The 9 Best Car Batteries

Group 48, also called H6, fits many newer Chevrolet, Buick, Ford and BMW models, plenty with start-stop engines, and the ACDelco Gold 48AGM comes in that size. It's an absorbed glass mat design from General Motors' parts brand, rated at 760 cold-cranking amps. The three-year free replacement has no mileage cap but covers the part, not labor. Claims go through ACDelco parts stores and service centers, so keep the dated receipt and leave the warranty tag on the battery.

With posts on top and threaded terminals on the side, the Optima RedTop 34/78 fits cars and trucks that take group 34 or group 78. Spiral-wound cells inside are meant to stand up to shaking better than flat plates, and Optima placed third among brands in a summary of Consumer Reports' ratings. It's a starting battery, though: the three-year free replacement needs the original receipt and doesn't cover deep-cycle or car-audio use.

Older GM cars and trucks often take group 78, and the Interstate MTX-78 is an AGM unit for that side-terminal slot, with 740 cold-cranking amps and solid reserve power. Free replacement lasts three years and runs through Interstate's dealers and service shops, so a claim doesn't depend on one store. It has side terminals only, so it won't fit a car that needs top posts.

Many Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota models take group 35, the size of the Optima RedTop 35. It's light, which helps in a cramped engine bay, and it delivers 720 cold-cranking amps. It has top posts only, and commercial use shortens its three-year free replacement. Its storage is small, so a car whose electronics draw power while parked can run it down over a long spell, and a maintenance charger helps.

Group 94R, also called H7, is the long European-style case in many luxury and sports models, and the ACDelco Gold 94RAGM fills it. With 850 cold-cranking amps and deep reserve, it suits cars full of electronics that draw power after the engine shuts off. Free replacement covers three years for the part, not labor. Some European cars need the new battery registered with their computer, so check the manual first.

Winches, big stereos and light bars run a battery down hard, and the Optima YellowTop D34/78 is built to take those deep drains and still start the engine. Posts on top and terminals on the side let it fit group 34 and group 78 trays. A full charge reads higher than on a standard one, so don't judge it by the usual resting voltage. For a stock car with no add-ons, it's more than you need.

Japanese sedans and SUVs commonly take group 24F, and the low-cost Weize Platinum AGM 24F is built in that size; its maker now sells it as the Wise Series. It promises 710 cold-cranking amps and plenty of storage, though no independent test backs that. The three-year warranty is a free swap only in the first year, then a prorated exchange, and the battery ships back to the maker. The positive post sits on the right, so check your cables.

A budget AGM option in group 48, or H6, the Mighty Max MM-H6 suits the many newer cars with start-stop engines. Its label promises 760 cold-cranking amps and plenty of reserve at a low price. The catch is support. The maker's site promises three years, but its own warranty policy gives one year at this price, and a claim means shipping the battery to its warehouse at your cost. Keep the receipt.

Car audio is the reason to buy the XS Power D3400, a high-output AGM unit for systems whose big amplifiers pull bursts of current that make ordinary batteries sag and headlights dim. It fits group 34, and its terminals take the included M6 bolts, so standard cable clamps need post adapters, which XS Power sells separately. The three-year warranty excludes batteries bought from unauthorized sellers, so check who ships it. Without an amplifier, the extra output goes unused.