Garage
Shop

See all parts that fit your 2001 Highlander

Kenwood KDC-252U

In-Dash Car CD/MP3/WMA Stereo Receiver w/ Front USB & 3.5mm Auxiliary Input

Kenwood
Shop all Kenwood
Product videos
highlight-star-icon

• Single-Line Dot Text Display
• 50W x 4 Chan. Max, 22W x 4 Chan. RMS
• 1 Set of 2V Preamp Outputs
• 3-Band Parametric Equalizer
• 24Bit Digital Analog Converter
• iPod and iPhone Ready
• Wireless Remote Control

Learn more about the kdc252u

Good news and a little bad...

This item has been discontinued

But you may be interested in the newest model that's available.

kdc258u thumbnail

Kenwood KDC-258U

OUR PRICE: $99.99

View item

Loading...
iLX-W650 main

Alpine iLX-W650

7" Double DIN Touchscreen Digital Multimedia Receiver with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (SiriusXM Ready)

124
-5.72%

$329.95

List price $349.95

Limited time!
KFC-1666S main

Kenwood KFC-1666S

600W Peak (60W RMS) 6.5" Sport Series 2 Way Coaxial 4-ohm Car Speakers

51
-38.75%

$49.00

List price $80.00

H7653 main

Cerwin-Vega H7653

680W Peak (120W RMS) 6.5" HED Series 3-Way Coaxial 4-ohm Speakers

43
-16.67%

$79.99

List price $95.99

Stage3 637F main

JBL Stage3 637F (STAGE3637FAM)

270W Peak (90W RMS) 6.5" Stage3 Series 3-Way Coaxial 3-Ohm Speakers

2
-18.19%

$89.95

List price $109.95

H765C main

Cerwin Vega H765C

800W Peak (120W RMS) 6.5" HED Series 2-Way 4-ohm Component Speaker System

17
-16.67%

$129.99

List price $155.99

JBL Stage2 634 (STAGE2634)

500W Peak (80W RMS) 6.5" Stage2 Series 3 Way Coaxial 4-ohm Speakers

15
-26.00%

$73.99

List price $99.99

Product Highlights


• Single-Line Dot Text Display
• 50W x 4 Chan. Max, 22W x 4 Chan. RMS
• 1 Set of 2V Preamp Outputs
• 3-Band Parametric Equalizer
• 24Bit Digital Analog Converter
• iPod and iPhone Ready
• Wireless Remote Control

Description


Kenwood brand icon

Authorized dealer


 

 

 

 

General Features:

  • In-dash AM/FM, CD, MP3, WMA Receiver with Remote
  • Built-in Pandora internet radio control
  • Theft deterring detachable face plate
  • Single-line DOT text display
  • Wireless remote control included
  • Red illuminated button lighting
  • Power Output:
    • Peak: 50 watts x 4 channels
    • RMS: 22 watts x 4 channels
  • CD text information display
  • MP3 ID3 Tag Display (Title/Artist/Album)
  • 1-year SonicElectronix.com Warranty

Playback and Audio Features:

  • Playback of CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3, and WMA
  • AM/FM tuner with 18FM/12AM presets
  • Separate subwoofer level control
  • Dynamic Soundstage Organizer
  • Electronic Shock Protection (ESP)
  • 3-band parametric equalizer with 8 selectable tone curves (7 Preset, 1 User)
  • 24bit Digital Analog Converter (DAC) to enhance your MP3/WMA playback
  • Built-in Low-Pass Filter (LPF)
  • Two-stage bass boost allows for user specified bass level

Expandability Options:

  • 1 Set of 2V preamp outputs (subwoofer)
  • iPod and iPhone Ready: Standard USB-to-iPod Cable compatible
  • Front Auxiliary Input: 3.5mm headphone jack allows connection to portable media devices such as MP3 players
  • Front USB Input: USB port allows connection to digital devices such as flash drives, portable media players, etc.

