Car CD Players: A Technology That Endures in 2025
A friend of mine named Mark recently bought a new car and lamented the disappearance of a specific feature: the CD player. It’s 2025, and it turns out he was wrong.
The Subaru Outback Surprise
During a recent weekend trip to Aspen via Denver, I had the chance to test the 2025 Subaru Outback. Imagine my surprise when I opened the center armrest and discovered a built-in CD player in this brand-new vehicle with only a few thousand miles on the odometer. Clearly, my friend Mark should have chosen a Subaru Outback. Ironically, he already owned two Outbacks before buying his latest car but didn’t opt for a third. Perhaps a misjudgment.
The 2025 Outback model I tested was the top-of-the-line Touring XT version, which includes the CD player as standard in the center console storage compartment. The base Touring version also offers this player as standard equipment.
Beyond Subaru: Other Models Persist
Even more surprising, the Outback is not the only new vehicle, nor even the only Subaru, to offer a standard CD player today.
Lexus, The Last Bastion of the CD
The 2025 Lexus IS sedan and the RC coupe both integrate a CD player directly on the dashboard. The RC will be discontinued after 2025, while the IS will receive a third facelift for its current generation in 2026, leading to the definitive disappearance of the CD player from the Lexus lineup.
Subaru WRX: A Surviving Option
At Subaru, the Japanese manufacturer maintains the CD player as an option on the WRX, thus preserving this feature for purists of physical audio.
Why This Technological Persistence?
The continued presence of CD players in some new vehicles can be explained by several factors. First, residual demand from audiophiles who appreciate the superior sound quality of CDs compared to compressed streams. Second, the retention of an older customer base, less familiar with modern digital technologies. Finally, some international markets, particularly in Asia, maintain an active demand for this technology.
A Programmed Disappearance
The automotive industry is inexorably evolving towards digital connectivity. Modern multimedia systems now prioritize smartphone integration, audio streaming, and voice commands. The physical space occupied by CD players is becoming valuable for other functions, such as wireless chargers or additional USB ports.
Conclusion: Last Available Models
In this year 2025, only four new cars still retain a CD player: the Subaru Outback (standard), the Subaru WRX (optional), the Lexus IS (standard), and the Lexus RC (standard). These models represent the final vestiges of a technology that dominated car audio for nearly three decades, before giving way to modern digital solutions.