with the mounting. With more installation possibilities, without having to sacrifice sound quality, JL Audio has done a fantastic job with these speakers.

Deep, powerful, and accurate, we loved the sound produced from this subwoofer. A 200 watt RMS to 400 watt RMS amplifier is recommended for use with this sub. That means you don’t need to spend so much here either.

4 JBL BassPro SL 8” – Best Under Seat Truck Sub

JBL speakers are made by Harman Kardon, and on this occasion, they have made an under-seat subwoofer. With the convenience of having such a low profile that it can be installed under a seat, it makes it perfect for use in trucks.

Unlike all the other products so far, the JBL is a complete package. You won’t be required to purchase an amplifier or an enclosure in addition to this system. That makes this an excellent value option for improving your truck’s bass.

Feel the bass…

Even though this is only an 8-inch subwoofer, you can really feel it because it is located directly under your seat. Having the speaker installed inside the cabin instead of in the trunk stops others from having to hear your music choice in traffic, too.

Measurements for the completely self-contained system are 2.19 x 13.56 x 9.88 inches (71 x 344 x 250 millimeters). The built-in amplifier is rated at 125 watts RMS. That may seem low, but it has been optimized perfectly for the speaker.

Tune it in…

Features include an adjustable low-pass crossover filter between 50 and 120 Hz. A bass boost control can also offer an additional output at 70 Hz. There’s also a 0 to 180° phase switch so that you can pick the best for your application.

Enclosed in ABS plastic, it is very well braced internally and includes strengthening ribs to prevent unwanted resonances. Once tightened in place, we didn’t notice any annoying vibrations even when played at high volume.

5 Kicker 10” – Best Low Profile Enclosed Truck Sub

Up next is this fully enclosed 10-inch sub from Kicker. It is not self-powered like the JBL and will require an amplifier. It is an elegant solution, though, that can easily fit behind or under most truck seats.

Arriving straight from the factory with thick black carpet and Kicker embroidery, this makes for a neat and tidy install. Complete with a custom port to enhance your subwoofer’s performance, this thing kicks.

Nice numbers…

Loaded with a single 4-ohm terminal, wiring is made simple with spring-loaded terminals. This speaker can handle 300 watts RMS with a maximum of 600 watts, meaning for a mid-sized sub, it can really cause a commotion.

Feel every bass note with 93.8 dB of butt-kicking sensitivity, meaning you can really crank the volume. We found the levels through a 500-watt amplifier well-balanced. You could feel a rumble, but notes were still clear with minimal distortion.

Low profile design…

Dimensions of the included enclosure are 4 x 7.64 x 15 x 21.5 inches (10.2 x 19.4 x 38.1 x 54.6 centimeters). With such a low-profile design, that makes finding a location for the speaker very easy.

Just don’t forget that you will also need to allow room for amplifier installation. No matter where you decide to locate this attractive box, we’re sure you’ll receive hours of enjoyment.

6 Rockford Fosgate Prime R2S 10” – Quickest Install Enclosed Truck Sub

We have another sub in a prefabricated enclosure for our final product, this time from Rockford Fosgate. We already know that Rockford produces some of the highest quality and most respected gear in the business, so how does this speaker stack up?

Designed with a shallow enclosure, specifically for installation in tight spaces, it is perfect for use in a truck. Constructed with ⅝” MDF and covered in high-density carpet, even the box measures up to high expectations.

Limited space? No worries…

With a depth of 3.25” (8.26cm) at the top and 5.25” (13.34cm) at the bottom, we are sure you can make this fit. Even in the tightest of spaces, like single cab trucks with limited seating, the wedge design has been optimized with this in mind.

With the use of quick compression terminals, installation is made easy. There’s no need to fiddle around with wires too much when terminating. Simply push in the tab, insert the exposed wire end, then release.

‘Watt’ are you looking at?

This speaker can handle 200 watts RMS, with a maximum of 400 watts. Impedance runs at 2 ohms, which will suit almost any amplifier. Never has adding a 10-inch subwoofer into a small area been so easy.

We had this thing hooked up with a 300-watt mono amplifier and were impressed with the results. With volume levels just below maximum, we were able to achieve a clean sound making us feel like we were at a live show.

Best Truck Subs Buying Guide

So there you have it. Just because you have a tight space in your truck, with a seat that has limited movement, doesn’t mean you can’t have bass. Speaker technology has genuinely come a long way, and we’re sure you’ll literally be blown away by these speakers.

But which one is best for you?

We put together this buying guide so you can make an informed decision before purchasing. So we can assist you better, we also point out what you should be looking at before parting with your cash.

Ready to go

If you prefer the idea of plug and play, then there is really only one option, and that is the JBL. It is self-powered, you don’t need an amplifier, and it is small enough to fit almost anywhere. Just connect to your head unit and enjoy the bass upgrade.

For those that prefer a little more customization, you should consider a sub in a pre-built enclosure. Both the Kicker and the Rockford Fosgate Prime offer high-quality enclosures, and you can still tweak things with your own amplifier.

All-out performance

Maybe you just want the most bass you can get out of a tight space? If performance is what you’re after, you can’t go past the JL Audio 13.5” sub. It will wake up your neighbors and have you still trembling long after you’ve turned off the ignition.

Of course, for small truck owners…

Despite the efforts to keep things compressed, you might not have room for a speaker that big. In that instance, you should consider the smaller JL Audio 10” or the Rockford Fosgate Punch.

If you’ve made it this far yet still haven’t rushed out to upgrade your truck’s audio system, maybe you’re still struggling to make a decision. Stick around because up next, we will reveal which product we think is the best overall truck sub and why.

Pump up the jam…

You’re going to need more than a sub in your truck to pump that sound. So, check out our reviews of the Best Double Din Head Units, the Best Flip Out Head Units, or the Best Bluetooth Headsets for Drivers!

Got a motorbike? Well, we’ve got something for you too! Please read our latest reviews of the Best Motorcycle Radios and the Best Motorcycle Handlebar Speakers for your money.

For other great truck accessories, head to our reviews of the Best Truck Tool Box, the Best F150 Bed Covers, the Best Truck Bed Liners, the Best Truck Bed Bike Racks, the Best Rust Prevention, our Best Winch Reviews, and the Best Mud Tires you can buy in 2022!

OK, back to the best subs for trucks…

So, which of these Best Truck Subs came out on top?

The most common issue with adding a sub to a truck is space. Not only do you need to fit the speaker itself, but wiring can also be tricky with limited access. Then there is the amplifier too. With this in mind, we’ve decided to go with the…

JBL BassPro SL 8”

Although there are louder and more heavy-duty options, this product’s ease of use and quality won in the end. It has everything ready to go in a convenient, well-built package. We are sure you’ll love this speaker as much as we did.

Pump that bass!