Just imagine you start your car in the morning, heading to work but the car would not stop. You check everything but it seems that your battery is the culprit. But didn’t you change the battery just a year ago? This is a possible scenario with a run off the mill product. But, who makes the best car battery?
Though there are many car battery brands available in the market, not all of them are quality products. Here’s a list of car battery brands that make competitive products in the market:
- Optima
- AC Delco
- Odyssey
- Kinetik
- DieHard
- AutoCraft
- Bosch
- Exide
- XS Power
- EverStart
The point to remember when buying a car battery is that not all expensive batteries are great and branded batteries aren’t the best in all the groups. A brand that manufactures the best lead-acid battery might not make a quality product when it comes to AGM batteries. You can find duds in all groups. It’s up to you to research and select the right one for your vehicle.
Who Makes The Best Automotive Batteries?
Batteries are one of the most important components in a car. It helps to start the car and keeps it running but it is also easy to replace. Car batteries come in a variety of sizes and prices. Hence it is important to know the specifications and buy one that fits your car.
Here’s my list of top car battery manufacturers, who I think makes the most reliable car batteries currently.
1. Optima
Adopting the latest technology, the Optima batteries are Absorbed Glass Mat batteries rather than the traditional lead-acid batteries. This construction makes for a spill-proof and leak-proof battery that can absorb all vibrations keeping the plates safe.
Designed using the revolutionary 99.99% pure lead Spiralcell Technology optima batteries provides a great starting power needed for a reliable start-up. Its ability to provide a substantial boost of power as and when needed.
Manufactured by the leading battery manufacturer, Johnson Controls, Optima Batteries come in three variants, RedTop, YellowTop, and BlueTop. All three versions offer a 3 year warranty period with an option to extend. The batteries last for as long as 4 years in extreme temperatures and 8 years in moderate climates.
The RedTop is ideal for your regular street cars, SUVs, etc that need a reliable spill-proof battery for its daily needs. The YellowTop works for your accessory loaded vehicles, that need that extra boost for all that modern technology. It is also capable of deep-discharge cycles. Finally, the BlueTop is a high-performance AGM battery ideal for use in boats and RVs.
My choice from this brand is the Optima OPT8020-164 which has a CCA value of 720 and a 90-minute reserve capacity.
-> Read my full review here.
2. ACDelco
Another one of my favourites is the ACDelco by GM Motors. They have been manufacturing products for GM as early as the 1900s. They rank higher in the list since their batteries consistently give a high performance.
Their line of batteries is leak-proof and spill-proof due to the AGM construction. Absorbed Glass Mat holds the electrolyte in a glass cover instead of it being free-flowing like in the lead-acid battery. The latter is capped with a highly efficient vent cap to prevent acid leaks.
The batteries hold enhanced life alloys and silver calcium, which increase the lifetime of the battery. Thanks to the high-density negative paste, the performance of the batteries is incomparable. The calcium lead positive grid makes for low resistance and heightened conductivity.
The ACDelco batteries come in two variants; the Gold or the Silver. The gold variant formerly called the Professional range is a high-quality alternative to OEM parts manufactured to exceed your expectations and fit your original part. And the Silver variant also referred to as the Advantage line is the cost-effective substitute for your original battery. Both these variants are backed by GM motors.
My pick from the brand is the ACDelco 94RAGM Automotive Battery, a silver-calcium battery with 850 CCA, 140 minutes of reserve capacity, and 80 AH.
-> Read my full review here.
3. Odyssey
Manufactured in the USA by the EnerSys Energy Products INC, the Odyssey battery is spill-proof and maintenance-free. This reduces the hassle of servicing for the consumer and safe to use as well.
Odyssey batteries have high CCA which makes it ideal for use in extreme climatic conditions. An interesting fact is that as CCA increases, so does the weight but these batteries are lightweight thanks to a new special technology developed by the brand.
Another important point that needs to be mentioned is that these batteries hold virgin lead plates instead of lead alloy. This has an added advantage where there is more number of plates in the available surface area. These batteries hold three times the life of conventional batteries.
Odyssey batteries come in three variants which are Extreme Series, Performance Series, and North Star Pro Series. Firstly, the extreme variant uses the AGM technology with twice the power, unbeatable cranking power, 400 charge-to-discharge cycles and 80% deep discharge.
The performance variant offers everything that an extreme series does but without the high CCA and RC and is ideal for use in trucks and trailers. The last is the North Star Pro series which comes with the innovative AGM thin plate pure lead technology.
My pick from the brand is the Odyssey Battery 34R-PC1500T Automotive Battery which has 850 CCA and 134 reserve capacity minutes.
-> Read my full review here.
4. Kinetik
Have an advanced sound system that needs an extra kick? Your choice should be Kinetik batteries. Driving is never fun without a good music system and an apt battery to power it.
Kinetik batteries can handle the requirements of any latest model amplifier and twice as long as any regular car battery can handle. Many batteries have issues with dim headlights when using a powerful sound system. Kinetik addresses the issues by providing enough power to handle the car audio and also the needs of a conventional car.
They come in two ranges, the AP series and the HC series. The AP series has traditional batteries and also AGM batteries while the HC series powers sound systems.
My pick is the Kinetik KHC2400 2400-Watt 12-Vault Power Cell which when coupled with the main battery gives you a powerful sound system. The AGM allows for a spillproof design and is mountable in all position except upside down.
