Car batteries don’t last forever no matter the reliable performance they put up. Most car batteries show signs of failure after four or five years of usage. As such, it’s important to know which car battery will serve as an excellent replacement before your original car battery dies.
Top 10 Best Car Battery Brands
The first step to choosing a car battery with a top-notch performance is to know the right car battery brand that you can trust. Here are the top 10 best car battery brands you should consider.
1. ACDelco
ACDelco is one of the best car battery brands in the industry, with more than 100 years of experience in developing quality parts. The company is the premier supplier of GM Original Equipment (OE) automotive replacement parts– all of which pass rigorous quality tests so you will never have a problem with a battery.
As far as batteries go, the company boasts an array of car batteries, suitable for pretty much any vehicle and environment. These batteries come in different types including Sealed Maintenance Free (SMF), Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB), Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM), and Advantage Series (SMF) batteries.
These battery types are suitable for all major vehicle systems as well as off-road, marine, and industrial equipment. The vast range of car batteries underscores the reason that the brand is recognized as a global leader in the industry. ACDelco 94AGM, 34AGM, and 49AGM are some of the most popular car batteries from the brand.
2. Odyssey
The Odyssey brand is one of the most premium car battery brands to come out of the United States. Its history can be traced back to 1888 when they landed their first trading. Companies only exist for that long if they are innovative and their products are reliable – two qualities that Odyssey has come to be known for.
All Odyssey batteries are Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) type batteries and are manufactured using a pure virgin lead with suitability for a range of different applications. The batteries are manufactured and distributed by Enersys Products Inc., the largest industrial battery manufacturer in the world.
Most of their products adopt the same design and technology used by Enersys in the batteries developed for the United States military. This explains how the brand is able to achieve that level of battery optimization.
Although the battery brand owns manufacturing facilities in 3 countries (in the U.S., the UK, and France), their batteries all follow the same strict quality standards so you can rest assured that you’re getting a trusted product. Odyssey 94R-850 and 31-PC2150S are two of the bestselling batteries from Odyssey.
3. Optima Batteries
For decades, Optima has been producing innovative products for a variety of vehicles and applications. Optima batteries are a high-performance brand of starter and deep cycle batteries, and it is little surprise that the brand is typically ranked in the first three of most automotive battery brand list.
Known for superior performance and longer life in extreme conditions, the secret of Optima’s reliability is in its SpiralCell technology, which enables batteries to last longer than traditional batteries even with a smaller size. The batteries are produced by Johnson’s Controls, the world’s largest manufacturer of automotive batteries.
As you may know, Optima produces batteries in three different categories depending on their use. These include the Yellow Top (suitable for electrical loads that are higher than average), the Red Top (known to deliver a strong burst of starting power), and the Blue Top (aimed at anglers and veteran boaters alike.) If you’re looking to give Optima a try, consider going for either OPT 8002-002 or OPT 8022-127 D27M.
4. Bosch
If you’ve heard of the Bosch battery brand, you’ve probably also read or heard of their slogan; “Invented for life”, and their batteries aim to live up to this. Founded in 1886 by Robert Bosch, the company is one of the world’s most recognizable major innovators in the field of automotive electronic development including batteries.
Bosch car batteries can be classified into three standard categories with specification increasing in each level. There is the base range (suitable for vehicles with lower electrical demand), the midrange (ideal for vehicles with a medium electrical demand), and the top-of-the-range sealed wet battery (which has the highest capacity to power vehicles with high electrical demand and for large diesel engines too.)
Generally, all Bosch batteries are of high quality and the minimum warranty on all their products is 3 years. They also boast twin backfire protection to protect the battery itself from any sparks which might be produced. Bosch S6563B and S5008 are great batteries to consider.
5. DieHard
Another brand that you might have heard of in the car battery segment is DieHard. The brand of automotive battery is owned by Advance Auto Parts, with its beginning date back to 1967 when it was developed by Globe-Union Battery for Sears.
As the name suggests, this battery is one that you can expect to last for a very long time. In fact, the battery brand was guaranteed to last forever in its earliest years, and while this may not be quite true, they last much longer than their rivals in the same category. DieHard has an excellent reputation for fast charging, long life, and incredible performance.
