Even the most dedicated General Motors enthusiast might have trouble answering this question: how many GM vehicles on sale in the U.S. today offer a CD player? The answer is that almost none of them do, with the exceptions of the 2021 Chevy Express van and its corporate twin, the 2021 GMC Savana. For all their qualities, neither is a state-of-the-art vehicle, so it’s not surprising that they can be ordered with a CD player.
This does not apply to any other GM model. No other Chevy, no other GMC and no Buick or Cadillac models of any kind has a CD player, even as an option. The assumption held by GM and most (if not all) other automakers must surely be that owners nowadays prefer to connect their smartphones to their vehicles’ onboard entertainment systems – whether by Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or a humble USB cable – and listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks or any other type of content that way.
But this does not apply to everyone. To start with, some people do not own a smartphone. Others have a lot of CDs and would like to play them in their car. In a new GM vehicle, other than an Express or a Savana, they can’t. There may be other reasons too.
The point is that there is a demand for modern GM models to be fitted with a CD player, as attested by readers of both GM Authority and of our sister publication, Cadillac Society. Below are some examples.
“A tremendous dislike and disappointment because I cannot enjoy the vehicle as I really like the inability to play my extensive collection of music CDs. A car with 14 speakers is designed to sound great but not this car because there is no CD player made to install and there is no factory installed version in this vehicle.” – Donna (Cadillac XT6)
“When will Cadillac put back the CD players in the vehicles?. My last purchase was an SRX that had it… disappointed to find out my 2021 XT5 doesn’t have it.” – B.R.T
“I would have liked to have the option for a CD player. I realize many use their phone for music but I still want to play my CDs on this Bose Panaray system.” – Glenn (Cadillac CT6)
“Why isn‘t there a CD player? The sound system in this car is incredible when I play radio but would be better if I could play CDs. I don‘t want to use a phone.” – Chuck A. (Chevy Corvette C8)
“I have a large CD collection that I carried with me in my old Sierra. I just got a brand new 2020 Sierra and disappointed to realize a CD player isn‘t offered.” – Steve (2020 GMC Sierra 1500)
Smartphones are undoubtedly the music devices of choice these days for the overwhelming majority, but perhaps GM could satisfy the demand demonstrated here by making CD players available as accessories and fitting in them in the glovebox, or under a seat, or in the trunk, just like in the old days. Doing so would satisfy an admittedly small portion of the market, but it would also provide a new source of revenue for The General.
Comments
Lexus offered a a cassette player on the last generation ES.
Why not take it a step farther and go with an 8 track?
No, no a 45 rpm phonograph player….
Look, certain things should be left alone in the past as other manufacturers is moving away from this media.
Meanwhile, millions have CD’s on the shelf ready for immediate use. Perhaps you might throw away your DVD player.
My dad Digitized his CD collection a decade ago and hasn’t touched them since.
Between the “auto- stop” feature and no CD, I’ll just plan on keeping my 14 Silverado.
I don’t blame you for keeping a reliable truck with a CD
I would keep the 14 too. before your headliner gets wrecked you might want replace the seal for the onstar/xm antenna they an update and tsb on it and the a/c condenser will leak it is just a matter of time
Here is a reality check. Hardly anyone sells CD’s anymore.
I have hundreds of them and I put them all on my pad, lap top and phone. I take all 25,000 songs everywhere I go.
My discs they are back ups at this point as if I get a corrupted file I just reload it.
I gave up CD’s a while ago and only use them in my old Pontiac.
The truth is this. CD players take up space, they are out dated tech, they have a lot of issues and most people have smart phones with thousands of songs on them.
The hub for your car is centered on cell phone and will become even more integrated with it as time goes on.
Your phone is your personal computer, entertainment device and communications tool. With all it has to offer I find losing a CD player a minor loss.
What issues with CD players? I’ve never had a problem with a CD player, in car or out.
After market CD players are dirt cheap if you have an issue and interfaces are available for steering wheel controls
I don’t have a problem with C8.R’s sentiment. For the most part I agree with it. I think most people should be able to understand why manufacturers have moved away from having CD players in their vehicles. I just didn’t understand the comment about lots of issues. There can be problems with anything but CD players were a very sturdy technology.
My neighbor had a Cadillac in the 1960s with a record player in it. But he could only play while parked. My two present cars have CD players and can play MPEG encoded files so one CD holds 30 tracks.
But a CD player takes up a lot of volume, so modern infotainment systems have to move parts of it away from the center console, or place the player elsewhere.
Most famously, once touch screens became commonplace, companies moved the CD player inlet BEHIND the touch screen, which would either elevate or bend forward for access. I loved that idea.
I just ordered a trail boss last week. This is the first truck I have ever bought brand new. I have never test drove one or seen one up close but a few days ago looking at photos like i do obsessing over it until it gets delivered I noticed there was NO CD PLAYER I almost cried. I’m glad someone is bringing this up because that’s BS making people change how they listen to there music. Thank god I got the 2010 2SS/RS with a CD PLAYER
CD’s. Lol. I bet it’s been 30 years since I listened to a cd. Who even has a CD player. Oh I know. The flip phone people.
All BMWs have CD players, is it that hard to believe people would enjoy the ability to use CDs while driving. CDs enhance the driving experience and while avoiding advertising. I have to drive my 2011 Traverse to listen to my CDs.
So my grandson gets into my new 2021 Cadillac Escalade and sees these two fantastic video screens on the back of the front seats. He is 4 years old. He is excited. He hands my his favorite DVD which is “Frozen” and says “Here pawpaw, play this one.” He knows in our 2018 Escalade he could watch anything he brought along. And now I have to explain, to him how our $114,000 auto can’t play “Frozen”. Yes this was really an up grade. NOT!!
And oh yes Brad, I supposed to remind him that next time he should transfer what he wants to watch to a thumb drive. Yeah sure….
oh come on… it has an HDMI IN… YOU PROVIDE YOUR OWN DVD PLAYER, plug it into power and the HDMI in and tada you have a DVD ready to be watched…
Hey Nebula,
You were a fantastic help. After I read your comment I quick found a Chevy dealer on YouTube that went through all the different ways you could hook up to the new system including connecting a DVD player through HDMI. It is very simple. All I can say is, thank you very much. 🙂
James
When you buy a vehicle, make sure it does everything that is important to you. If no CD or DVD player is a priority to you, then find another brand of vehicle that suits that need best. No one forced you to buy a Cadillac.
Really ? I’m one of those flip-phone people. And most won’t say it, but it’s time for all the “gadget” companies that makes what works obsolete to stop. Why? Because, the time an money to gear up for what’s replaced a proven product might not be there. I still have a working Sony Betamax an Sony VHS machines, and a wealth of media used to teach unknowing minds about WWI an WWII that you can’t see on any other media … why? Because it doesn’t exist on the new formats. I rather enjoy wiping the smirk/smile off a idiot person who doesn’t know the true facts concerning WWI an WWII. Betcha didn’t know WWII actually began in 1932, not 1939 … it did.
OUTSTANDING!!! KEEP GOING!!! Us”old time tech” users prove there’s some things you just can’t improve!!!!!!!!!
Bought a car without ever driving one first. That is telling.
I bought a car without driving it! Would you buy a ct6-v after someone tried to see how fast gets from 0to60?! I doubt that you’ll find a c8 to test drive also. I told the salesman that the deal is off if the car’s odometer rolled over more than 1 km over the 14km / 9mi came off the delivery truck. “We have to fill up the fuel tank!” … Don’t. Let me worry about that.
MP3, MP4’s, iPhone, Smart Phone or iPad, everyone or should I say, a large percentage of the US Population has gone wireless when it comes to playing their music, whether it be a car, house or even in the club and yes; Vinyl Records are even still being used by most DJ’s and some of those albums don’t come cheap. gm can sell those CD Players as an accessory if they so choose, but that consumer will soon have to come to grips with reality that the CD Player will have to be put to the side in order to keep up with quickly changing technology and to deal with the fact that their favorite Music Artist can’t be accessed by CD’s anymore when it comes to getting the latest music, so offering a CD Player may be a good “Short Term” idea and in this 5G Society that we are in, that Short Term offer just may be Very Short!!!
Reading the comments herein, there seems to be two distinct factions: those who contend CDs & a player for them are “old” & a group who clearly WANT the player, regardless of any other “available tech.” I clearly align with that latter category. Having 15 million “new” options does NOT antiquate an older technology beyond it’s usefulness, especially when it is STILL the industry STANDARD in a diverse field such as music. My Grandkids & their friends LOVE listening to my music selections, & marvel over how rich the sound is… “It’s NOTHING like my MP3 Gramma!!!” Good audio COUNTS: my smart phone CANNOT HOPE to produce the sound/tone quality of an advanced Infinity System…to think any of the newer tech even compares is indicative of how limited the contender’s understanding of quality audio is & THAT is sad. It is the CD PLAYER that makes the good system really shine!!! I would not own a vehicle that didn’t have one.
A CD player is a digital system just like any other digital phone… What MADE the CD was the compression used to burn the music to the disk. There are plenty of other formats that are available for phones and other devices that are far superior to MP3 like FLAC and ALAC.
Two things:
The title of the article uses the word, “accessory,” as in optional. People that don’t want or need a CD player aren’t obligated to have one.
The issue isn’t about digital format superiority but rather one of convenience for the user. It is inarguably easier to stick a CD one already has into a slot than to have to first rip the disc and transfer it to a media device. Smart manufacturers find ways to give customers what the customers want rather than force what the manufacturer or someone else believes is better for the customer. Ideally customers should get to choose between what they prefer or already have, and then perhaps later transition to something technologically better.
There is plenty of space in the the infotainment stack for a slot loading CD player module. Make it a $200 dealer installed option for luddites that want to have it and be done with it. That was how it worked for a used Honda I had. I pulled out the factory tuner and slid in a factory Tuner/CD I got from an auction web site. It was a 15 minute job.
When I bought a “authorized” head unit w/CD player from a junk yard to initially upgrade from the AM/FM only head unit in my 04 Impala, I couldn’t do the install myself: the DEALER had to install the new head unit & pair it with the sub-computer board. Problem now is the new vehicles are built such that they don’t allow upgrade modifications… You can’t upgrade anything as the “computers” won’t accept it… My #1 REASON why I reject any of the newer vehicles.
You can still swap head units but you need to tell the head unit to accept the new VIN. They are keyed to the VIN of the vehicle.
No. Not anymore. GM specifically designed the newer models, especially those w/driver assist sensors, to disallow switching head units. I switched the head unit in my 08 Impala for an expanded flat screen that gave me the necessary expansion slots to further expand the vehicle with a back-up camera & a smart surveillance system & forward sensing radar: you can’t do that anymore. I’ll KEEP MY 08, with more HP & TORQUE than even the new Camaro; She has bigger windows, tighter handling, & steel rims… ALL much better than what’s currently offered… Oh yeah!!!… & an AWESOME audio system WITH A CD PLAYER!!! I BOOTED XM!!!😁
Plenty of DIY mechanics have been able to swap out and replace Head Units of new vehicles as long as you have the tools to program the new units for the VIN.
