CD Player Now Completely Disappeared From New Cars

Subaru stripped the Forester of its CD player during the generation change. Built-in streaming services via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto should take their place. You can also connect a phone via USB, with which the Japanese brand is in step with the rest of the automotive industry. This brings an end to four decades of CD players in passenger cars. The Forester was the last new car with a CD player that could be bought. Incidentally, the new Forester has not yet arrived in the Netherlands, so do you want a new car with a player? It has been possible for a little while.

Mercedes-Benz was the first brand to offer the technology as a successor to the cassette player, in 1985. The last new model with a cassette deck disappeared more recently than you might expect – Lexus still fitted one in its SC models until 2009. Although cars with large CD changers (often in the boot or glove compartment) have not been on the market for years, there was a selection of new models with single-disc players last year. These included the Subaru XV, Porsche 718 and Lexus LC, as discovered by British consumer site Which?. It is not known whether this includes American cars that are not available here.

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