DieHard offers a range of car batteries to cater to different needs including heavy-duty batteries, premium line batteries, and medium-duty car batteries. Consider investing in DieHard 38217 and 38188 batteries as they make for a great buy.
6. NorthStar
NorthStar is a household name in the automotive battery industry with expertise in designing and manufacturing lead-acid batteries. The brand came into existence in 2000, following the agreement by a group of experts in the industry, who hold more than 100 years of experience.
NorthStar might not be as popular as some other brands in the industry but it has managed to establish itself as a global leader, with its batteries used for different applications in more than 120 countries, largely due to their reliability and cost-effectiveness.
Headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, the brand is powered by collaboration between Exide and NorthStar Battery Company. This shows why the company’s engine start batteries are sold under the Exide brand. Generally, NorthStar claims that their batteries have a life expectancy up to 2 times greater than conventional AGM products. Some of its best batteries include NSB-AGM31, NSB-AGM94R, and NSB-AGM24M.
7. Duracell
Duracell is a brand generally associated with batteries and smart power systems but its automotive batteries are produced under an agreement between East Penn Manufacturing and Duracell Inc. According to the two companies, East Penn’s more than 60-year tradition of producing world-class lead-acid batteries is a logical fit for the Duracell name that has earned 40 years of consumer trust.
Constructed to deliver maximum power and reliable starting, Duracell batteries come in different product ranges, which begins with the entry into Duracell brand, ‘Starter’, and continues through the Advanced, the AGM, and EFB types for start-stop applications, up to the ultimate hardworking, ‘Professional’, for trucks, buses, and agricultural vehicles.
Over the years, Duracell has come to be associated with incomparable longevity and full power even in extreme conditions. For dependable performance, the 51R and 24F are solid batteries you can trust.
8. EverStart
EverStart might be a relatively new entrant into the car battery sector but they’ve quickly earned the reputation as one of the new titles that make an excellent record in terms of performance and endurance on the road. What’s more, the batteries are super affordable and are easy to use.
Johnson Controls, the world’s largest battery maker and owner of global brands like MAC, Delkor, and even Optima is the manufacturer behind the brand. EverStart product offerings cover a wide range of applications including cars, lawn golfs, marine, and even garden batteries.
However, it’s important to note that even though the batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls, EverStart as a brand is owned by the Walmart Corporation. Among other batteries from the stables of the brand, the EverStart Maxx-24F, EverStart Maxx 24DC, and EverStart Maxx Group 24 are some of the best offerings available.
9. Interstate
With more than 15 million car batteries sold each year, Interstate Batteries is recognized as a top car battery replacement brand in the U.S. In spite of its popularity, the brand has only been around for about 65 years, pointing to the trust it has earned in delivering a trustworthy source of power.
Interstate batteries come with a receipt-free warranty backed coast-to-coast and are available in different sizes and capacity so you can always find the right battery for your vehicle. The batteries are manufactured by Johnson Controls, a name that’s linked to the development of a variety of premium brands.
The brand is also one of NASCAR’s longest-running partners, as they have sponsored racecar #18 since 1994. For a great experience with the brand, we recommend you go for either the MTX-24F or Duracell Ultra Gold batteries.
10. Duralast
Duralast is another trusted car battery brand in the United States. This brand shares the same manufacturer with Diehard and Sear car batteries, indicating that their offerings are equally of high quality.
Consequently, it is no surprise that many customers report that the performance of Duralast batteries match the performance of DieHard batteries in that they can start most cars in below-freezing temperatures while delivering steady power to meet the needs of any vehicle. The difference is that the excellent performance comes at an extremely agreeable average price tag.
The batteries can be found at AutoZone stores. Purchasing Duralast 24F-DLG is a great place to start if you’re looking to give this brand a try.
Wrap-up
Knowing the best car battery brand to shop for can be the difference between buying an automotive battery with long service life and a battery that stops working after a few months. Now that you know the top car battery brands out there, you can go ahead to shop with confidence for a replacement battery.