I find it a racist comment against older folks. It’s not like we are still listening to 78 RPM records. A CD is still a viable and high end way to listen to music. An investment made not all that long ago. As Amazon still sells CD’s. If you buy a album on their site you get the CD also. So just ask if you want one and stop being cheap. The engineering exists to add a CD player there’s still a lot of baby boomers left sorry about that but we’re still here
THANK YOU BOB!!!
I will ALWAYS opt for STELLAR QUALITY SOUND over second-rate “noise”… In my 60s & fully intend to “ROCK OUT” as long as time allows me to do so, irrespective of what new “fangled tech” anyone decides to “invent.” If auto makers DON’T give me what I want, I’ll buy late-model & severely modify it to my liking… Simple as THAT!!!💜
I just love the irony of people suggesting how uncompromising they are when it comes to sound quality… in their cars. That’s like only saying you only eat caviar and filet mignon, but eating said meals off an old dirty hub cap.
Good sound quality is PRIMO!!!
…& I’ll take my 13-year-old wheel covers…that shield RACING BRAKES on a track qualified Impala over your over-computerized, wimpy DINOSAUR SUV any day of the week!!! And I can JAM while I leave you in the duusssst!!!!!…..
Jeep Trackhawk inc CD player
6.2 lt V8 707 HP
0 to 60 3.7 sec
Range Rover Sport SVR inc CD player
5LT V8 Supercharged 542 Hp
0 to 60 4.2 sec
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
inc CD player
Bi turbo V6 510 Hp
0 to 60 3.8 sec
Porsche Cayenne Turbo
Bentley Bentayga
Aston Martin
Masarati
Lamborghini Urus
and many more
I know these are all high end SUV but you made the comment and relegated all SUVs to dinosaur status.
If these are all dinosaurs I want to be a paleontologist
Besides a 13 year old Impala is closer to extinction.
13 years is just broken in considering all her upgrades in performance & er 800 watt Infinity Concert Hall audio system. High end SUVs are expensive DINOSAURS: gas-guzzling blacktop lumbering monstrosities with poor acceleration, snail-pace handling, and their size & numbers alone contribute to overall retardation of traffic flow… & driving a 2020 Equinox “tricked to the nines” with completely unnecessary computerized garbage(& NO CD PLAYER!!!) for a week last June proved ALL of the above. IF I had the $$$, a TRANS AM 455 SUPER DUTY RENEGADE CUSTOM BUILD would be in my garage, next to my 08 Impala 50th Anniversary Special Edition, SEVERELY MODIFIED for performance!!! Both vehicles would be willed to my Grandkids as they both ADORE my Ruby Impala. Keep your SUV dinosaurs… I want PERFORMANCE & RELIABILITY…. & BOTH cars leave you in the duuusssssssttt…..
How true
I also wonder how much time most of these whiners actually spend in their vehicles. I was an area business manager for a large international farm machinery company for five years down hear in Australia, I travelled an average of around 70,000 km per year often doing 1,000 km in a day, I put up with the sub standard stereo in my fleet car and was always glad to get back to my home office with surround sound top shelf stereo where I could escape and really appreciate my collection of music.
Yes, that. As soon as you’re rolling, the road noise pretty much covers up any sonic differences between a 320 Kbps .MP3 file, lossless .WAV file and 44.1K sample/second CD.
Some (all?) of the talk channels and some of the music channels of Sirius/XM are another story. The bit rate is so shamefully low that even my tin ears can easily hear the distortion even when the car is at speed on the road. Sirius/XM is OK for 40s Junction which plays a fair number of 12 KHz monaural 78s, complete with static and pops, but with a sampling rate fast enough not to cause noticeable alias noise.
Have yet to find a ‘new’ music artist I would want to buy product to hear frequently. Only music with a melody and enunciation of words that tell a story is country which I cannot stand. The whine and the mispronunciation of so many words due to country accent is mind blowing. Rap does not enunciate very well. I miss 50’s 60′ R&B, but I have the CD’s and Vinyl…along with 70’s, 80’s, a few 90’s. Then I stopped buying. Oh, I take that back. Petula Clark, now 80 – started working when 3 years old – just released a CD at price of $100.00. I bought it.
I just bought a very low mileage 2021 since it’s all gas. But now am looking for portable CD to put in vehicle. I have 1990 455 truck, 1977 Seville (with 8 track — still have those, too), 2008 DTS, 2008 Escalade. Truck has 6 pack under front seat. Escalade also allows more than one CD loaded at a time. They all need work. Can no longer easily find parts for DTS. I figured best buy a car now while still able to get an all gas one. Want to play CDs in new car. I also wish the ‘screen’ was not there, too distracting. With buttons you can memorize their placement and not be distracted from driving. As FORD (always have had GM – ‘generous motors’) said: they don’t make cars anymore, they make infotainment moving machines.
You can use music players like Apple’s iPod through USB but they don’t always work well with each car’s system. You can also put your music on your phone and play the music through Apple Car Play or Android Auto. We subscribe to SiriusXM satellite radio and listen to 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and 80’s music mostly. If you subscribe you can also download their app and play it through the radio. There are tons of special channels for all types of music on the app, I think possibly 200+ additional channels. We have been long-term subscribers so we get an Everything plan for an insanely low price that is definitely worth it.
I buy lots of CD’s on Amazon. I listen to classical music and if not most, titles have NOT been digitized. CD’s are the only way to get access to a lot of great music.
Then Rip them to a lossless format and play without worry.
You say that CD is still the industry standard then tell me why most of the up and comming singers, musicians, and other entertaining wannabes are posting on social media or trying out in “talent” shows to garner attention rather than going down the tried and true path that has been trodden for years by true artists by making a demo and flogging it around talent agents?
Also can anyone explain to me why (if this is a “forum”) that anybody from GM has not explain here their reason for removing CD, DVD from production as well as explain to us the best way to connect to their inbuilt system. After all said and done it could a saved us a record number of confusing replies and they would have still got there answer that a lot of their customers are not happy but also a lot of their customers have already worked around the situation.
All that has been explained, there are instructions on how to connect to their systems on youtube on their official channels. There are User Guides explaining the ins and outs of their infotainment systems… It’s all there if you bother to look.
Maybe because they aren’t good enough to land a recording contract with a label yet… Maybe they think the internet is their SRB to fame… Maybe because that’s the only option they’ve got… Who knows…
All I know is cutting a studio demo works the radio circuit…IF it gets played enough, local shows are the next step: THAT is exactly how RUSH did it… opened for KISS & that landed them in the recording studio… 35 albums & 50 years later, they’re STILL one of the most requested bands… In my CD Player right now…
Well if more young people got of their lazy arses and stopped looking for the easy way out we would have less trash and more decent music to listen to, the problem is today’s audiences are easily taken in by all the hype. these days you really have to search to find real musicians. Joe Bonamassa 1989 at the age of 12 opened for B B King 2020 he been voted #1 blues guitarist replacing Eric Clapton
Yes they should oh, I was very surprised when I found that my $55,000 truck did not have a CD player. And if I had realized that before I probably would not have bought it. If I could figure out a way to get one in there I would do it.
Here’s an option for you.
https://www.amazon.com/Automotive-Integrated-Electronics-Connection-USBCDPLAY1/dp/B07DHXY5X3/ref=asc_df_B07DHXY5X3/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312025993668&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9859150447648933813&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1018984&hvtargid=pla-642166745990&psc=1
Or For $22 do this
External DVD Drive, USB 3.0 Portable CD/DVD+/-RW Drive/DVD Player for Laptop CD ROM Burner Compatible with Laptop Desktop PC Windows Linux OS Apple Mac Black
Even my LT ((for a decade) hasn’t had a CD.
Everyone is so lazy…
A thumb drive can hold more music than all you CD. (My 128G has 25,000 song)
If you can’t do that have you grandperson do it for you…
Or, subscribe to Sirius…
Why pay for all that old crap that does not integrate…
Unbelievable…
I agree
Tduder…. Easy answer… Sound quality. My 10 yr old LT has a CD player. And it works well.
Yes… MANY Buyers today are Very “Technology Literate”… and they have the latest and Greatest Cell Phone and iPad or other Tablet…
And they think that because it is ‘2nd Nature’ to Them, and all of Their Friends, that “EVERYBODY” should be just like Them! And that EVERYBODY listens to the last 10 Rap Songs that were released this week.
But SOME of us… a LOT of us … do NOT have the latest $1500 cell phone, and don’t have Movie and Music subscriptions and unlimited downloads and streaming and holograms of Dancing Girls on the hood of our cars… So, Yes, I have Stacks of CDs of music that is probably older than many of those commenting here.
And I will be VERY disappointed that my next Corvette does not even have a USB port that I can at least plug a CD Player into.
There ARE other ways to make enough money to buy a new car, and still not be neck deep in “High Tech”…
you don’t need a $1500 phone to play music in a car, you don’t need a CD player to play music in a car… Just an SD card in the SD Card slot with all your files. Dumb simple.
Not all vehicles “have” SD Card slots.
There is ALWAYS someone that finds it necessary to cut down every word being typed. Everyone does not have to agree with YOUR ideas! Why is it that no one can have their own opinion on this site, without the risk of being blasted? It is just SAD!!
Those of us that still want to have a CD Player should be able to…period! If you don’t…fine…you do you!
The majority doesn’t want or need a CD player. The same with DVD players. I bet that you would complain that isn’t an aux port available too. Not keeping up with tech makes you look a little slow. It’s really not hard.
YOU need to settle into the reality that “tech” begs a “feed the pig” mentality notwithstanding the reality that YOU CANNOT IMPROVE ON A MASTERPIECE: CDs perfectly reproduce reliable exquisite sound, especially on GOOD audio systems. ANYONE in the music industry will confirm that the instant you “copy” from the original, you LOOSE quality: even remastered issues ARE NOT AS GOOD AS THE ORIGINAL… so “copying” onto thumbdrives, IPods, or any other media interface is no where NEAR the sound quality of the original burned CD. I could easily illustrate this with my serious audio systems, just using Deep Purple’s _Machine Head_ as an example… But one would have to understand sound to “catch” the huge differences. I hung out with Rush Roadies… I KNOW good audio… CD is the ONLY option… EVERYTHING ELSE GETS A NUMBER.
Correct sir
Sirius say radio is terrible sound quality. No serious audio person listens to that
Unless you have unlimited data on your cell, lossless music streaming eats through your data quickly, plus cell coverage issues on vacations.
Best source of uncompressed audio are CDs. No, we don’t want to waste time ripping them all, just take some off a shelf or open a newly purchased cd and play
Rip them to a usb thumb drive using a quality software. It’s very painless. My grandpa even did it. Always continue to learn. It keeps you younger longer.
Floyd, They may ne “Technology Literate” but they are also as dumb as a rock once out of their Mom’s basement.
Ridiculously overpriced, 3 Star rating indicates functional issues.
In this day and age more fool you for not asking if your new truck had a CD player or not, most vehicle manufacturers these days have dropped the CD player as an option. I took my young grandaughter for a drive in my old truck the other day she looked at the dash and asked me what the slot in the dash was for she then asked me what the handles on the doors were for (window winders), like my truck I’m getting old!
As for CD as an option yes definitely in all vehicles until ICE is phased out. EV, new times, new start, new technology
Let’s face it, all car companies do what they want. It has nothing to do with what their customers want.
