Unpopular Opinion: Kicker tweet upgrade is a waste of money

Edit:

For pre-2020s:
SRs have Entune Audio.
SR5s have Entune Audio Plus or Premium depending on options.
The TRDs have Entune Audio Premium with Navi.
The DCs have the JBL option unless it is an MT.

They are all shown in the Owners Manual.


There's apparently some odd mixes for the 2020+. I won't even mention the worse camera appearance.

 

The Kicker upgrade thing was a timely post that went viral and refuses to die lol.

The speakers were a decent deal at best when they were on a massive markdown, at regular price they're a terrible option.

 

I did wish that I had gotten them for that $83 price. They were $100 when I jumped in and a couple bucks less now. Amazon prices.

That said, I only paid $20 with rewards points.

 

My 2020 TRD OR DCLB has the crappy base HU.

 

Are the kicker ones better than the Subaru tweeters? My driver side stock tweeter went out and sounds like crap.

 

Kicker are what Subaru use for the tweeter, one and the same.

 

All I did was replace the stock dash tweeters with those Subaru tweeters and thought it definitely helped brighten up the sound a bit. But it was definitely putting some lipstick on a pig.

 

I am surprised that Navi isn't standard on the 2020+ TRDs. Kinda weird. I don't have a 2020+ OM handy, but for reference on the OG 3rd Gens:

 

That CD player is gone also.

Now that CarPlay is available they expect you to use that for navigation, otherwise you have to use some BS called scout or something like that. I guess you still get maps with premium.

But no, my 20 TRD OR DC with BSM & LED headlights came with the base entune audio. So your theory of entune models based on vehicle models is incorrect.

 

I will edit my post to note pre-2020s as it is a fact not theory.

Scout was available on the OG Entune or Entune Plus. I don't remember which one, but it was noted to be weaksauce.


Note that AA is changing to allow 3rd Party apps. Some folks posted with the update that Gaia will load.

 

Did the Kicker Tweeters and went JBL Club 9630 front and JBL Club 6520 rear. I also added Noico mats behind the speakers on the inside of the doors which helped quite a bit... adding the mats was kinda a pain and took more time to do than actually installing the speakers but since I had the door card off might as well. It is a worth while upgrade in my opinion but I do have the Premium HU w/Navi so it has enough (barely) power to make things work. Would I like an amp?... yes... but I also wanted an essentially plug and play system upgrade.

 

Gaia definitely works with CarPlay, layers have to be toggled via the iPhone or iPad, but everything is visible on the screen.

via the Toyota app on my iPhone the 2020 multimedia OM lists the bigger screen is only for premium models but all 2020 models over sr5 that year have the larger screen. Sometimes you can’t even trust the manuals…

 

Excellent! Google being google, that earlier 3rd party limitation was really odd.


The OM for the Taco does have a lot to question. But then, the manual for our long gone Volvo had a critical fluid error in it for then entirety of that generation.

 

Where did you mount the amp and which one did you go with?

 

Kicker key 200.4 - in behind the head unit.

 

The rear of my Access Cab IS a dungeon, and anyone who rides in the back WILL be made to suffer. Your compassion may vary, mine will not. I didn't buy an access cab to haul passengers, I bought it to get a manual transmission and grin ear to ear while driving.

 

Nice!

Mine was bought as the occasional family mobile and it has done well. But then, the girls like it so much more than the sidecar bike that I had for the four years previous, esp in winter.

 

The Kicker/Subaru tweeters definitely were more clear and crisp, not muddy like the Toyota tweeters.

 

I'm glad I found this thread. I've been looking at the Kicker tweeters for some time now but knowing what I do about car audio I was skeptical on how much praise these little tweeters were getting, especially after so many years.

 

My experience was - I did the tweeters and I was like WOW, made a huge difference so I decided to do the door speakers too - then I was like BOLLOCKS this sounds crap - realizing my HU was too weak to power the additional door speakers - did the little amp and now a happy camper... All in <$500 - more than I wanted to spend but hey ho...

It all depends on what HU you have whether you will be happy with just the speaker upgrade and no amp...