If you require a quick answer, the best car battery is the Bosch S4 096. It’s a direct OEM replacement that’s backed by an impressive 4-year manufacturer’s guarantee and is also suitable for a variety of cars. However, if you require additional power, the Yuasa YBX9000 is the best option that’s rated at an impressive 95 Ah.
To rate the car batteries within our roundup, we based our recommendations upon our experience and testing of multiple batteries, plenty of research and several factors. Some of the factors that we considered included the brand reputation, capacity, service life, carry handles, terminals, warranty and value for money.
Best Car Battery Overview
- Best Overall: Bosch S4 Car Battery
- Best Value: Varta Blue Dynamic C22
- Best For Large Cars: Yuasa YBX9000
- Best All-Rounder: Exide 096 AGM
- Best Stop Start: Bosch S5 A08
- Best Budget Runner Up: Autolite 063
Below is a list of the best car batteries that are available in a range of sizes and capacities to suit all vehicles.
The Best Car Batteries
1. Best Overall: Bosch S4 Car Battery
By far the most popular car battery on the market is the Bosch S4 096, which according to the brand is up to 2 times more efficient than standard batteries. It’s suitable for the majority of vehicles on UK roads but it’s advised that you check the size and battery terminal locations beforehand.
- Rated at 12V 74 Ah capacity
- 100% maintenance-free
- High starting power
- Long service life
- Ideal OEM replacement
- Backed by a 4 year guarantee
- Lacks a state of charge indicator
The Bosch S4 continues to dominate in the UK and it’s one of the best car batteries on the market that’s backed by a reputable brand. Although more expensive than some of the alternatives, it’s worth the extra and it even comes with a 4-year guarantee for complete peace of mind.
2. Best Value: Varta Blue Dynamic C22 Car Battery
Another popular and more affordable car battery is the Varta Blue Dynamic C22 model. It’s a German-made battery that’s designed to be a “like-for-like” OEM replacement that meets all of the required OEM criteria.
- Rated at 12V 52 Ah capacity
- Fast recharge technology
- OEM quality
- Backed by a 4 year warranty
- Lacks a state of charge indicator
The Varta Blue Dynamic C22 is an excellent all-round car battery that’s ideal for small cars that require a replacement. As with the Bosch battery above, this cheaper alternative also comes with a 4-year warranty as an added bonus.
3. Best For Large Cars: Yuasa YBX9000 High Performance Battery
If you require additional starting power and performance for more powerful or larger vehicles, the YUASA YBX9000 is a great option. It’s designed specifically for high power demands and the brand even states that it can provide up to 360,000 engine starts, which is very impressive.
- Rated at 12V 95 Ah capacity
- Rollover-proof lid
- State of charge indicator
- Fully maintenance-free
- Maximum plates for extra starting power
- Backed by a 4 year warranty
- Relatively expensive due to its size
The YUASA YBX9000 is a high-performance battery that’s built to the highest of standards and won’t disappoint. It’s a great OEM replacement that packs plenty of power and also comes with a 4-year warranty for complete peace of mind.
4. Best All-Rounder: Exide 096 AGM Car Battery
The Exide 096 AGM is a direct competitor of the Bosch S4 and it’s designed to cope with the increasing use of comfort electronics that come with modern vehicles. In terms of its performance, the brand states that it has a capacity of 70 Ah and cold-cranking amps rated at 760 CCA.
- High performance and ready to fit
- Backed by a 3 year guarantee
- Exceeds OEM requirements
- Ideal for use with car's featuring stop start functionality
- Relatively expensive
Overall, it’s a powerful car battery that’s built to a high standard and provides improved starting performance for stop-start cars. However, the premium price tag makes it a less attractive option when compared to the Bosch S4 alternative.
5. Best Stop Start: Bosch S5 A08 Car Battery
One of the most expensive car batteries in this article is the Bosch S5 and it’s the brand’s flagship model. Bosch state that it’s suitable for all vehicles equipped with start/stop systems and it provides up to 3 times more efficiency when compared to standard car batteries.
- 100% maintenance-free
- Uses AGM technology
- Rated at 70 Ah
- Suitable for inclines up to 90°
- Backed by a 5 year guarantee
- Expensive when compared to similar sized batteries
Although expensive, the Bosch S5 battery is the brand’s best car battery yet that’s designed to cope with all the modern electronics such as stop-start systems. For complete peace of mind, it even comes with an impressive 5-year guarantee.
6. Best Budget Runner Up: Autolite 063 Car Battery
The cheapest solution to replacing a faulty battery is the Autolite 063 model. It’s a budget car battery that’s rated at 45 Ah capacity and is more than ideal for most small cars on UK roads.
- Rated at 12V 45 Ah
- State of charge indicator
- Integrated carry handle
- Lightweight at just 12KG
- Not suitable for large cars or those requiring additional power
If you are looking for a cheap car battery that you can rely on, the Autolite 063 is the best option. It’s lightweight and packs more than enough power for starting small saloons or hatchbacks each and every time.
How We Rated
Although car batteries can last many years, they’ll eventually require replacement when they become faulty. Therefore, as we own multiple cars, we replace car batteries far more often than the average motorist, which means that we have experience with a variety of batteries in terms of their size and brand.
With regards to our testing, we tested batteries from a variety of brands and replaced multiple-sized batteries.
As you can see below, we recently replaced an older Varta battery with a DriveTec alternative and the difference was instant because the older battery couldn’t hold a charge for longer than a few days. However, during our testing, as well as the performance of the batteries, we also analyse their quality in terms of their carry handles and terminals.
As well as our experience and testing of a range of car batteries, we also based our recommendations upon plenty of research and multiple factors. Some of the factors that we took into consideration included their brand reputation, capacity, service life, carry handle, terminals, warranty and value for money.
Conclusion
All of the recommended car batteries above are suitable for all budgets and are produced by reputable UK brands. However, before buying any of the recommendations, it’s advised that you check the specification matches your current battery. You may also want to ensure that the current battery is actually faulty. One of the easiest ways of doing this would be to use a battery charger but if you have a battery tester available, that would be the best option.
If you require further information regarding any of our car battery recommendations, feel free to get in touch and we will try to provide our assistance where possible.