I for one, am sick of it!
Just offer as an option what is the big deal. I plug my phone in and play my songs on Apple CarPlay but you know it’s limited I have to do the work and download all those songs I have on CD anyway like I stated I’m different threads here I had a chance to have one in my car and I missed it. I have toyed with buying a BMW but I like my car better but a BMW has a CD player and a high-end stereo system
For those that must have a CD player, there are options out there for external CD players that are USB driven.
But what about the audio quality?
CD data is digital, so the audio quality depends on the DAC and the amplifier.
I’ve heard some of these “splice in” ideas & the resulting sound quality I rank as “mediocre” at best. There is a REASON WHY the mechanics at my Dealership grin widely when my Impala goes in for service: THEY HAVE A JAM SESSION while working on my/other vehicles… I load the CD THEY REQUEST, adjust the Graphic Equalizer for the optimum sound, & in the back She goes!!! You always know when Ruby’s in for service as the mechanics are “boogie on the job” HAPPY… & they ALL admit the System puts Bose to shame!!! She’s won 2x for Best Audio at car shows.💜💞💜
I have a 2021 Denali 1500 on order, and I’ve been looking into external CD players for it. The USB drives I’ve seen are converted laptop CD drives, that are quite unreliable, and somewhat overpriced at around $200. A $30 “walkman” style portable CD player, with a 3.5 mm cord is probably a better option, if for no other reason than you’re only out $30, when it stops working in 6 months (though I don’t know if GM trucks still even come with a 3.5 mm terminal).
I enjoy the convenience of Spotify, SiriusXM, Pandora, etc, but the sound quality of their signal doesn’t come close to the sound quality of a CD. With a 40 year collection of over 300 CD’s, I find it quite annoying that a $65K truck can’t be had with a CD player, even if only as an option.
There are plenty of options available. I have a suitcase full of cassette tapes. I don’t expect a tape player to be in a brand new car.
Tapes degrade with age, may as well throw them away. Mine are long gone.
You should also throw your cds away and get up to date.
Well, you have a cell phone. Load your cds to your phone and then you can connect wirelessly to your trucks audio.
Such a simple concept. Sadly this site has been overwhelmed with individuals who can’t leave the past behind and move forward.
Ah… But go to any TRACK & TELL ME WHAT YOU SEE????? My 08 Impala has waaaaaaaaay more balls than even the Camaro new on the lot… She cost >1/2 that Camaro… AND the workers who built Her made GOOD $$$… UNION JOBS!!! Just like what you see on the TRACK… OLDER IS BETTER…ESPECIALLY ONCE THEY STOP MAKING IT!!! Classic Racers!!!!!
GMC Fan, why waste all that time when you can simply shove the CD in the slot?
Never thought of that I will check that out. When I ordered my 2016 ATS-V one was still available and I forgot to get it I was so pissed at myself
Didn’t work the Cue system said system does not accept
Got a new 2021 Silverado can’t play CDs or a thumb drive if I had of known the USB ports were only for charging I would have kept my Sierra Al least I could listen to the music I want
You are incorrect sir. Do people even research.
Playing from a USB
A USB mass storage device can be connected to the USB port.
Audio extensions supported by the USB may include:
. FLAC
. MP3
. AAC
. OGG
. 3GP
File System and Naming
File systems supported by the USB may include:
. FAT32
. NTFS
. HFS+
The songs, artists, albums, and genres are taken from the file’s song information and are only
displayed if present.
The radio displays the file name as the track name if the song information is not available.
I made the same comment but apparently it isn’t showing for me anymore?? odd.
Edit: NVM they had reposted this exact same comment later on in the thread… I responded to that one.
So, Shane, could you please list a specific brand so that we could actually buy and install such a device?
Jim Bensberg, I’ve already posted a link in this comment thread, but because there so many comments here, I see how it can be easy to overlook, so here it is again for one. They even provide a chart to show compatibility, as they make two different versions with different drivers.
https://www.amazon.com/Automotive-Integrated-Electronics-connection-USBCDPLAY2/dp/B07DJ2FBJY/ref=asc_df_B07DJ2FBJY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312140517066&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13915485422233797934&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1018984&hvtargid=pla-668798967248&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=62501500059&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312140517066&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=13915485422233797934&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1018984&hvtargid=pla-668798967248
Thanks, Shane.
First, the phone number for AIE has been disconnected. And, they do not respond to email. My guess is they are out of business.
Second, there is no listing for a CT4 compatible CD player/USB through Amazon.
None of the local car audio stores in Colorado sell any such CD player.
Any other suggestions?
My wife’s 2017 LaCrosse does not have one either, we were both disappointed. And my 2019 GMC does not have one. Disappointed again. We have a bunch of CD’s, and the vehicles have nice sound systems, yet, we can’t fully utilize them to our liking. Bean counters again, lets get rid of it.
Everyone should stop the cheap complaints and put your whole cd collection on your computer and then save it to a USB stick. One stick is good for hundreds of CD. What could be better than accessing your collection on one list?
Guess what, computers don’t have CD players/recorders in them anymore…
That would be new ones, even computers a few years old have them, especially desk tops. I’m sure many of the old farts who complain about lack of a cd player have some older computers at home, but you already know that.
If they don’t , they should call up a cab on their land line and travel that way and use their Walkman CD player to listen to things.
The other thing is an external player is both readily available and inexpensive. I know it’s tough adjusting to tech, but I’ll take a electronically fuel injected engine over an old carb job any day (especially a stalling Ford type)
You can easily add one
I bet all of the people that are complaining about not having CD players in a brand vehicle have an old computer with a disc drive. Bet. If they don’t there an easy solution. Never stop learning.
Notice the title of the article, “ Poll: Should GM Offer A CD Player As An Accessory?” It doesn’t say anything about a CD player being compulsory for anyone who doesn’t want one.
A savvy maker of goods does what it needs to do to reduce friction and hence increase satisfaction of people who use its products. If customers want to play CDs in cars then give them an option to do so, even if there is a technologically more modern way to do the same thing. Pleased customers may lead to selling more cars.
~~
On a personal note, it isn’t about mental agility, age or the type of mobile phone I own. I have converted a lot of my library into lossless digital files, but it is an ongoing long term project to convert everything. LPs, 45s and 78s are a bit of a problem because I am more or less stuck converting them in real time. They usually require post conversion clean-up too. I have a pile of the older style 2-minute Edison cylinders that are resistant to my own converting. I know Edison made an electric reproducer to substitute for the usual type C reproducer on their machines, but I haven’t acquired one. UCSB has a big on-line library of digitized Edison cylinders and I actually found several I have in the digital library. I don’t really miss listening to cylinder recordings on the road; they’re mostly novelties and curiosities.
Walt, this is absolutely a great way to go! I do not understand all the negative ratings. Enter the 21st century! If you cannot do the computer work yourself, then try to learn or get your third grade grandchild to do it for you. You can access your entire collection of CDs in one place and even use voice commands to access them if your vehicle allows it.. You get perhaps 60 minutes of music per CD and then you have to change the disc. How can you do this if you are driving alone? Oh yeah, fiddle with the CD player and run off the road into the gorge!! The audio quality is superb and you can have different USB drives for different styles of music for each driver if you wish. I was disappointed that I could not use CDs for a little while but with a USB drive or CarPlay my disappointment faded very quickly. Are the negative raters still using CRT televisions? No, I bet they all have widescreen HDTV!
Thanks for the support. I too was wondering how will I adapt to the USB port? I have so many CD’s. My wife simply said “put it all on the USB” and I have not looked back since. Don’t need a CD player anymore.
NOPE!!!!!
I transferred my extensive CD collection to a 128g iPod, which plays through the sound system in my ’17 Camaro. Sound is fantastic through the Bose system upgrade.
Hard to believe you spent all that money on a ’17 Camaro and it didn’t even come with a CD Player.
Yes there are options out there but now there you go start cluttering up again in the cab. And of course you don’t have the sound from those units that you have through your radio system
A usb drive is as big as your thumb and all of your music is one of them. Your cd collection takes up the whole seat. Never stop learning.
My 2020 Mustang BULLITT has a CD player…………. I can also see out of it, enter and exit the vehicle without doing bodily harm, and my head doesn’t hit the roof!!
Sadly, the next generation of car design people design vehicles for the 20-40 age group of Soy Boys and Girls who use a cell phone as a pacifier!
Sorry, I’m not at my desk, leave a message and I’ll get right back to you from the Philippines!
My 2019 Silverado 1500 LD came with one.
My 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe has both a CD player AND a built in hard drive that lets you transfer the CD content to the hard drive, a GREAT idea, I have used it extensively. My 2019 Colorado ZR2 lacks a CD player, as all do, a huge disappointment for a $46K truck with a Bose sound system.
2017 GMC Acadia sans a CD player. Put music on your smart phone? Okay, but in 2015, every time I got in my GMC Sierra with my phone, the truck sound system would automatically start up and play music from my phone. Note that I never put music on my phone! Apparently the music was coming from the cloud and my iTunes account where I did have music. No way to turn it off either from the vehicle system nor my phone. I finally had to delete the music app completely from my phone.
I bought a plug in CD player that was somewhat compatible with the Bose system in my 2018 Canyon. A bit disappointing but at least it works. I would much prefer a factory player that worked with the info system.
Hi Michael,
That is what I am thinking of doing when my new truck arrives. The cd player you bought, did it just plug into the usb and is it the same one you can add to a computer that lacks one. Thanks
Barry
My cell phone only is used to make actual voice conversational calls. Much less having music or videos on it. It may as well be a flip phone. I bought a 2020 Suburban because I could still get a DVD/CD player in it – period. They dropped the CD player out of the Silverado in 2019? These Gen-X or Millennials making the decisions thinking everybody else “should” carrying magic phones with music and videos on them have no common sense. Not that I’ve got tons of CDs – but damn – what do they think I’m going to do? Dump them all in the trash because they believe I should get over it “Boomer”? F Them.
Hallelujah!!!!!
Hey GM are you listening to this crap I bet you thought you had a band of loyal followers and faithful owners, turns out they only bought GM for the CD Stereo not because the rest of the vehicle suited their needs.
Seems to me if you want to gain bigger market share and steal customers from other brands all you need to do is find the biggest and best CD stacker wack it in the dash and job done customers will come running!
Ya know, you DON”T need a smartphone to have all your music available in your car.
You can pull all your music on a thumb drive, an SD card, or mp3 player and use that in your car.
My Grand Cherokee has a slot for an SD card. I put ALL my music on it and then stuck the card in the slot and now all my music is available to me anytime I want. No cables, no CDs, nothing to see.
I don’t miss having a CD player.
Preach
Convert them to sub. Adapt or die.
Screw them they will ruin the economy
I am a 67 year old Veteran with a large collection of CD’s. I wrote GM as I noticed the 2018 GMC SLT Pick Up HAD a CD but the 2019 did NOT. I intended to order a 2020 and was hoping GM would reconsider and at least offer the CD as an “Option”! Well my 2021 SLT is being built this week and NOW I see this Posting!! Many older folks prefer cd’s to all the new fangled electronics especially with the price of this vehicle over $100.000.
