What Are The Best Auto LED Light Strips for Cars in 2021?
The inside of your car doesn’t have to be dark and dull. Add some colorful style to your vehicle’s interior with LED light strips. Durable and easy to install, LED strips light up your car’s interior and can even sync to your sound system.
Looking for LED light strips for your ride? Here are 10 top picks for the 2021 year plus a complete guide on installation and operation:
Quick Picks – Top 3 Best Auto LED Lighting Strips
Page Contents
- LED Light Strip Reviews
- Our #1 Pick – LED Strip Lights by wsiiron
- Our #2 Pick – Govee Car LED Strip Lights with Two-Line Design
- Our #3 Pick – Auxito Car LED Strip Lights
- Our #4 Pick – Ambother Underglow LED Lights
- Our #5 Pick – EJ’s Super Car 4-Piece LED Interior Car Lights
- Our #6 Pick – OPT7 Aura Smart-Color LED Strip Lighting Kit
- Our #7 Pick – Drita Multicolor LED Light Kit
- Our #8 Pick – Cool Car Atmosphere Ambient Star
- Our #9 Pick – Adecorty LED Strip Lights
- Our #10 Pick – sunva Car Interior Lights
- FAQ for LED Light Strips
- What are LED Light Strips?
- What are They Used For?
- How are They Installed?
- How Do I Use the Light Strips?
- Are the Strips Durable?
- Are LED Light Strips Legal?
- Any Final Thoughts?
LED Light Strip Reviews
Our #1 Pick – LED Strip Lights by wsiiron
Bright, colorful, and easy to install, these LED strip lights by wsiiron are an excellent choice for practically any vehicle.
Pros
- Easy installation with double-sided tape
- Lights react in real-time to music
- Includes four strips with 48 LED lights in each
Cons
- Unpairs existing Bluetooth connections
Our favorite pick is this four-piece LED strip kit from wsiiron. Each strip holds 48 LED lights in seven different original colors.
Double-sided tape on the back of each strip allows for fast, simple installation. No wire modifications are required, and the tape won’t harm your car’s interior. Stick them under the seats, in the footwell areas or anywhere else where you want cool, bright light.
The lights are easily controlled with the included app LED BLE. The lights sync to any sound captured by your phone’s microphone. Once synced, the lights blink, flash, and change colors in time with the music in your car.
Our #2 Pick – Govee Car LED Strip Lights with Two-Line Design
An upgraded design for Govee’s classic LED light strips adds easier installation and greater flexibility.
Pros
- Two-line design for easy installation
- Includes wired controller and app
- The high-quality mic picks up your music
Cons
- No wireless remote control
Govee’s new, upgraded two-line design has longer wires for simple and fast installation which won’t harm your car’s interior. Two lines connect to four light strips which attach to practically any interior surface thanks to the 3M adhesive backing.
Control the lights with either the wired control unit or via the included Govee Home app. You can change the color, brightness, and music mode. Unlike a wireless controller, a wired controller is basically impossible to lose.
The built-in mic has a high level of sensitivity, so it’s able to pick up every note of your music. The LED lights change color and brightness in response to whatever music you’re playing in your car. Plus, you can create your own custom color modes to match your favorite songs.
Our #3 Pick – Auxito Car LED Strip Lights
A complete set of durable LED light strips with four dynamic color modes and remote operation.
Pros
- Four color modes including sound-activated modes
- Lights are durable, waterproof and easy to install
- Includes new, RF remote control
Cons
- The adhesive backing isn’t very strong
With 16 static colors and four color modes, these LED light strips from Auxito turn any vehicle into a party. They use a High Sensitive Receiver to capture every beat of the interior music for precise sound-activated modes.
The 5050 LED lights are waterproof, dust-proof, and highly flexible. They fit into the gaps on the side of the floorboards where they’re basically invisible once installed.
The lights include a new, updated RF remote control. Unlike the earlier infrared model which requires line of sight to operate, the RF control works from up to 65 feet away.
Our #4 Pick – Ambother Underglow LED Lights
Add style and increased interior visibility to practically any type of vehicle with these underglow LED strip lights from Ambother.
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Pros
- Each strip includes eight colors
- Includes four active sound modes
- Lights can be connected to brake pedals
- Easy installation with double-sided tape
Cons
- Limited preset patterns
Easy to install and versatile, these LED light strips from Ambother feature eight static colors, four optional lighting effects, and four sound active modes. The bright colors are easily changeable.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive tape allows you to easily place the strips just about anywhere inside or even outside the car. The IP86 design is strong enough to withstand harsh outdoor weather. You can even connect the lights to your brake system so they’ll light up when you press the brake pedal.