5. DieHard
A sneak-in to this list is the Diehard batteries by Sears. It is manufactured by Johnson Controls, the company that makes many batteries for brands like Optima, Duralast, etc.
DieHard batteries are 20 times more resistant to impact than their rivals. Their innovative design includes enhanced electrolyte suspension system which works in cohesion with full-frame positive & negative plates to give you protect the plates from corrosion and deterioration.
DieHard batteries come in 5 variants namely Red with a 1-year warranty, Silver with 2-year free replacement, Gold with a 3-year warranty, Platinum with a 4-year warranty and Platinum AGM with a 3-year warranty. However, I’d suggest you go with gold and above for a quality product with a CCA rating of 650-800.
My pick is the DieHard 38188 Advanced Gold AGM Battery with its AGM construction, 775 CCA and deep discharge makes for an ideal selection. Its spill-proof design allows you to mount in any position. It is also heat-sealed for being tamper-proof.
-> Read my full review here.
6. AutoCraft
Looking for a battery that gives you high performance but doesn’t cost your life? Lo, behold the AutoCraft Batteries.
AutoCraft landed my interest when I was in a hurry in finding a replacement battery for my vehicle. The first reason was its availability. It is available in the Advance Auto Parts shop carried this line of batteries.
But who makes them? Its the top car battery manufacturers, Johnson Controls. Their innovative PowerFrame grid technology gives a 70% better electrical flow and 66% durability. The only thing I do not like about the batteries is their warranty but for their price, I cannot really complain.
AutoCraft comes in two variants: The PowerSports and the PowerSports Gold variant. The latter can be used on ATV’s, motorcycles, snowmobiles etc.
My pick is the AutoCraft Power Sport Battery, AGM. While I like the AGM construction, it has 100 CCA making it not suitable for cold weather.
-> Read my full review here.
7. Bosch
A not so famous entry is the Bosch car battery. While Bosch Auto Parts are well-known, their battery line up is not as out there. It is a lowcost battery but with a great value for the price.
The battery is very reliable and also sturdy; It is maintenance-free and doesn’t require frequent service. Compared to other budget batteries, it offers 20% more lifetime and high cold start power.
Bosch batteries come in 4 different variants: S3, S4, S5 and S6. The S3 is an economic option for older model cars without much need for power. The S4 is for the average car with just enough electrical requirement while the S5 is for modern cars with high electrical consumption. Except for S6, all the above models are lead-acid batteries while S6 is an AGM battery.
My pick in this brand is the Bosch S6521B AGM Battery which has an impressive 750 CCA, 860 CA, 75 Ah, and a reserve capacity of 150 minutes.
-> Read my full review here.
8. Exide
Exide is one brand that is extremely reliable when it comes to electrical components especially batteries. So, is there any doubt that it would not feature in my list of best car brands?
What I love about the brand is it consistently produces excellent quality batteries. Exide batteries have high heat tolerance and long battery life. They recharge quickly and have a 6 times more cycle life.
The brand has 4 variants: Exide Marathon EFB, Exide Marathon Max Automotive AGM, Exide Sprinter Max and Exide Sprinter. While the Exide Marathon Max Automotive AGM is of AGM construction, the rest are flooded batteries. But, Exide Marathon EFB can easily replace an AGM battery.
My issue with Exide is that I cannot find their car batteries online anywhere while they were available in Amazon earlier.
-> Read my full review here.
9. XS Power
Another unsuspected entry is the XS Power battery which can compete with Kinetik for powering car audio. Known for their AGM batteries, offers a variety of models for your every need.
Their AGM batteries are maintenance-free, spill-proof and leak-proof with a vibration-free construction powered by a pure lead grid design. They fit quite a lot of vehicles from passenger cars to race tracks, dirt tracks and more.
They have both AGM and Lithium batteries in a series of variants which need another article if I am going to list it. I, however, encourage you to check their website for battery suggestions for your vehicle.
My favourite has been the XS Power High Output D6500. With a CA of 1100 and 174 reserve capacity minutes, the battery is quite impressive.
10. EverStart
EverStart gained momentum in the last couple of years and is only looking upwards in terms of performance batteries. They are available to buy from Walmart and manufactured by industry giants, Johnson Controls.
EverStart batteries are quite affordable but compete easily with batteries priced twice as much as them. They have both the lead-acid batteries and AGM batteries. If I have a bone to pick with them, I might say that their AGM range isn’t that impressive compared to the others.
EverStart car Batteries come in three variants, EverStart Plus, EverStart Value and EverStart Maxx, all three variants being the lead-acid batteries.
For my pick, I’d go with the EverStart Maxx Lead Acid Automotive Battery, Group Size T5 with its 650 CCA, maximum starting power and 3-year replacement warranty.
-> Read my full review here.
Conclusion
Just because I have listed 10 battery brands doesn’t mean you should go blindfolded into choosing one. Do your part of the research and identify one for your vehicle and especially your needs. Let me try answering a few questions here.
What is the best car battery brand? I’d go with Optima or Odyssey since they are pretty impressive with a consistency. Not far behind is the XS Power, in fact, I am seriously looking at it.
While I have curated this list with budget, midsize and expensive brands, which is the most expensive car battery? XS Power. It goes without saying. My pick from the brand is $420.99. None of the other brands come close to this range.