I am hoping I can connect one of the DVD players from my computer to the Infotainment unit via a USB and put the CD in the center console. I have no idea if it will work, guess I will see next month when the truck arrives. It will be too late for me but GM should have the CD / DVD as an option .
Connecting antiques to new technology is possible. Just research it.
Yes GM should have a CD player standard not as an option. I have a new C8 with a great sound system and no way to play my own CDs. Like not offering all season tires with the Z51 package this is a disregard for customers verses what some nerd in GM planning thinks people want. Got a news flash to rant a little further- total electric and GM is screwed. I’ll be buying a ton of classic car in the future as will many many people.
I got a great idea for you, jump in your C8 drive down to your nearest auto electrician, explain to them what you want and they will fit a custom made system for you. It might cost a bit but hey you just forked out for a C8 if your still not happy jump in your C8 drive back to your nearest GM dealer and hand the keys back.
So you get a vehicle with a high performance upgrade option and you want to put all season tires on it? Go buy a cheap set of wheels and tires and switch them out at your convenience.
You sound like the old guy that can’t remember his password to anything. Lol
Well no CD would be a deal killer. Have had a CD player in every new vehicle since 2000. Including -2 Impalas, an S-10 ZR5 Crew Cab, a RAM 1500, 2-Jeep Wranglers. Hell the S-10 and RAM pickups had both CD and Cassette built-in. Currently the CD is all I listen to in my 2014 Impala 2LT. Don’t drive that much anymore so no need to waste money for Sirius/XM though have had it since my first RAM 1500 in 1998. And listen to one group (Up With People) special concert CDs exclusively. I guess I will be relegated to my 2014 Impala 2LT until the end. Which I am fine with.
..A cd player should be a must in every car, What are we to do with our collection of cd’s?. This is nothing but a cost cutting measure at customer’s expense.
The only people that want a cd player in a new car are the same people with aol accounts and flip phones. Always continue to educate yourself and adapt. It’s actually very simple.
Think you might wanna rethink that: I already PAID for the CDs… NOT gonna “invest” time flipping them onto a media source solely for my vehicle when I can pop a disk into my CURRENT player & “boogie down the blacktop” HAPPY!!!!!!!!!
Besides Hard wired sound is the best. Bluetooth sucks. Just listen if you have a stereo system worth it’s salt in your car
There are lots of other options. Have you heard of googling it?
I love my new GMC Terrain except for two things; no CD player & the grille is SUPER CHEAP LOOKING BLACK!!!!!! HOPE TO REPLACE IT! The CD player is needed to play language lessons , Great Courses CD’s & my own favorite music!!! Was SHOCKED when I realized vehicle I purchased after my 2014 Buick had NO CD player!!!! I have Sirus, but does not meet my needs! Never dreamed that it would not be standard equipment. JR
A usb drive is as big as your thumb and all of your music is one of them. Your cd collection takes up the whole seat. Never stop learning.
You probably still have cassette tapes and records since you collect antiques. When was the last time you’ve seen a runner in your neighborhood with a CD player on their hip? When was the last time you’ve seen a basketball player where chick taylors? When was the last time you bought a cd? I think it was 2002 for me and I learned about new technologies that made life easier and I didn’t complain about not wanting to learn something new. Don’t be that guy. It’s actually very simple. If you can read you can do it.
Latest figures show nearly 70% of the world’s povulation listen to music downloaded or streamed from the internet.
It’s Chuck Taylors***I rest my case!
Depends on whether or not you’ve been adapted to death. Over decades it becomes cost prohibitive for most.
It literally cost $15 for a usb thumb drive. If that’s breaking the bank you probably shouldn’t drive. Save your money.
I am in my sixties and have had to adapt to change all my life (as most of us have), after the second world war the world had a new lease on life and modernisation started to leap ahead as new ideas and technology took hold, since then our lives and our way of doing things have changed time and time again as we evolve. I have a collection of records (364 in total) that have all been transposesed to modern technology I listen to them in my car, I have a CD collection (1,132 in total) of which about a third are currently transposed. If I want to listen and really enjoy the ambience of my vinyl records and my plastic CDs I get lost in my home office and listen to my surround sound stereo and end up in a different world. When all boiled down It doesn’t really matter how we listen to our music as long as we still do.
no cd not buying Gm ,have to look at ram
No CD players in a RAM either.
No
My wife uses cd for books on CD while commuting. Downloads books from library. Will not buy next car without CD
your all losers! if you think they should add this! put all the cd s on a usb you lazy people
Thank you for your comment. It’s not rocket science to put data on a USB stick.
GM stopped doing this in the 2018 Model year. The ELR had an option for one in the glove box.
My 2021 traverse has so much michigan road noise that I can’t even listen and enjoy my XM radio stations so who needs CD players!
Odd how my 18 Acadia is quiet like a bank vault. No problem with listening to radio or media.
That is a great idea since very few drivers have gloves in that box.
The radio system in the GM Pick Ups has been basically the same design since 2012 and the unit had a CD player integrated into it. This continued until 2019 when the CD was discontinued. WHY? The dash design continued until 2022 when it changes completely. GM should have KEPT the CD until at least 2021. Then made it a Plug in Option after that.
I have been reading all the comments and the bottom line is “YES” I want a CD (Majority) or “NO” I don’t. It is very simple. Technology advances and some accept it other don’t. That does NOT make me at 67 a lesser person because I prefer a cd in my vehicle. Those people offering options on how to incorporate or make a “Portable” CD work in my 2021 is Appreciated. Those of you who are criticizing us older people is NOT acceptable. I for one have transferred my 45 and 33 rpm records to CD and yes my 1998 GMC had a Cassette and CD which I used. It is time consuming. Twenty years from now there will be something completely different and your turn will come to decide if you want to adapt to it. I am a Veteran and proud, and everyone gets older. Please be considerate to those of us who are living during the transition period. My Dad ‘s first car had no radio and the heater was an option he chose as more important. Thanks!
Just love how the new generation thinks that their precious cell phone can solve all of life’s little problems , well sonny boy , your $1,500 phone CAN’T produce the sound quality that a cd does……prove me wrong…..I’m waiting
Chris: BAM!!!!!!!!!
FLAC and ALAC codecs beg to differ. Those are true lossless formats. Even MP3 on a CD isn’t as good.
Also Both Apple Music and Spotify provide lossless streaming media now.
VERY VERY DISGUSTED ALSO ABOUT THE
LACK OF CD PLAYERS IN NEW CARS & TRUCKS.
THERE SHOULD BE A OPTION TO ORDER
ONE FROM THE DEALERSHIP… I WOULD PAY.
JUST GOT A BRAND NEW SILVERADO &
WAS TOLD BEST BUY ADDS THEM…
Hi Allen,
In my post, I was referring to a stand alone CD player I bought for my computer at Best Buy. I was hoping to try it in my NEW truck and use one of the USB cables to attach it into the infotainment system. Do you think it would work? There is room in the Console to hide the player. Until my truck arrives in March I have no way of knowing if the Infotainment would recognize it. Any Thoughts?
Thanks
Transfer your CDs to a USB while you are waiting for your NEW truck and then you won’t have to wonder if anything works. Like the old tv commercial for Alka Seltzer says:
Subaru offers an optional CD player for their Legacy models.
My Daughter’s 2017 GMC Terrain SLE does NOT have a CD player
We also have a 2015 GMC Terrain SLE that does have a CD player
I bought a 2020 Buick Encore, and it took 29 days until I even noticed it didn’t come with a CD player.
I’ll cast my vote to the “Don’t need ’em anymore” side just because of that.
Maybe an auxiliary input pin jack would help.
I would opt for an in-dash CD player if one could be had. I have a lot of CDs. I transcribed my favorite disks onto an iPod, but that makes extra work it is a messy solution. I also have an old Sony CD Walkman from the 1980s that I can use with an Aluratek Bluetooth transmitter dongle in cars with Bluetooth capability. My 2001 Honda Insight has a cassette player – I found a cassette shell that contains a Bluetooth receiver at Walmart for $20. The hi-fi could be higher, but with road noise it doesn’t matter much. I’ve tried those FM transmitters, but there always seems to be static and interference. My Toyota Tacoma came with a factory in-dash CD player and it has been used almost daily since 2005.
Yes, my ’11 Silverado has a CD player, a Mp3 capable connection and with the OnStar, it also has it’s own phone number JIC. New vehicles don’t have a CD and they don’t have their own phone number although they are WiFi capable.
It wouldn’t be too hard to offer a CD as an accessory. Great idea.
A CD player as an “option” would be very well received. I for one would choose it immediately. I know of many other people, as well, who have been disappointed that their new vehicle comes without the CD player.
I have a CD player in my 2008 Saturn Vue XE. The car has 112,000 miles indicated. To the best of my recollection, I can’t remember when it was that I played a CD in that vehicle. Sirrus/XM’s lineup has made a CD obsolete. Having loose CDs lying around in the vehicle, don’t tell me that it doesn’t happen, and CD carrying cases just adds another component to the interior that’s just out of place. A USB port using a chip key could host 8 to 12 hours or more of music relieving you from the task of fumbling with an ejected CD and selecting a new one. I once had a 10 CD changer and even that was a big pain when it came to reloading the cartridge.
I admit I’m kind of a dinosaur (no cell phone, just a land line) but all my Bose stereo systems I have in my house can play CD’s (which I have HUNDREDS) but my Bose system in my 2019 Regal doesn’t. My 2016 LaCrosse had a CD player in it and I used it quite a bit along with the XM satellite service.
I’ve been looking for (and trying out) new SUVs and every so-called upper luxury brand offers them; as an option, except GM. It has always been part of the criteria I use to pick and buy a brand new vehicle.
Yes, we use for audio books not music. Hard to use USB for books while commuting
2000 Tahoe still in my driveway has factory cassette player and CD player sounds great thru stock sub woofer ,guess now it’s an old school classic. C,mon GM lots of old school style and ideas need to comeback minus tape deck.
CD music has a much higher quality than MP4 format, which has high and low frequencies clipped. There is no comparison.
In this case quality is not about the source ,it dependent on output. You can’t differentiate a cd or MP3 source through standard car speakers. Also it’s an ignorant myth that cd has better quality than MP3 and MP4. It was true once upon a time, something like twenty years ago but not today.
What MP3 codec does is take samples from CD source. The sample bitrate was much smaller than today in early days; 8kbps, 16kbps but as in every tech it has evolved with better compression codec and reached 320kbps. At this rate nearly dam impossible for human ear to tell the difference between an MP3 and a CD audio. In fact you can get away with as low as 128kbps before sound degradation becomes noticeable. But we still have better than that, with new MP4 format you can convert CD audio to digital without any loss. Because MP4 files are containers, you can choose from several different audio codecs for example if you use Apple’s hi-res capable lossless audio codec, it preserves all of the detail of a CD, or a vinyl album, while still keeping file sizes smaller than the original.
As for me, I haven’t used a CD player since 2005 when first getting my iPod Video.
I use the CD Player in my Silverado every time I drive it. Good sound on the Bose system.
Absolutely should offer a C.D. player.
I’m buying a 84,000.00 Yukon and can’t get a C.D. player, ridiculous.
Offer the option please.
A loyal GMC Customer.