The eight preset static colors are red, green, blue, white, orange, yellow, cyan and purple. The system has two present jump and two present fading patterns. Four sound active modes allow you to customize how the lights react to music.
Our #5 Pick – EJ’s Super Car 4-Piece LED Interior Car Lights
These durable, waterproof lights are available in six bold colors.
Pros
- Four light strips with double-sided tape
- Universal DC 12 power source with on/off switch
- Available in a variety of colors including multi-color
- Built-in fuse helps protect against accidental damage
Cons
- Only the multi-color light reacts to sound
Light up the inside of your car with these four LED light sticks from EJ’s Super Car. They’re easy to set up in just about any type of vehicle. Simply use the 3M double-sided tape to stick the strips under the seats, in the footwell area or practically anywhere else in your vehicle.
The lights have a universal fit for any DC 12 power source, such as your cigarette lighter. The power source has an on/off switch. Plus, it also has a built-in fuse, which helps protect your vehicle’s onboard lights from accidental damage.
Lights are available in pale blue, bright blue, red, pink, white and multi-color. Note that only the multi-color light is the only one which changes colors according to sound. The other lights are all solid colors.
Our #6 Pick – OPT7 Aura Smart-Color LED Strip Lighting Kit
Unique LED design emits bright, colorful lights while the SoundSync mode integrates them perfectly with any type of music.
Pros
- SoundSync mode connects to your music
- Emits bright, colorful light
- Two installation options
- Strips are flexible and durable
Cons
- Direct installation can be complicated
If you want the lights in your car’s interior to dance along with the music, the Smart-Color kit from OPT7 is a great choice. The one-of-a-kind SoundSync Mode uses finely-tuned, bass-activated technology to create a dazzling display with every song.
Additionally, each LED light is made up of three Micro-LED which combine all three primary colors into one. The light emitted from the strips is crisp and bright.
Each strip can bend and twist to fit just about anywhere inside your car. They’re durable and waterproof so they won’t be damaged when placed in the footwell area.
Two installation options are available. The “plug and play” car charger adapter can have the lights up and running in just five minutes. However, you can also connect the lights directly to your fuse box for a cleaner installation. The kit includes three different-sized fuse adaptors.
Our #7 Pick – Drita Multicolor LED Light Kit
Drita’s kit includes four strips with bright, bold colors backed by a full guarantee.
Pros
- Four strips with eight different colors
- Strips and durable, waterproof and flexible
- Built-in chipset keeps lights bright
- Customer support is easy to reach
Cons
- No included music sync mode
Drita’s multicolor LED kit includes four strips with 48 LEDs total. Eight RGB lights are included, but you can add whatever other colors you like. Each strip is made from durable PVC rubber. They’re waterproof and won’t grow hot to the touch when on.
A built-in 505 SMD Chipset keeps the lights bright and clear. The back of each strip has 3M double-sided tape for easy, secure application. Plug the charger directly into the cigarette lighter or any 12V outlet. The charger has short-circuit protection and memory functions.
Plus, Drita provides excellent customer service. They provide a one-year return window plus lifetime technical support.
Our #8 Pick – Cool Car Atmosphere Ambient Star
Light up the interior roof of your car with this panoramic sky ceiling light with multiple modes including starry night.
Pros
- Unique star projection
- Includes seat bracket for easy installation
- USB powered
Cons
- Can distract the driver
Looking for something a bit different than the traditional LED strips? Cool Car’s sky high-luminance projection lamp lights up the ceiling or walls of your vehicle. The red, starry atmosphere adds a distinct and even romantic atmosphere.
Installation is simple. The adjustment brackets can be affixed to the back of an armrest or fixed at the front panel. It’s powered by a USB socket power supply which can plug into your cigarette lighter.
Our #9 Pick – Adecorty LED Strip Lights
Adecorty’s underdash LED lights strips are durable, customizable, and easy to install.
Pros
- Sound Activation Function syncs lights with music
- Includes four LED strip lights
- Each light strip has eight colors
- Includes both wired and wireless controls
Cons
- Double-sided tape can be loose
- Lights might fail over time
This LED kit includes four SMD5050 LED strip lights, a car charger, a music remote control and IR control box. Each light strip has eight different colors with adjustable brightness. The Sound Activated Function changes colors in tune with your music.
The kit includes four SMD5050 strip lights, wired and wireless remote controls, and a car charger. The strips are ultra-thin, flexible, and water resistant. Attach them to your car’s interior with the double-sided tape and plug the charger into the cigarette lighter.
Our #10 Pick – sunva Car Interior Lights
These four-in-one strip lights have 16 different colors and wireless remote control.
