UNBOXED: Reviewing the Pioneer Car Audio Package

As much as we want this to be a normal UNBOXED review, it’s a little difficult, given the whole scope of what was involved. There are a few different angles we could approach this from, starting with the Pioneer upgrade program, the product itself, and the experience of getting it installed by a local car retailer. (It should also be noted that Pioneer graciously covered all aspects of this install, so apologies if this glowing review comes across a little promotionally—it’s not intended to be that way.)

The backstory here is pretty straightforward, so let’s start there. Last year, Pioneer introduced a campaign that encouraged drives to not break up with their cars. Rather, Pioneer said, they should upgrade them. Older cars on the road have a really tough time competing with the technology that you’d find in a new car rolling off of today’s manufacturing line. There’s still some work to be done in the factory speaker market, but that’s a different story for a different day. The cost of upgrading to a new vehicle, though, is far greater than what it’d be to simply upgrade the entertainment system within your older ride—if that’s the main complaint you have regarding your older vehicle.

Enter Rob’s car. My 2002 Saturn L100 perfectly fit the bill of a car in desperate need of an upgrade. I was on the verge of breaking up with it, but Pioneer stepped in and offered to put their campaign to the test.