I didn’t read every comment, someone may have said this. My Honda can access music from a self loaded Thumb Drive (stick), just will not let see the albums and let me pick what I want to hear. My 2010 Sierra has a CD player, but only holds 8. Would like more. GM could fix this for all of us….
You made big mistake GMA for asking people, they tend to immediately turn polls into another trolling opportunity “No CD player No way GM”? lol, How about ash trays i want them back! But why those old school tech people don’t insist to use flip-phones instead of smartphones, or they do? Or if you want to be real OG to the core, how about returning straight to the cassette players?
Huh? What’s wrong with expressing interest in a CD player as an option?
I have multiple hundreds of CDs. I certainly have the mental agility to be able to rip them onto a digital device. In fact I have done that for my most frequently listened material. I’d find it more convenient to be able to select a few discs and put them in the car rather than spending time ripping them first. I’ve been underwhelmed by Sirius/XM. The classical and jazz channels aren’t great and the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired because they’re using significantly lossy compression to get low bit rates to cram in more channels. Sirius/XM is also pretty expensive unless you keep cancelling and signing up again to get the introductory teaser rate.
One thing I can say is that the gm unlimited in-car 4G Wi-Fi is fairly affordable at $15/month here in the US, though you’re stuck with AT&T for the carrier. The Wi-Fi works pretty well with Internet based streaming services offering lossless encoded streaming. I use a free app called Audials that works inside of CarPlay.
LOL on ashtrays (and the electric lighter that lives in the round hole!).
I could live without so many cup holders. I’d have to go out and count, but I think my Chevy Bolt might have eight cup holders – for four passengers plus driver. On the other hand, my mid 1990s BMW in my car collection doesn’t have any cup holders. If you wanted cup holders, there was a swap-at-time-of-purchase option of changing out the cassette tape storage box for a flimsy dual pop-out cup holder!
My 2019 Golf has a built-in SD card reader, best music box ever. All cars should have such a convenient way to listen to recorded audio. Transferred all my CDs, LPs, cassettes to digital files and hundreds of hours of entertainment fit on a tiny chip. Do not miss all that other bulky stuff. I’m 73, no interest in spinning plastic discs. Why doesn’t my new Mustang have a chip reader?
To all the ignorant people, they still sell CD’s. Just because you republicans prefer to pay top dollar for everything doesn’t mean everyone can afford to pay top dollar. Like the person who says has a lot of CD’s , I also have a lot. The music on the CD’s is great to listen too. I would like a CD player in the car also.
Thank You
Not sure how ones political beliefs have an effect on wanting a CD player in a new car. My guess is its more of an age thing. The older one gets the less they want to adapt to change.
It isn’t so much an age thing as it is about having options and convenience. CDs are still a viable digital format that is high fidelity and doesn’t wear out. Quite a bit of the audio entertainment I like isn’t available for streaming or download unless I rip it off the CDs I have. Yeah, I have records too and there is no choice but to rip them with Audacity and a USB turntable. Sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do!
I’m willing to say, “no thanks!,” to cassettes, 8-tracks and Chrysler’s ridiculous in-car record player of the late 1950s/early 1960s. Those are all mid-fi, clumsy, low density audio storage systems which wear out quickly.
Of course its an age thing. My kids are 19 and 17 and have never used a CD in their life. Why would they want a player in the car?
You know no one really thinks of the past any longer. They erase it by accident or on purpose. I am a 70 mad with a collection of CD that could choke a horse. And I missed my opportunity on my 2016 ATS -V. So someone here gave us a great idea. Plug in a USB external Player which I will try today. But BMW still puts one in and I think Ford but not sure. At least make it an option. Some of us old people still have 💰 you know. The ❄️ flakes not so much yet. Thank you
GM still offers it for your car see here: https:// accessories. cadillac .com /product/cd-player-23208181?year=2016&make=Cadillac&model=ATS&modelId=21609&body=Sedan&bodyId=5&wheelId=1&trim=V&trimId=1202&drive=RWD&driveId=7&engine=3.6L%20V6%20GAS&engineId=5851&bodyNumDoors=5
Before people claim it isn’t offered for your car please check Accessories(dot)(Brandnamehere)(dot)com
https:// accessories .cadillac .com/
https:// accessories .chevrolet .com/
https:// accessories .gmc .com/
https:// accessories .buick .com/
Before people claim it isn’t offered for your car please check Accessories(dot)(Brandnamehere)(dot)com
https:// accessories .cadillac .com/
https:// accessories .chevrolet .com/
https:// accessories .gmc .com/
https:// accessories .buick .com/
I know it’s so old fashioned, but hey there are a lot of us old fashioned folks still out here. For all the young ones, let’s see plugging the phone into your radio, what all does that require, does it automatically charge your phone while it’s plugged in? Does the phone automatically start playing your music or do you have to tune it in? Can you select what you want to hear without taking your eyes off the road? I’m serious I don’t know, but I do know I can put my CD into the slot with just a quick glance, I can select any song I want with the push of a button without taking my eyes off the road, and I’ve still got my phone available for what a phone is designed for making and receiving calls. It seems the more technologically inclined we become the more complicated it is to not be a distracted driver.
“does it automatically charge your phone while it’s plugged in? Does the phone automatically start playing your music or do you have to tune it in? Can you select what you want to hear without taking your eyes off the road?”
Yes, Yes no need to tune, and yes.
How about GM brings back the vinyl record player like Elvis had in his ’56 Caddie. That would solve any tech issues for the tech challenged.
Right these guys making fun its ok laugh now cry later. 1956 Cady stuff record player. What that tells me they were trying to use the tech of the time. Yes it was bulky and not very practical for records I get that but that is what they had. Then the CD comes out what 1988. They perfect it enough to the state art sound . So, it’s a disk but it is a deliciated sound into your system. So if it sounds bad so be it. But it should be offered so stop being elitist’s children
You do know hat record players have made a come back don’t you or does big tech hide that from you?
Next thing you hear will be GM brings back the Chevette. AM/FM stereo cassette please.
I have a new C8 2021 on order, and i have several hundred CD’s, I have to use my Ipod to hear my CD music. My old 2008 had CD play, I ordered one for the 2013 Corvette, and then cancelled the CD player when I found out that the dealer had to install it, pulling up carpet, etc.. You can use the streaming apps, problem with that, I have so much data available, 15 gb, and then they slow it down, yes, Verizon, so using the streaming feature is not an option. Tis sad.
Right these guys making fun its ok laugh now cry later. 1956 Cady stuff record player. What that tells me they were trying to use the tech of the time. Yes it was bulky and not very practical for records I get that but that is what they had. Then the CD comes out what 1988. They perfect it enough to the state art sound . So, it’s a disk but it is a deliciated sound into your system. So if it sounds bad so be it. But it should be offered so stop being elitist’s children
FYI CD’s came out in 1982.
And the Piano was made in 1700 but they are still around too.
I stand corrected 1982
Hi Michael,
That is what I am thinking of doing when my new truck arrives. The cd player you bought, did it just plug into the usb and is it the same one you can add to a computer that lacks one. Thanks
Barry
I guess “an option” for a CD player is better than what’s currently being offered… It USED to be STANDARD EQUIPMENT!!! I cannot STAND XM, regular radio… If I want to hear jabbering, I’LL START TALKING!!!…& NO!!! I AM NOT A “CAPTIVE AUDIENCE” to be ad-nausium marketed. I want MUSIC when I drive, & I have 500+ CDs to choose from… RUSH in in my Impala’s CD player RIGHT NOW.
Whoever is conducting the consumer market analysis for GM these last few years/decade SHOULD BE FIRED…CAUSE AT LEAST IN MY CASE, THEY’RE DEAD WRONG!!!!!
In 2019 I bought a Chev pickup with the High Country trim . It came with a CD player . I like having the option . Sometimes Sat radio comes in and goes out , depending on where you are .
I feel lucky that my 2004 Corvette that I bought new has a cigarette lighter and 12-disc CD player.
When the woman who designed the “moving center console” in my 2021 GMC Yukon XL Denali took THREE years to do it, she should have figured out how to keep a CD Player too! They dropped the CD Player in the dash, to make room for the HUGE screen. We know men are visual creatures & always want a bigger screen LOL.
Therefore, those of us that own vast CD collections are now out of luck. Yes, I am WELL AWARE that you can download your CD’s, as well as how to do it! However, when driving alone staring at a screen trying to find what you want WHILE DRIVING is a huge dangerous distraction! It’s not like I want a cassette player or 8-Track!! CD’s are NOT extinct, and are still being produced for new music!! I have to say I was EXTREMELY disappointed to find they dropped it, when I ordered my new SUV. Yes, I have SIRIUS, but miss the CD option. They should have given us the option, to put it in the ridiculous moving console or glove box!!
By the way, I have looked into all the “portable” CD Players online. They all look like crap to me. Go over one bump and your CD can be ruined. They say they’re made for vehicles…but, aren’t they really just CD add-ons for a PC? Not to mention the lack of sound quality. It appears to me that if I “really” want one, I have to have a professional install one. I have no desire to have anyone hack up my SUV. So SIRIUS it is…unless GM comes up with a REAL add-on, for under the seat or somewhere, or I download everything!
The best way to have a CD player is to keep it integrated into the audio/video/navigation system as standard equipment. It’s cheaper, better, takes up less space and to carry another part # in inventory is expensive.
Absolutely…going forward they “should” put it back in the dash, as standard equipment!
I find it interesting that they’re doing this poll. GM “may” be discussing rectifying their error, in taking the CD Player away too soon! They have probably received many complaints about it.
Believe me, I don’t want one under a seat, or in the cargo area! The glove box would be better than that. However, I don’t see GM doing anything for those of us that just purchased new vehicles without them.
The glove box would be the worst place. You’d have to reach over, open the glove box and meanwhile your eyes are taken off the road, if you can see the road reaching down for the glove box. Accident waiting to happen!
I agree EricN. It isn’t a safe solution, for a moving vehicle. However, it would be much easier to reach the glove box (when stopped) then under the seat, or back in the cargo area. Hell, there isn’t even enough room in my glove box, for a CD Player anyway! The sliding console is a no-go as well, due to it’s mechanics.
GM does NOT care one bit about appeasing…what appears to be a very small group of buyers wishes, when it comes to CD’s. They have left CD’s in the rear view. Just like everything else, we are being driven into adhering to what “they” want. It is really easy for them to “force” us to change.
Then the way we make GM and other makes take notice is to keep our old vehicles and not buy new. When enough of us do this they will get the message.
They should have just left it, in the infotainment system. I could understand it, if CD’s were totally out of circulation/production. However, that’s not the case…yet.
I am aware of all the other choices, & how to do them.
I would have just liked the “option” to still get the CD Player, in this last purchase.
All auto manufacturers already have the message, if you want a CD player in dash you better get used to your old car because it ain’t gonna happen. With close to 70% of the population downloading or streaming music no manufacturers are about to justify designing an ergonomic dash to fit all the modern GPS and vehicle control tech as well as a CD player. Don’t get me wrong I love my music and my CD player, down here in Australia We can easily cover 1,000 km or more (600 miles) in a day trip several hours of which you can’t even receive a radio signal let alone a phone or media connection, so on my trips I have a box full of CDs or I have downloaded music onto memory devices to get me through.
In 2019 I bought a Chev Pickup with the High Country trim option . I like having the option of a cd player. Sometimes sat radio goes out , depending on your location .