Pros
- Durable, reliable lights
- Easy installation requires no wiring
- Produces up to 16 colors
Cons
- The wired remote control is very basic
- Doesn’t include an app
Although they’re not the fanciest option, this set of four LED light strips from sunva is easy to install and reliable. Each strip features four colors for a total of 16.
The strips are durable and waterproof with double-ended silicone protection. They’re bright but consume only a tiny amount of power.
No wiring is required. The double-sided tape keeps the strips secure underneath the seats, around the footwells or practically anywhere else where the charger can reach the cigarette lighter.
FAQ for LED Light Strips
Have more questions about LED light strips? We answer some common questions.
What are LED Light Strips?
LED light strips pack a lot of crisp, powerful lights into a thin, flexible tube. They’re frequently used to add lighting to the interior of cars, trucks, boats and other vehicles. You’ll often find them:
- Lining the footwalls in the passenger and driver’s seats
- Across the back headrest
- Along the lower part of the door
While you can find white LED light strips, most of them are colorful. Some light strips have four basic colors, while others can have millions of vibrant shades.
These light strips are possible because of the unique properties of LED lights. Short for light emitting diode, LED bulbs are tiny, durable and fit easily into an electrical circuit. Unlike incandescent bulbs, which are the type commonly found throughout your house, LED lights don’t have a filament. Instead, they’re powered by electrons in a semiconductor.
Also, LED lights don’t get as hot as other bulbs. They can be packed together into the strip without causing a fire hazard. Bulbs last for thousands and thousands of hours.
What are They Used For?
LED light strips have a few different uses. Mainly, they look cool. They’re used to create decorative accent lighting and backlighting.
Most people want light strips capable of producing a variety of colors. Then you can switch between colors whenever you like.
Another popular option is LED lights which “hear” the music in your vehicle. The lights flash, change colors, and otherwise react to the notes in the song. Many tracks also let you create custom displays.
But LED lights aren’t just decorative. They also help increase visibility inside the car, especially during low light conditions. LED lights on the door and in the footwells improve safety when entering and exiting the car.
How are They Installed?
Adding lights to your car’s interior is far less complicated than it sounds. Most light strips have double-sided tape on the back. The tape sticks to practically anything in your car. Plus, because the strips are thin, they sit well in seams, especially in the footwells.
While simple strips can operate without wires, almost any colored lights must connect to your vehicle’s electrical system. Usually, this requires no complicated wiring. Your car’s cigarette lighter can power most LED light strips.
The light systems will all connect to a single charger. Sometimes, the charger plugs directly into the cigarette lighter. In other cases, the charger plugs into a USB adapter which then plugs into the lighter. Light strips with a USB charger are the most versatile because they can be powered by a wide range of USB-compatible devices.
You can also wire the LED lights directly to your car’s electrical system. Although not terribly complicated, it does require some mechanical know-how. However, wiring the lights directly to your vehicle does free up your cigarette lighter for other devices.
Most LED light strips require 12 volts of power. That’s a very low level which won’t affect the performance of your battery. Don’t use a system which requires more than 12 volts unless you know how to connect to your vehicle’s electrical system.
How Do I Use the Light Strips?
You’ll find a few different options:
The system will have either a wired or wireless remote control (and some have both). Typically, the control lets you change the colors, patterns, intensity, and switch between different modes.
Wireless controllers allow for more flexibility. For example, passengers sitting in the back can use an infrared remote to adjust strip settings. It’s safer because the driver doesn’t have to take their eyes off the road.
At the same time, wired remotes can be easy to use. A wired remote is always within reach. Plus, wired sets are usually cheaper than wireless.
Many strips also include a free app. You can operate the entire system from your phone. While this gives you a lot of flexibility, and makes programming custom displays easy, you shouldn’t use the app when driving.
Are the Strips Durable?
Make sure the kit you buy is waterproof and shock resistant. Otherwise, they can become damaged. The floor of your car is regularly exposed to snow, dirt, water, and other harsh materials.
Most light strips made for vehicles will be durable and resistant. However, double-check for the words “waterproof” and a description of the materials used to make the strip itself.
Are LED Light Strips Legal?
Generally, LED light strips pose no legal problems. They emit a low level of light which shouldn’t interfere with your driving. However, always check the specific rules for your city and state.
The biggest potential danger involves using the remote control when driving. Memorize the button positions and system navigation before operating the vehicle.
Any Final Thoughts?
LED lights strips are an easy, affordable way to add a cool new style to your vehicle’s interior. When selecting strips for your car, make sure they’re durable, flexible, and have all your favorite colors. Don’t settle for a boring interior. Light it up with LED strips!
