- Two new Subarus are the only US cars still offering a CD player.
- The single-disc CD player adds at least $450 to the sticker price.
- Most of the industry walked away from CD players a decade ago.
Not only have it been years since I’ve used a CD, but I think it’s also been years since I’ve even looked at one. However, if you own a new 2026 Subaru WRX or Ascent in the US, you may still be rocking out to your favorite tunes on a good ole’ CD, despite most of the auto industry shifting to digital audio over the past decade.
The WRX and Ascent are the only two new cars currently sold in the United States with an available CD player. Compared to some of its competition, Subaru interiors are rather outdated, but even we were surprised to hear about the Japanese company’s commitment to CD enthusiasts.
Read: How Do You Listen To Music In Your Car?
In the case of both the 2026 WRX and Ascent models, a CD player can be added within the center console, keeping it hidden when not in use. For the WRX, it costs $449.95, while in the Ascent, the CD player costs $450. That’s quite a lot, particularly given that it only holds a single disc, and isn’t one of those fancy six-disc changers that were once common across the industry.
We can’t imagine there are all that many WRX and Ascent shoppers who are willing to hand over more than $400 for a CD player, but we’ve reached out to Subaru to see if we can get some answers. As noted by Cars.com, the Outback had also been available with a CD player up until last year, before it was replaced with an all-new model. Additionally, the 2025 Lexus IS also had one, and it likewise gave way to a new version without the disc slot.
Will anyone buy a WRX or an Ascent purely because it can be ordered with a CD player? We doubt it, though we won’t rule it out entirely, because nostalgia does strange things to people.