I am going to trade down from a 2019 silverado to a 2017-2018 model so i can have cd player…bad decision by auto makers to stop having cd players factory stock in vehicles.
you or any kid can move them to a thumb drive what about a hd radio have to pay an extra large for useless stuff to me to get 10 year old tech I like to listen to sub-channels and digital sounds better
The option to install a CD player in the glove box is reasonable to offer on all models.
You are limited to 1 CD. No matter how much I like a group, I generally only like half their songs
at most on a CD.
Copying CDs to a USB drive is way better than playing CDs. All the cars have USB drives.
And you can pick the exact songs you want. You can have 10, 20 hours of you favorite songs,
which is great if you go on long trips.
Convert CDs to USB or phone and enjoy your music a lot more than playing CDs in the car.
Why nobody will really use the Cd player. What the should is give more USB ports.
My 2019 Silverado 2500 HD has one. To keep them integrated into the sound system is so inexpensive compared to an external one it should be kept that way. Having to stop and get out of your vehicle to change a CD in the trunk is dumb. When I looked at Rams the way Stellantis did it was dumb. It was under the arm rest in the storage area. Also when converting CD to mp3 you lose a lot of the sound in the conversion but those raised on them wouldn’t know good sound from garbage anyway. Also in the state I live if I have so much as a finger on my phone I can be pulled over and be given a ticket. Keep the CD players as standard equipment!
you realize there are lossless formats that don’t lose quality on conversion, and players that can use them….
For example you can Rip your CDs to ALAC Format for iPhones to get lossless quality audio.
The newer cars like the Corvette C8, I think will connect with Bluetooth. There are CD players that transmit by Bluetooth. Would it be possible to put the player in the console or glove box (or lay it on the floor) and play it that way?
Yes, CD still has the best sound quality!!
Yes GM should offer a CD as an option, people who like music want that choice.
This whole CD issue is ridiculous I have never seen such a fuss made over something so simple to solve.
Has anybody given any thought to a more challenging issue that is rapidly approaching,
EV are upon us, are we going to embrace this new technology or are we going to winge and whine and demand that manufacturers give us the option of ICE across every model because that is what we are used to, so either stop complaining (it won’t do you any good because change is going to happen whether you like it or not) or embrace the future with open arms.
Got a new 2021 Silverado can’t play CDs or a thumb drive if I had of known the USB ports were only for charging I would have kept my Sierra Al least I could listen to the music I want
Sorry this is a dumb statement. Please reference your User Manual. The USB ports WILL support Thumb Drives and your music in them. HOWEVER YOU NEED TO FORMAT THE THUMB DRIVE TO A FORMAT THE CAR CAN READ! Also please use the available SD Card Slot in your Vehicle, much better option than the thumb drive.
When will GM bring back cassette players,? 8 tracks? Carburetors? A engine crank handle above the front bumper?
Either let go of old tech if you can’t find a workaround (there are a few for CD playing), or Uber yourself around.
An In-dash CD Player should be an option. GM’s design, engineering and marketing team is a disappointment for phasing out this option along with no longer installing lamps in the glove box 🙁
I miss my CD player which i had in my 2016 Silverado. My new 2021 does not have one. It sure cannot cost that much. I would exchange my power tail gate for a CD player any day.
Yes, they should offer a CD player. GM, this is like so yesterday not offering a CD player. Nuth’n like popping in a custom recorded CD and enjoying. No monkeying, no fiddling knobs, buttons, click, click menus and what not and fussing with another electronic appliance. Please don’t be so “yesterday”. 😉
yes every gm truck or suv should have a dam cd playe please. even the new trail boss truck custom or the lt model should cme with cd players.
OK you guys make fun I will have to agree that the CD should be integrated into the stereo system probably . But I am going to go out into the garage and test mine out Let you know honest answer
Why not have it as an option? Say you stopped at a travel center and an album. You’ve been looking for on cd. Do you really wanna have to get out your laptop to rip it to WAVs and copy to your phone or jump drive just to play that cd? Most compact new laptops don’t even have cd readers.
Just make the option available.
Spot on.
Even just grabbing several random CDs from a large personal collection on the spur of the moment for a long drive is another example, no muss no fuss, no hauling out a laptop and drive, wait to rip, copy over , etc etc
Or a buddy hands you some cds,etc
I use the CD player all the time in my 2012 CTS Coupe!
I used to as well, in my 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali. Unfortunately, my new 2021 doesn’t have one.
No one buys CDs anymore. At one time I had over 400. Now I have Amazon Music HD and Sirius XM.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/186772/album-shipments-in-the-us-music-industry-since-1999/#:~:text=In%202019%2C%20a%20total%20of,over%20the%20past%20two%20years.
Uh… WRONGO!!! I just bought a rare RATT CD & 2 more from Quiet Riot!!! That brings my collection up to 575 disks!!! Any more snotty brat remarks???
Not exactly. I recently bought a couple of CDs from Amazon which had no option of purchasing MP3 versions of the tracks.
As far as Sirius/XM goes – the sound quality is pretty middling. Even with road noise mixed in, the compromise in sound quality is often obvious. Slightly off the topic of hi-fi music, but some of the Sirius/XM talk radio channels are really annoying because the aliasing noise from the low rate sampling is plainly audible. Sirius/XM is also pretty expensive for what you get unless you keep cancelling and signing up again to get the introductory teaser rate.
Mentioning Sirius/XM does lead us to the real point here though. gm has reduced the friction to using their subscription based services while increasing the friction to anything else. Want navigation? OnStar: easy, or use your mobile phone on a USB cable. Music? Sirius/XM: easy, or some sort of MP3 player on Bluetooth or USB. Decent in-car Internet? easy AT&T subscription with usually strong signal, or whatever you can get on your mobile phone.
Of those three subscriptions, AT&T Internet is pretty affordable. Unfortunately the only carrier choice through gm is AT&T.
Cd issue common across the makers.
Ford sync3 on 2020 models like escape does not have cd option.
If you put more than a screen or two’ worth of albums on a usb stick, you cannot browse all of them while driving! Safety mandate, don’t want people scroll ing screens while driving.
Simple fix is software update to infotainment is to allow low cost laptop usb dvd drives to work with radio
My 18 Acadia has over 100 items listed on my screen. Seems to work for me.
CD player??? Low on my list. I want the text feature back on my brand new 2020 Chevy Silverado 3500hd!!! GM decided that we don’t need it. BS!!!
To be CLEAR:
Dealer notified me of a recall fro seals on my 08 Impala… I took her in… Dealer gave me a BRAND NEW EQUINOX to drive for a week & I HATED IT!!!…
1) NO CD PLAYER!!!
2) STUPID “DRIVER ASSIST” CRAP IS A MAJOR DISTRACTION lighting up my side mirrors, the WINDSHIELD… & the computer insisted I “ok” all it’s “faults” with my driving!!! WTF!!! I’ve got a AAA+ rating with ALLSTATE who I’ve had 35+ years!!! SHUT UP!!!
3) Bikes I hang with were rolling on the concrete the instant they popped the hood to find a maze of “sealed plastic boxes” that didn’t even LOOK like an engine!!! The DAMN thing whined when I stepped on the gas, the front end WAS NOT STABLE ON ACCELERATION(***SERIOUS ACCIDENT POTENTIAL!!!***) & it felt like a LUMBERING DINOSAUR to drive!!!
I couldn’t WAIT to hand it back to the Dealer & get my Impala back…. She’s TRACK QUALIFIED, luxury with balls!!!… Extremely agile, with an 800 WATT Infinity Concert Hall audio system & A CD PLAYER!!! I can MODIFY my Impala any way I choose…& I have. You CANNOT MODIFY THE NEW ONES…THEY’RE BUILT THAT WAY SPECIFICALLY. NOPE. NOT INTERESTED AT ALL!!! I’m KEEPING my 08 Impala 50th Anniversary Special Edition… Track Modified!!!
Sounds like you need to drive another brand. Import maybe? You seem to fit their ownership profile.
they want you to get srius radio so gm can get a kick back
I’m just sayin’ – I have a friend whose two kids always take their CD collections with them when the family travels on vacation. When he was going to trade in his Chevy pickup on a new truck, he found that the new Chevys do not have a CD player any more. So, he bought a new Toyota pickup because it does have a CD player.
I had a 2011 Nissan LEAF for a few years. The LEAF had a CD player, but it was like they didn’t want to let anyone know it was there. To get access, an inconspicuous button had to be pressed to flip the infotainment screen up 90 degrees to reveal the CD loading slot. There was also an SD card slot behind the screen for loading new maps into the Windows-CE based navigation system.
All that shows is that he actually was not a GM man as you thought, but would go wherever the wind would blow him. Good for him . He doesn’t actually care what he drives.
Yes, definately.
Wow! A lot of grumbling between two or three generations. How about just some answers?
I have a lot of CDs. I know how to rip them to both mp3 files (to use in portable devices) and wav files (because the music sounds a lot better with wav when I edit and add music into vacation videos).
Yes, I can put either of those onto a USB flash drive. If I plug that into (my still waiting for) C8’s USB port, does that display the songs’ titles somewhere so I can select them to play in the sound system? And is there any way to put the files on the USB jump drive so that the C8’s sound system will play the songs in the order that the songs are played on the CD album?
Thank you in advance for any helpful answers. Terry
Yes all the Songs information will be displayed on the C8’s Infotainment display.
Yes, the C8 will look at the song’s meta data and organize it by Album, artist, track, and more…
You can even add Play lists on the USB following instructions provided by the User Manual.
I find it quite interesting that the discussion devolved into an ageism and digital format superiority war. The article’s question was about whether it was worthwhile to offer a particular option. I didn’t read that anybody was going to be forced to accept something unwanted.
EXACTLY CORRECT BILL!!!💜
It would be worthwhile for it to be an Option, for those that truly want it.
For those that don’t have the option I try and show how to get the music on the cars.
I even listed the GM Accessory website for each Brand for people to check if it already was an option you can get!
It surprisingly is for many of the cars already, but it’s been mostly phased out on the very latest vehicles.
I’ll up it a notch … offer a cassette/cd player combo, there are many of us with cassette collections as well. My last Chrysler Van had the AM/FM-CD-Cassette system. All the car builders are missing sales, all of you … make it available … again.
Brad, there days you have to pay $150 extra if you want a black bowtie emblem when they’re going to stick one on your car anyway. Can you imagine the added $1900 for a multi function entertainment device? Rule # 1— The customer is always right.
I bought a Ricky Martin CD at a thrift store earlier this year and was bummed my MY21 Spark (Cheapest Vehicle in the US) did not have a CD player. Now that CD is in my glovebox never to be played
A couple of things have come to light here.
GM take note
1: it seems to me that GM needs to come down hard on all of their franchised dealerships and re educate all sales staff on how to sell a vehicle. Obviously sales people are not sitting down with the customer and explaining the ins and outs, workings and options available on said vehicle, they are obviously not asking the customer about what they want in a vehicle otherwise the buyer would be aware pre order that there is no CD player.
Customers take note.
2: It seems to me that customers also need to be aware when purchasing a new vehicle that it is their responsibility to ask as many questions as possible about the vehicle and options available.