Product history:

Kenwood KDC-258U thumbnail
(newest, current model)
Kenwood KDC-255U thumbnail
(previous model, replaced by Kenwood KDC-258U)
Kenwood KDC-252U thumbnail
(previous model, replaced by Kenwood KDC-255U)
Kenwood KDC-248U thumbnail
(previous model, replaced by Kenwood KDC-252U)

Loading...
BV850ACP main

Boss Elite BV850ACP

6.75" Double DIN Touchscreen Digital Multimedia Receiver with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto with Backup Camera

5
Limited time!
46CSC654 main

Kicker CSC65 (46CSC654)

600W Peak (200W RMS) 6.5” CS Series 2 Way Coaxial 4-ohm Speakers

122
-33.36%

$79.96

List price $119.99

Limited time!
46CSC6934 main

Kicker CSC693 (46CSC6934)

900W Peak (300W RMS) 6x9” CS Series 3 Way Coaxial 4-ohm Speakers with Integrated Midrange Speakers

40
-30.02%

$111.96

List price $159.99

43DSC6504 main

Kicker DSC650 (43DSC6504)

480W Peak (120W RMS) 6.5” DS Series 2-way 4-ohm Coaxial Car Speakers (DSC6504)

28
-10.53%

$84.99

List price $94.99

DB652 main

Polk Audio DB652 (DB 652)

600W Peak (200W RMS) 6.5" DB+ Series 2 Way Coaxial 4-ohm Car, Marine and Powersports Speakers

12
-9.16%

$109.00

List price $119.99

Limited time!
Club 622 main

JBL Club 622

360W Peak (120W RMS) 6.5" Club Series 2-way Coaxial 3-ohm Speakers

5
-28.58%

$99.95

List price $139.95

PNW-65CS2 main

AudioControl PNW-65CS2

250W Peak (200W RMS) 6.5″ PNW Series 2 Way Component 3-ohm Speakers

4
-5.90%

$319.00

List price $339.00

MPK 163.3 main

Hertz MPK163.3

600W Peak (300W RMS) 6.5" Mille PRO Series 3-way 4-ohm Component Speaker System

2
-14.89%

$999.99

List price $1175.00

SXE-6926S main

Alpine SXE-6926S

280W Peak (90W RMS) 6x9” SXE Series 2-way 4-ohm Coaxial Speakers

13
-20.84%

$56.99

List price $71.99

NSP65 main

NVX NSP65

540W Peak (180W RMS) 6.5" N-Series 2 Way Coaxial Car Speakers

93
-35.19%

$69.99

List price $107.99


Best selling similar products

CV15BT small

Cerwin-Vega CV15BT

• Single DIN Bluetooth Digital Media Receiver
• Digital LED Backlit Display
• USB/SD/AUX Input
• Three sets of 5 volts preamp outputs
• Multiple Preset EQ

(3)

$69.99

List price $69.99

UTE-73BT small

Alpine UTE-73BT

• Single DIN Digital Media Receiver
• 1-line Digital LED Backlit Display with RGB illumination
• Control music/other apps via iPhone and Android
• 3 sets of 2 volts preamp outputs
• 3-Band Parametric Equalizer
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ready
• NFC-compatible for select Android devices
• Built-in amplifier

(43)

$149.95

List price $180.00

XAV-AX8500 small

Sony XAV-AX8500

• Single DIN Bluetooth Digital Multimedia Receiver
• 10.1" TFT Active Matrix Display
• Apple CarPlay (wireless) and Android Auto (wired and wireless) compatible
• 3 sets of 5 volts preamp outputs
• 14-Band Graphic EQ and 8-Band Parametric EQ
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ready
• iDatalink Maestro compatible
• Flexible installation in both single and double-DIN dashboards

(2)

$798.00

List price $999.99

KMM-X705 small

Kenwood eXcelon KMM-X705

• Single DIN Bluetooth Digital Multimedia Receiver with USB and AUX
• LCD Text Display
• iPhone and Android Compatible
• 3 sets of 5 volts preamp outputs
• 13-Band Graphic Equalizer with Digital Time Alignment
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ready

(6)

$199.00

List price $250.00

MVH-S322BT small

Pioneer MVH-S322BT

• Single DIN Bluetooth Digital Media Receiver
• Digital LED Backlit Display
• Pandora and Spotify capable
• 2 pairs of 4 volts preamp outputs
• 13-Band Equalizer

(7)

$129.99

List price $150.00

DEH-S7200BHS small

Pioneer DEH-S7200BHS

• Single DIN Bluetooth CD Digital Media Receiver
• LCD Text Display
• Voice Recognition
• Built-in HD Radio
• 3 sets of 4 volts preamp outputs
• 13-Band Equalizer
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ready
• Pioneer Smart Sync

(2)

$249.99

List price $280.00

XRM59BT, CSDF620X2 small

Dual XRM59BT Stereo + (2-Pairs) of JVC CSDF620

• Mechless AM/FM receiver with Bluetooth Connectivity
• Front 3.5mm aux input
• Front panel USB 1A charging port
• 2-band EQ & 4 preset EQ
• 1 pair of 2V RCA preamp outputs

