Best Air Intake Systems You Need for Your Ride

Most people, or as I call them "casual drivers," are not really interested in their car's air intake. This makes sense, since most people are just interested in making sure their car gets from Point A to Point B without dying.

However, if you're like me, you love a car that that has a lot of horsepower to it. The right air intake will help your car get better horsepower and rev up your combustion engine's strength immensely—all without having you buy a new muscle car to get that power.

If you want a more impressive ride, then installing one of the best air intake systems on the market may be a smart choice. Speaking as a fan of tinkering with cars, these are my picks, complete with a description of why your car will love them.

Spectre makes some of the best air intake systems on the market, especially when it comes to truck intakes. Their classic 9918 Cold Air Intake Kit is designed to fit most GMC and Chevy trucks made from 2009 to 2012.

Installing this cold air intake system is easy enough, but what really makes this impressive is the output versus the price tag. It's a bargain, and will make your truck roar. Oh, and if you're wondering, this particular air intake kit has been linked to better fuel economy.

Takeda Cold Air Intake Systems are often considered to be the gold standard for increasing horsepower and fuel economy in both muscle cars and sports cars—especially if they were made in Asia.

If you have a "rice rocket" type of car, then checking out Takeda will likely get you one of the best air intake systems out there. These babies are durable and offer excellent horsepower, torque, and fuel economy. However, there is one snag you may find unappealing: the price.

I'm a huge fan of Takeda systems, and that's why I'll be the first to point this out—this would be one of the best gifts for the street racer in your life.

More traditional gearheads will tell you that the best air intake systems are the ones that are custom built for your car—and I'd honestly agree, as long as you have the knowledge and skill to make it happen. If you're a fan of really taking the DIY approach to a new level, AirAid has a customizable universal intake kit you need to check out.

You get to choose the master intake kit, the air filter size, the hardware, and then the kit gets assembled for you and sent right to your door. Sure, you might not get to tinker with air box options on this, but overall, it's a great choice.

Injen Cold Air Intake Systems may not be as glitzy-looking as other intake systems on this list, but don't you dare doubt them for a second. These are the best air intake systems you can get at their price point, especially if you're looking for a system that works with a 2.4L, four-cylinder car.

This will boost most of the car stats you love to discuss, and is simple enough to install. Even newbie shadetree mechanics will find their air intakes to be a breeze to install, if they get an Injen engine upgrade. The air filter in this one really does pack a powerful punch—which means good, clean air for your car.

Much like Takeda systems, AEM Cold Air Intake Systems also have a strong reputation among gearheads when it comes to being purveyors of the best air intake systems on the market. Unlike Takeda, AEM's strong points are for larger vehicles.

Their Red Cold Air Intake System is known for being strong enough to boost horsepower in trucks and SUVs, all while giving your motor a very appealing purr. The nice splash of red under the hood's an added perk that shows your car's style inside and out.

If you're looking for one of the best air intake systems that will suit almost any modern car or truck on the road, you might need to take a look at what K&N is offering. This air intake works on just about every car up to a standard 250 BHP, and on turbo engines up to 350 BHP.

This might be one of the only air intake systems on this list to add serious performance to just about any car out there—including classic muscle cars, in some cases. K&N claims to add up to 25 horsepower, so performance will definitely be boosted.

AirAid's U-Build-It kits are notorious for gearhead fun, but if you really aren't in the mood to choose and shop around, their Shot Gun Universal Air Intake System will do the trick just fine. The hat mounts to most 5.25 base carbs and throttle bodies, which means you probably will be able to work this onto your car.

What makes AirAid's Shot Gun so nice is the easy installation, which only requires a single flatbed screwdriver. That's why it's one of the easiest car mods for people who recently got into car performance to do themselves.

K&N knocked it out of the park with their air intake system lines, if you can't tell. Currently ranked as one of the best air intake systems for compact sports cars, the 69 Series Typhoon Air Intake system will offer you up to 15 horsepower of road-ripping fun.

This particular air intake comes with a variety of color options, including red, blue, and a special polished steel look. If your friends like to pop the hood, this will definitely get you the compliments you want.

If you have a relatively new performance car like a Nissan 370Z, then the best air intake systems you should be looking at come from TruXP. Their Xtreme Performance Cold Air Intake kit has become the favorite upgrade for folks who want a quick adaption, higher horsepower, and a great motor sound.

This particular intake kit is designed to fit the exact same way that your regular factory air intake does. So, installing this will be a breeze—even if you've never done it before. Moreover, it works on both gas and diesel rigs.

Last, but not least, is the aFe Magnum Force Cold Air Intake, which is known for bringing serious power to your car. With a washable air filter, a super-powerful system, and a custom build for your specific car, the aFe Magnum Force Series is capable of squeezing out as much as 40 horsepower more in your car's performance.

The performance doesn't end there, either. This air intake system is infamous for giving your car a louder sound and some seriously impressive torque. Though it's pricey, there's really nothing better on the market—so it's worth every penny for the right high performance junkies out there.