Sales staff aren’t there to please you and make you happy, they are there to make quota for the dealership so if you drive home in your new vehicle then discover no CD its partly your own fault.
PS I have been a car salesman in a past life for Toyota, a very strict company to deal with when it comes to sales.
And your Toyota service drive, like ALL other brands is loaded with warranty complaints. What I will say is that Toyota DOES at the least, attempt to keep customers coming back but again, on the service drive they are just another lane designed to sell you stuff, whether you need it or not. TRUTH!!!
Yes offer a CD player, I may be old, but give me a break! I was PO’ed when my 2017 Colorado did not have one even the up graded one???
Yes. CD’s are still part of the music scene. I found missing a CD player the only thing I disliked on my 2015 Suburban and now 2020 Yukon. I don’t have the time or talent to develop alternate means for playing just the music I love vs. The dribble I so often get from Sirius.
I never would have guessed that an article about cd-players would start the longest comment chain in GMAuthority history; 204 and counting, it’s truly ridiculous.
Does the new Stingray Corvette play WMV? If not, I want a CD player option because MP3 is low information and sounds like crap. What is the point of a Bose system if the source material is garbage?
I’m quite sure it can support lossless formats like WAV and ALAC.
I’m a yes on it as an option (not part of a $2000 package!), only because it is time consuming to convert my CD’s to MP3. I’ve converted about 20-25 CDs, but it’s 10-12 minutes a CD with the naming of tracks, etc…
My boyfriend broke up with me 4 months ago finally came back with the help of Robinsonbuckler11@ gmail .com………Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much!!!!!
After reading theses comments from all these young techie brains, I feel that as a 75 year old luddite (look it up stupid), who continues to fumble along into the future, I must apologize to all those who are pushing past me in order to have the best and most modern tech, goop, for slowing them up. I have hundreds of CDs that I can not part with, and am not even thinking of condensing them onto another format. When I ordered my 2013 ADS, I ordered a CD player so I could use my Bose audio system and I got one!!!despite the fact that it was eventually discovered in the glove box (either more brilliance on the part of GM or my dealer.)It sure makes it hard to change CDs while driving (ha ha).
Now, don’t get me started on Cadillac users “bad” experience system.
Some of you saying you won’t buy a new truck because it doesn’t have a CD player is just ridiculous. Plug a mobile CD player in if you have to have it. CDs had their place and time but have become obsolete. They scratch easy, can’t store very much data, and take up large amounts of space. Also, don’t mention sound quality as you can’t hear the difference when driving on the road.
Complete BALDERDASH!!!
The sound-proofed cabin in my Impala allows almost zero road noise to interfere with my “JAM SESSION” ….even when I dust a semi!!! The only way Her “rumble” would interfere(& I don’t consider Her “rumble” interference!!!) is if Her windows are down…
I wouldn’t buy ANYTHING that I couldn’t modify if it didn’t have what I wanted. Period.
And what is so difficult about “dusting a semi” ? They are usually slower than most traffic and are restricted to a maximum speed. The only sound proof-like cabin I know of is my 18 Acadia. Quiet like a bank vault.
Dusting….at 90mph+….😁
Think She dusted at least 2 of your Dinosaurs just awhile ago…. to Judas Priest!!!
After 40+ years of driving, I aim to arrive alive, even without a CD player.
They do not scratch easily, unless you throw them around like sh*t. They aren’t obsolete. Physical media should not go away. There are always good reasons to have a physical version of your favorite album.
Some people don’t care about it, but if you really love an album there’s nothing like owning it and holding it in your hands. There’s nothing like flipping through the book of the pictures of the artist, if the design on the CD, and the official lyrics, unlike what someone typed on a website.
Major retailers like your precious Amazon, Walmart and Target sell them also.
Why should everybody just stream online? Why can’t we own a physical copy of our albums? I want to know why it is considered old to own your favorite album. If you get to have hundreds or thousands, yeah it can definitely get out of hand.
But they are still a current form, a way of listening to music, physical media. It’s just a tiny slot, there’s no reason for them to take them out of cars since many people do indeed still use them. And no, I’m not old, I’m a 1995 baby… I’m 26 years old.
MP3 is to CDs, what CDs were to cassettes, and what cassettes were to records. Just because we like to have thousands of songs stored on a single device doesn’t mean we dislike CDs. It just makes more sense for driving. The same way CDs replaced cassettes in cars. It just makes more sense, even though there wasn’t necessarily anything wrong with cassettes or records.
Grow up young people USB sucks for quality
LOL only if you don’t know what you are doing and choose a crappy format/codec.
How about offering a multichannel SACD or DVD-Audio system? 29 speakers being driven by a 2-channel source is ….. well, an effort in futility, really.
At least offer a 5.1 surround sound option with a CD/SACD/DVD player that is capable of reading the multichannel layer of the SACD and DVD’s. Surround sound is AWESOME in the car and there are several companies having a resurgence in offering Multichannel SACD’s like Dutton-Vocalion in England and Sony Japan. Audio Fidelity in the US was also releasing multichannel SACD’s until they went belly up.
There IS a market out there for audiophile systems. Heck, I won’t get rid of my aging Tiburon because I’ve got an older 5.1 Surround sound system in the car and NOTHING to upgrade to both in terms of car or sound system.
A lot of the comments defending CD players in cars here are obnoxious and difficult to read/follow. Why does this not surprise me?
There has been some good information shared in this thread. What I don’t understand is why some posts include ad hominem criticisms. It’s not like a Democrat vs Republican vs Biden vs Trump issue.
Of course, I’ll be attacked for bring this up.
there’s limited cd players in the after market that can be mounted in glove box or center console $300…… some installers do this offsite… i’ve used an old portable sony cd player: [some portable players are still available] connections made with optional 12v adapter plugged into power outlet and usb cable connecting sony to input in dash [ my vehicle is 2020 chevy equinox] downside: limited use of some programming, otherwise volume is contolled thru factory head unit and sound is great! you have to go thru some programming on your radio screen to find ” other media” to operate portable unit…..trial and error maybe. but you can get it to work!
Last comment. A premium Stereo system in a car should offer a CD player. Something that was standard equipment now should be offered as an option I guess. At least offer it. If I knew how bad my Cue system works it really needs a CD too late
Boy has this ruffled some feathers if you buy a 114,000 Escalade it needs to have a DVD plater pure and simple. That would be a deal breaker got a 100k automobile. So I would look around Audi has them now I am not sure BMW has them any longer. What I think is the Boomers and X generation are being erased the one finger salute. Look at this thread. How people argue over the slightest think that is crystal clear to me. Include the damn CD player on anything over 50k
Basically gm wants to turn your vehicle into a revenue stream by increasing the friction of using user-supplied media and services while minimizing the friction of using fee based subscription services offered though the gm customer portal.
Removing optional CD players increases odds of selling a Sirius/XM subscription. Removing optional back seat DVD players increases the odds of selling an in-car Wi-Fi subscription to support streaming movies for kids. Forcing tethering of a mobile device to USB to get navigation assistance increases the odds of selling an OnStar subscription.
At least gm left in the AM radio for now, which is good for where I live because construction zone traffic alerts tend to be on low power AM transmitters.
Bill, You hit the NAIL on the HEAD! Thankyou for the completely logical comment. My new Sierra was built last weekend. Still wish he had a a CD player but life goes on.
Everyone BE Safe and Healthy and ENJOY your Ride.
Thanks
You raise a quandary I’ve been pondering this past 2 decades: WHY has GM phased out “tried & true” used to be “standard equipment” offers, slowly replacing them with SUBSCRIPTION services??? No options about any of the switch-overs are discussed at a point-of-sale: it is all “pitched” as “you’re lucky to have it!!!” I contend there have to be “background agreements” hiding behind all this push, with “kickbacks” all around, the driving of the agenda dumped in the dealer’s laps. I reject it completely: the only subscription service I’ve kept all these years has been OnStar Security… I dumped the rest, & even my Impala DIC System “markets” them every time I turn on the ignition. There HAS to be a “bottom-line” objective driving it…
Unfortunately pretty much all the car companies as working on turning cars into revenue streams. Of course, that doesn’t make it any less irritating.
I haven’t followed it closely recently, but I read BMW actually had the gall to charge $80 per year to activate CarPlay in 2019 models. Recent BMWs also require a dealer to reset the a computer when the 12 Volt battery replaced. You can do it yourself with a $180 Foxwell scan tool or pay a BMW dealer $200 to register the battery. (Battery not included.) Thank goodness gm hasn’t gone as far as BMW at milking customers.
Bill… Based on what I personally observed driving a 2020 Equinox for a week last year, GM is headed in that direction: XM, OnStar, WiFi, Pandora, Spotify, & “options” I’ve never heard of, were all offered as “initial courtesy” but required a subscription to continue in the Infotainment System… & according to the Dealer, GM left ZERO options to modify any of it. IF you bought the vehicle, you were locked into only those options. I couldn’t WAIT to get my Impala back from Service- a recall job on seals.
Yeah…. No you aren’t locked into any option… don’t know what ya thinking.
Yeah…those are the ONLY options on the Infotainment Menu…take it or leave it…
MY POINT was that IF you want something specific that ISN’T offered… Like a CD Player, you’re SOL, as the System is LOCKED: it won’t allow any modifications or switching out the head unit. And STOP pushing USB…thumbdrive…portable CD player interface through USB as it is sub-par AWFUL!!! I’m NOT willing to upload CD tracks onto another medium, fart around w/plugging this into that, then switching this to that, etc., etc., etc.,… when I can simply pop a CD into my IN DASH PLAYER, turn up the volume, & DRIVE.
There is an app store in the cars, you have a choice of several different apps…. Most are very free.
And you are just giving another example of lazy people in the digital divide.
I haven’t touched a CD since 2005 after putting everything on my iPod now iPhone.
Just plug it in via USB or Bluetooth and the music plays as soon as I press the play button on my radio. Set it and forget it.
You also have far more control over your music with playlists, mixing tracks… artists and so on without having to constantly switch CDs or lug about a gigantic folder full of them. I have over 20 days worth of my own music in my pocket (no streaming service needed).
But by all means if you like CDs so be it, GM does offer CD players as accessories for several Cadillacs/brands, though I think that stopped after the 2018 model year for most vehicles. Depends on the refresh.
CDs as a form factor are going bye bye, CD manufactures are decreasing…
Trends are showing people are using it less and less, GM sees a way to save money and provide alternative means for people to play their music.
Catherine – Amen to that!!
some models are not even hd/ sat radio equipped without a 1k package
YES YES YES!!!!!!!
Well people after all this arguing like Red Vs. Blue here is a little URL and it tells the sad story. Sucks to me. But You can still get an I pod that will hold tons of songs and hook it up to Apple Car Play and it sounds very good Not CD good but good. Here is the URL
https://www.quora.com/Which-new-cars-still-come-with-CD-audio-players-or-changers-if-any
https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/which-new-cars-have-a-cd-player/n21886
This other one is from a UK magazine
My first new truck in 32 years….a 2020 Sierra elevation and is a great truck and has the Bose system in it and no CD player….disappointing but I have Sirius XM and at least I can select my stations to what I like and not use a stupid phone which I hate….Bring back the CD player
you know once the phone is paired with the truck… all the controls are through the radio… No need to touch the phone at all while driving…. just keep it in your pocket.