(32)

$88.25

List price $177.99

KDC-X305 small

Kenwood eXcelon KDC-X305

• Single DIN Bluetooth CD Multimedia Receiver with USB and AUX
• LCD Text Display
• iPhone and Android Compatible
• 3 sets of 5 volts preamp outputs
• 13-Band Equalizer with Digital Time Alignment
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ready

(23)

$199.00

List price $240.00

KDC-BT782HD small

Kenwood KDC-BT782HD

• Single DIN In-Dash Bluetooth CD Receiver
• LCD Text Display
• SiriusXM ready and Amazon Alexa compatible
• iPhone, iPod, and Android compatible
• 3 sets of 4 volts preamp outputs
• 13-Band Graphic Equalizer with Digital Time Alignment
• Built-in HD radio tuner

(5)

$219.00

List price $270.00

Specifications & Details


In-Dash Receiver Specifications
Receiver Size
Single DIN
Anti-Theft Security
Detachable Faceplate
Wireless Remote
Yes
Peak Power Output
50 watts x 4 channel
RMS Power Output
22 watts x 4 channel
Preamp RCA Outputs
1 Set (2-channel)
Dedicated Subwoofer Preamp RCA Output
Yes
Preamp Voltage
2 volts
Built-In Equalizer
3-band parametric equalizer with 8 selectable tone curves
Display Type
Dot-Matrix Text Display
Expandability Features
Inputs
Auxiliary (Front)
Auxiliary (Rear)
Steering Wheel Control Compatible
No
Tuner
AM/FM Tuner
Yes
FM Presets
18
AM Presets
12
Warranty and Return Policy
Parts Warranty Duration
1 year
Labor Warranty Duration
1 year
Warranty Provider
Sonic Electronix

Item Details


Manufacturer:

Model Number:

KDC-252U

Weight:

3.40lbs

Internal SKU:

kdc252u

Internal Product ID:

42342

Product and How-to Videos


Customer Ratings & Reviews


Kenwood KDC-252U thumbnail image

5 star
71%
4 star
26%
3 star
3%
2 star
0%
1 star
0%



Durability
4.5
Value
4.9
Features
4.5
Design
4.5
Usability
4.5

Customer Reviews

Sort by:

Loading...

good features, good looks, easy to use. GREAT VALUE

I have owned one of these for about 3 months. its a very nice radio, has options for sub woofer level, bass, mid, treble, and a lot of things in between. its a great product and the red matches really well with the stock gages on my 2000 grand prix. only problem i have had is that the ipod won't play thru the USB port for some reason. it will just say 'reading' and get to the song but won't play. I have tried hitting the play button on both the ipod and the dash but to no avail. I'm not sure if its the ipod or the radio.

also very easy to use, and as i said earlier it looks great. plenty of features. read the owners manual to find them all

a great product, gonna buy one for my friend on her birthday here soon

By Max on May 1, 2012

20 found this helpful


Cool Radio

This radio looks very nice and has some good features. i would recommend this to anyone!

By Chris on December 16, 2012

19 found this helpful


Great economical deck

I bought this deck about 6 months ago and it has been all I was hoping for and more. I just put it in with 4 new speakers in my Ford Ranger daily driver. It works great with my Iphone and I have had no problems with it. I dont' know what else to say, other than it is a great deck for the dollar.

By Zach on September 10, 2012

18 found this helpful


Great Headunit

I only had this head unit for about six months, and I love this product. I installed this myself to replace the factory stereo. Since then has been a pleasure to have, and sound quality is much better.

A fault I have with the headunit only has red lighting, but luckily it matches with the rest of my gauges in my Toyota Matrix.

It seems the most common problem is the ipod control through the usb. This is actually a very easy problem to fix. First you plug in the ipod, then the ipod has "kenwood" on its screen, and you can only control it through the headunit. However, if you press the ipod button (on the right of the volume knob) for about 2 seconds, the headunit will display "app's & ipod" I think; anyway from there you can control the music from your ipod. It is mentioned somewhere in the manual.

Hope this helps.

By Dean on August 6, 2012

18 found this helpful


Use in my tractor

I bought this radio to use in my Kubota 8540 tractor and it works great. The stock speakers from Kubota have all they can handle (or more) from this unit. My only con is in the selection menu(s) - it's hard to know where you are and where you want to go but that may be a function of having so many options. Also, haven't been able to get my flash drive to play but could be from the format of music on my computer.

By Bosco on July 4, 2012

19 found this helpful


Works Great!

