Whether you are looking to replace your factory car radio or if you are looking to install a car stereo in your vehicle, you’ve come to the right place. The first step in replacing your stock radio is to choose the correct aftermarket car stereo size for your vehicle.
Car stereo sizes are measured in something called DIN, which is the German abbreviation for Deutsche Industrie Norm. The most common car stereo size is “single DIN” which measures approximately 2 1/8″ in height and 7 1/8″ wide. Car stereo depth size for single DIN radios varies between vehicle manufacturers and models. This sized opening can only accept a single DIN car stereo.
The second most popular car stereo size is what is called “double DIN” which measures approximately 4 1/2″ in height and 7 1/8″ in width. Car stereo depth size for double DIN radios varies between vehicle manufacturers and models. This type of car radio is usually found in Japanese vehicles like Acura, Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, etc. A double DIN sized opening can accept a double DIN car stereo or a single DIN car stereo using an after market dash kit.
The third most popular car stereo size is what is called “1.5 DIN” or “DIN and a Half” which measures approximately 3 3/16″ in height and 7 1/8″ in width. Car stereo depth size for 1.5 DIN radios varies between vehicle manufacturers and models but most vehicles with a 1.5 DIN radio tend to have a very shallow depth that only measures around 7″. This type of car radio is usually found in American vehicles like Chevrolet, Cadillac, Dodge, GMC, Plymouth, Pontiac, etc. A 1.5 DIN sized opening can accept a 1.5 DIN car stereo or a single DIN car stereo using an aftermarket dash kit.
Car Stereo DIN Size Photo (from left to right): single din radio, 1.5 din radio and double din radio.
Once you’ve figured out which car radio size your vehicle requires or what size radio you want to replace your factory radio with, the next step is to choose an aftermarket car stereo for your vehicle.