These are the last new vehicles sold with CD players in 2025

Who would’ve thought that in 2025, there would still be new vehicles being sold with CD players? Well, we checked, and our research shows that there are just four of them left. We get that if you’re a millennial or younger, you might have never used a CD player, but for the rest of us, it’s how we listened to music growing up.

Since the rise of streaming audio, CD players have been phased out of vehicles over the past decade, and now hardly anyone bothers to include them in their models.

For those of you who are unaware, the term stands for “compact disc”, a digital optical disc that stores and plays music back via a laser that reads the near-invisible bumps and flat areas of digital data on the underside. A sensor reads the laser’s reflection on these surfaces to produce an electrical signal, which is then converted into sound through a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) during playback.

The sound quality is clear, crisp, and wonderful. Although CDs pale in comparison to some lossless streaming audio, they often match the sound quality of streaming music. For most listeners, the difference will be negligible.

It’s unlikely that anyone would select their next new vehicle based on whether or not it has a CD player, but it’s nice to know there are still a few cars left that have one. You may have that zippered CD carrying case lying around gathering dust, and boy, would it be nice to break them out, watch that disc retract into the old-school CD player slot, and then crank out those tunes in the order the artist meant for them to be listened to.

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2025 Lexus IS 300/350/500

Contrary to how stunning the exterior of the 2025 IS sedan looks, it isn’t the result of a redesign; it’s actually a dramatic facelift of the 3rd and newest generation. Aside from the exterior, much of it remains the same as the previous generation, which began in 2014 when CD players were more prevalent. The lack of any significant changes in the cabin also explains why there’s still a CD player present in each member of the IS line. It’s not even a CD changer but a single disc player parked in between the physical audio knobs on the center stack.

Whether you select the base IS 300 with its 241-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine or the top dog IS 500 with its 472 horsepower naturally-aspirated 5.0-liter engine, each model gets a CD player as standard equipment, along with Apple Car Play integration and Android Auto compatibility.

You can pump your music out via the standard 10-speaker audio system, or upgrade to the available 17-speaker, 1800-watt Mark Levinson system, which is also standard equipment on the IS 500 Sport Performance.

2025 Lexus RC 300/350/F

This soon-to-be-terminated old-school grand touring coupe and its high-performance F sibling all come with a standard CD player, just like its four-door cousin, the Lexus IS. The Japanese luxury brand is ending the RC’s life at the end of 2025, and we’re sad to see it go. Two-door luxury coupes aren’t exactly flying off showroom floors, and the RC is having its headstone carved as we speak.

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The RC line has been around for a decade, and as much as we love each one, we have to admit that they’ve gotten long in the tooth. We love that it has managed to keep its standard single CD player located in the same spot as the one in the Lexus IS. It’s easy to access while driving, and the audio switchgear on the center stack makes controlling the system a breeze. Just avoid the awkward touchpad control that’s still present in every trim of the RC.

Like the Lexus IS, you can upgrade the sound system from the standard 10-speakers to a booming 17-speaker Mark Levinson system, which is totally worth the additional $2,725 for a superior listening experience. This 831-watt system comes standard on the top-tier RC F Final Edition, the last of its kind. That sound system also brilliantly matches the loud 472-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine.

2025 Subaru Outback Touring/Touring XT

The Outback is a staple in the Subaru lineup, and the wagon-esque SUV is one of the brand’s best sellers. Although the styling has recently changed, adapted from the more aggressive Wilderness trim, the 2025 Subaru Outback manages to hold onto its single CD player. The caveat is that it’s only standard on the Touring and Touring XT trim levels, not on the other seven trim levels, which is a bit of a surprise. No, it’s not even an option on those.

So, why does Subaru still make a CD player standard on two Outback trim levels? Well, the average age of a Subaru Outback owner is 61, and the CD medium hits that age sweet spot just about perfectly. You can play your CDs through a powerful 576-watt 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system that’s standard equipment on both trim levels. It also has Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility.

The Outback Touring comes with the base 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder engine with 182 horsepower, but you can upgrade to the fancier and more powerful Touring XT with the 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer four with 260 horsepower for more driving verve. But don’t mistake either of these for land rockets because they’re more geared towards comfy cruising and mild off-roading with their standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive systems.

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2025 Subaru Legacy Touring XT

The Legacy sedan has been around for decades, but it has been virtually forgotten in the shadow of its Outback and Forester crossover brethren. This venerable sedan is going the way of the dodo next year, marking another great four-door family car that will bite the dust. With it goes its standard CD player on the top Touring XT trim level, the only one of five trim levels to get it.

Just like its Outback Touring XT sibling, the Legacy Touring XT pairs its CD player with a standard 12-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system. If you want to go new school and opt to give the CD player a break, you can use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to play tunes, controlled via the 11.6-inch touchscreen.

Cruising with your tunes in the Touring XT comes by way of the Legacy’s best engine, the 2.4-liter turbocharged boxer four with 260 horsepower mated to a CVT that drives all four wheels via the standard Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. The Legacy and its CD player signal the end of an era for a model and a medium that hung on for as long as they could.

Final thoughts

Times change, and so does technology. What is groundbreaking today will be obsolete before you know it. The death of the CD player may mourned by some, but the advent of online streaming meant it was only a matter of time before we got to this point.

The good news is that if a CD player is an absolute must for you and none of these cars meet your requirements, the used car market will always be on your side.

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