I bought this product because I wanted a radio with a USB port, and it works for much more than that! I would recommend this to anybody who is looking for a simple to use, easy to install radio.

By Alex on January 4, 2013

17 found this helpful


Great deal!

I love this thing! Low price for usb AND 3.5mm connectivity?! Amazing! I just bought 2 of these, installed one in my sisters car for christmas, she's not very tech savvy, but she loves it and figured out how to use it, and i installed the other one in my own car.

Con: By ear, I can't hear any difference in the sound of my 4 6 3/4" clarion speakers with this new head unit in comparison to my stock head unit.

By Jeremy on December 27, 2012

18 found this helpful


Serious Improvement

Not going into technical details. Upgraded my stock head unit in a 2012 mazda 5. A true musical delight emerged from my stock speakers. I thought I would have to dig in my pocket a little deeper for 6 new speakers, not the case. Well worth the money. Sonic was on spot with the service.

By Mike on June 18, 2012

17 found this helpful


great ddeal

easy to use, ipod friendly, and reads WMA's. no problem to install with kit and wire harness

By John on September 5, 2012

15 found this helpful


Kenwood=Bo$$

This is a great looking and easy to use car head unit. I do not regret purchasing. Its a great price and I highly recommend it.

By Stacky on February 15, 2012

15 found this helpful




K9-ECLIPSE small

Omega K-9 K9-ECLIPSE

2-Way Paging Car Alarm Vehicle Security System with 2-LCD Pagers

(7)

$74.99

List price $149.99

NE102S_VSW102V3 small

NVX NE102S w/ NVX VSW102 Version 3

Dual 10" Sealed 3/4" MDF Black Carpeted Subwoofer Enclosure – 1.2 Cu. Ft. with Polyfil and NVX Logo w/ 10" VS-Series v3 Dual 2-Ohm Car Subwoofer

(23)

$335.97

List price $431.97

X343G small

Limitless Creations X343G

Illuminated, Wafer Thin 2.1 Computer Speaker System w/ Subwoofer for PC, Mac, Office or Home Use

(17)

$39.99

List price $79.99

GTO609C small

JBL GTO609C

540W Peak (400W RMS) 6.5" GTO Series 2-way 3-ohm Component Speaker System

(11)

$114.95

List price $279.95

USPA-5060 small

Xscorpion USPA-5060

5-1/4" - 6-1/2" Universal Speaker Adapter Brackets with 1/2" Depth Extender

(11)

$11.99

List price $8.99

GTO608C small

JBL GTO608C

6-1/2" 2-Way Grand Touring Series Component Car Speakers System

(40)

$349.95

List price $399.95

CP 1 10-GRAY small

Ground Shaker CP 1 10-GRAY

10" Single Sealed Compact Box

(2)

$59.95

List price $89.95

KSC-SW11 small

Kenwood KSC-SW11 Compact Powered Subwoofer

150W Peak Powered Subwoofer Enclosure with Bass Remote and Loaded with 8-1/4" x 5-1/8" Subwoofer

(20)

$250.00

List price $300.00

MP820-8GBLK small

Coby MP820-8GBLK

8GB 1.8" Touch Screen Video MP3 Player with FM Radio

(5)

$22.99

List price $44.99

Related Searches


Save up to 10 different vehicles in your garage
Vehicle
Store
Delete

2001 Toyota Highlander

1981 Jeep Cherokee

2011 BMW 528i

2006 Ford Fusion

2004 Ford Focus

2012 Ram C/V

Add vehicle Clear all vehicles
Where to find vehicle info
Are you sure you want to clear your garage?
This action cannot be undone. Confirm
This page was not designed for products.
If you continue, you will be redirected to a category customized for your vehicle. Continue
Loading...
Identify your vehicle and submodel details
  • Owner's manual
  • Vehicle's insurance card
  • Vehicle registration
  • Vehicle produced after 2005: Inside driver's side door
  • Vehicle produced before 2005: Rear passenger doorjamb, glove box, center console, or engine compartment
Car Info Side Door Icon
Vehicle Registration Icon
Vehicle Insurance Icon

Modern vehicles often require specific brackets, wiring harnesses, and mounting solutions. A fit guide ensures:

  • You see only parts engineered for your exact vehicle
  • You avoid incompatible radios, speakers, or wiring
  • Installation is smoother, faster, and frustration-free
  • You get the correct accessories the first time

Whether you're replacing a factory stereo or upgrading your entire audio system, the Fit Finder eliminates uncertainty.