Congratulations Scott on your New Truck. The Elevation is AWESOME! I agree with you about the CD but that is life. My new Sierra SLT was just built this weekend after waiting over 30 years to buy a new vehicle. Can hardly wait until it is delivered. I am going to try to plug in one of those computer DVD players into the USB and see if it will play my CD’s. If Not, I am going to go with Sirius like you.
Of course they should have CD players. I have CDs and vinyl albums that were never commercially available. Streaming services have all the commercial music I can handle. Give me bootleg and import CDs and vinyl. Now back to listening to Point Blank live from Sunrise Musical Theater.
with all these comments do the electronic manufacturers got there ears on? bring back the 10 disc cd changers add a steering wheel controls interface and people can cd there way into the next century the oems only care about the deneros do you think they reduced the price when they took cd players away no they said lets make them buy a $1000 package for a decade old technology called a hd fm tuner.
what ya on about? All cars have Steering wheel controls for their radio…. Haven’t been in one in 2 decades that didn’t.
Yet ANOTHER REASON WHY I WILL NOT BUY A NEW VEHICLE…
YOU must not REALLY DRIVE alot: I don’t call a “daily commute” DRIVING… I run a PRIVATE SERVICE BUSINESS for elder/handicapped: I DRIVE highways & backsides through 5 COUNTIES weekly, regardless of the weather… Never mind I also run a 24/7 WILDLIFE HOSPITAL… I DRIVE…. ALOT!!!
MY 08 IMPALA DOES NOT HAVE audio controls on the steering wheel & THEY DON’T NEED TO BE THERE!!! THEY ARE AN UNNECESSARY DISTRACTION THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE!!! When the day comes you find yourself trying to recover from a slide & inadvertently blast your eardrums w/static chaos, never recover from that slide, & crash your vehicle (I’ve watched it happen & my Impala’s Surveillance filmed it for the cops!!!) THEN you will realize WHY audio controls DO NOT BELONG ON THE STEERING WHEEL!!!
No CD Player aside, GM HAS MADE SOME REALLY STUPID MOVES, & garbaging up a steering wheel w/ crap that DOES NOT AID THE STEERING of the vehicle is ASKING FOR TROUBLE from inexperienced drivers who have too many “toys” BUT NO COMMON “ROAD” SENSE………
LMAO I had an 06 impala and an 08 Impala they are there if you don’t see them you don’t know how to look.
I memorized their location in 10 seconds and have never needed to look at the steering wheel to control my radios ever.
The fact that the buttons are on the wheel means less distraction, as you are no longer looking at the center console to control volume or seeking stations.
Nope. NONE on my 04 nor my 08 Impala… the 08 ONLY HAS CRUISE CONTROLS nested inside the lower right side if the airbag storage in the steering wheel center. Nothing else but the horn is on either steering wheel.
I set my audio BEFORE the transmission comes out of park… Once engaged, I pay attention to the road… & She RECORDS EVERYTHING…
Have you ever checked out the steering wheel on F1 and NASCAR race cars? Yep, they are loaded with all sorts of controls to fine tune the performance of the vehicle during a race. As others have commented, it is very easy to memorize the location of the controls you need to use every day. But perhaps it is easier to take your eyes off the road to look over to the console, but you are probably still using a radio with mechanical push button controls and an analog tuner.
Look, let Catherine drive her old tech if she likes. Dino’s don’t adapt well to change.
Since you addressed me directly:
1) MY TECH is under the hood…the year, make & model are only “qualifiers,” & since in my Impala’s case, “Ruby” was gifted with “REAL Camaro capability” dressed up as a Sleeper- NOT the “Ole Lady” Impala you wanna insinuate…
2) ANYONE on a REAL TRACK will tell you dash gauges, engine response & tire action are what we pay attention to…NOT some idiotic audio control that some “engineer” THOUGHT might be a good test run. In 50+ years of driving, it is a FACT that too many toys inside the “cage” indicate exactly WHERE the manufacturer put their emphasis… I want good HP VS TORQUE RATIOS, UPGRADABLE if I’m not satisfied with the factory gen, NOT GARBAHE USELESS TECH that doesn’t wake a snot of a difference once the Train registers forward motion: steering “switches” on NASCAR qualified vehicles are to activate secondary cooling of the engine when desired by the driver… For performance of the ENGINE, & the ENGINE is WHAT gets the attention…
3) YOUR INTENDED INSULT TO MY AGE INDICATES YOUR POMPOUS LACK OF RESPECT. I’D BE LAUGHING AT YOU IF YOU WEREN’T SO PATHETIC. YOU HAVE NO MANNERS!!! DO YOU TALK TO YOUR GRANDMA THAT WAY??? UTTERLY DISGRACEFUL!!!
As Jack Benny would say ” Well……!”
Do you mean back when GM sold real cars?
you need to wire in an interface box when you change a head unit so I would guess you would need to also if they brought back cd changers. 20 years ago you needed upper trim levels to get steering wheel controls hell steering wheel controls are not available on w/t pu s probably customs also
CD COLLECTORS EVERYWHERE!
YES. Put them back in cars!
I just don’t see CDs as being “old.” Cassettes and vinyl, sure. But CDs are the superior form of physical media. You can skip to any track you want to, it plays clean and clear. It’s very durable.
I’m 26 years old. 1995 baby. My boyfriend: 33 born in 1987. WE STILL BUY CDs! We buy them of the albums and artists we REALLY like. Albums we REALLY LOVE, and want to OWN. His 29 year old sister (1991) however, pays for Apple Music.
I pay for YouTube Music, and Pandora. YES, I stream. But sometimes, I just want to put in my fave CD album in my car or in my house and let it play. I don’t always want to play around with my phone while driving! Sometimes it’s better to just let the CD play.
And there’s NOTHING like owning an album you really love. There’s nothing like flipping through the book of pictures of the artist, and the official lyrics, instead of what somebody just typed up on a website. And of course the design on the CD is always cool to see as well!
For some reason, besides the CDs, my boyfriend pays for Spotify, but he NEVER uses it! I don’t even think he has the app on his phone, or his iPod. He always downloads songs onto his iPod from iTunes! Yes, he does not put music onto his phone, ever…he has a whole separate iPod that he uses just for music, at 33 years old!
Everybody just likes doing things differently! Streaming is NOT the only form of listening to music, and I don’t think it should be. If I really really really love an album, I even buy it on vinyl and sometimes cassette. It’s just neat to have your favorite albums physically!!!
Besides, it’s always good to have a physical form because sometimes they take certain songs or albums off of streaming anyway! Then the only way you can do it is via the physical format.
I know his sister has not touched her CDs in years. But meanwhile I’m younger than her, and he is older, and he and I both do the CD thing. He still downloads songs from iTunes onto his iPod, and THEN he makes a mix CD of his favorite songs currently. He titles them “driving music” and I think he’s on his 74th one since he was maybe like a teenager or maybe 20 years old.
Honestly, I can’t stand when people say that CDs are for old people, we are not that old. Sure, we aren’t teenagers. We aren’t in our 40s or 50’s + either.
They are still sold at major stores like Target, Walmart, etc. Sure the section is smaller, but it is still there, along with vinyl.
Anybody that says that CDs are dead really just don’t know what they are talking about. They most certainly are not, even artists sell CDs of their music you can find on their own websites, even your own precious Amazon still sells them. They are still everywhere. Yes they should just put the simple slot inside cars.
Very well said Steffie.
This article asked…Poll: Should GM Offer A CD Player As An Accessory?
It is unfortunate that many people took this as open season to attack those of us giving our opinion that we’d like GM to offer it as an accessory. This in no way was to force it on those that don’t want it, or spark a debate bringing ageism and name calling…etc. It is a POLL…yes or no. We are not ignorant to new tech, or how to use it. We would just “prefer” to play our CDs, and unless you are paying for our new vehicles, you have no control over what we want in them!
It’s really very simple, if you don’t want the ACCESSORY…just don’t buy it. However, GM “should” be offering it, to those of us that do want it. I vote YES!!
Just an FYI if CDs are going the way of the dodo then why is McIntosh Labs introducing a new CD/SACD player?
That is for the person with a gazillion jigawatt system who sits at home to listen to music and would not listen to music in their cars for any reason.
I disagree. It’s because they want to service their customers. They have received enough requests to make it financially viable.
Yeah that Mcintosh system is $4k yeah that’s not for everyone…
50 watts per channel of Class A tube power
Is plenty for any home system
I’m not buying a new car unless it has a CD player. I have a 2019 Corolla and wanted a RAV-4 but no CD player. I can’t find a vehicle with ne!
Why is a Toyota-ist on this site?
I have both Toyota and GM products. There is some common prior history with GM and Toyota. My Tacoma was assembled at the joint GM/Toyota NUMMI plant in Fremont, CA that is now Tesla. There are obvious GM parts bin components in the Tacoma. In the late 1980s, GM sold NUMMI-made Toyota AE82 Carolla Sprinters labeled as Chevy Novas, complete with 100% Toyota running gear.
I believe I read recently that GM is going to assemble electric cars for Honda at a GM plant in Mexico within the next few years.
My wife bought a new 2019 Impala toward the end of the model year and it came with a CD player in the dash as part of the entertainment unit, though it is one of the last that were assembled in the Canadian plant in Oshawa that maybe the reason that it came as part of the standard equipment. But yes, the 2019 Impala has a CD player so I’m not sure what David Finlay is referring to when he claims that none of his listed GM cars have a CD player.
I may have missed the point that he appears to be making that the CD player is not an option and it isn’t or that he is referring to the all other GM models since the Impala is no longer in production, in that case he is right, it’s not an option.
The Impala existed almost unchanged since 2014. Any New Generation vehicle after 2016 started to not include CD Players.
Put CD players back!!! Not all technology is for the best. Some things should not become obsolete. Not all areas get good wireless service. There’s a lot of dead airspace
Get a Media Player and have FLAC audio files, no loss in audio quality. All set.
The question asked by the poll was, “Should GM Offer A CD Player As An Accessory?” The result of this poll was an over whelming , “YES”; 89 to 90% were in favor, of having a CD player as an accessary. It’s a question I’ve always asked. However, GM should listen to what their clientel wants. It may increase success!
I am looking to trade in my 2014 GMC Sierra Texas Edition for the 2021 AT4… just discovered CD player is not an option! If I can’t have a CD player… I guess I’ll be keeping my truck 😢
Again! Maybe, GM should listen to people who want to buy GM; maybe they should look at this GM Authority poll and maybe they should read Audrey’s post. Just maybe they would sell more cars if they offered CD players as an option. Most people seem to think so!
Two things:
First: I believe the request is to have an integrated CD drive as an option. Anybody who doesn’t want a CD drive wouldn’t need to have one. Sure, there alternatives such as plugging a portable device into an AUX Jack or copying material to a memory stick, but those are not as nice as an integrated solution.
Second: Call me lazy if you want. I would rather be able to play discs in the vehicle than needing to spend up-front time to copying to an intermediary USB device. Of course I know how to rip CDs several different ways, but I don’t want it as an inescapable requirement.
No one is thinking about having options it would just be nice, just in case when some how you find yourself with no working phone, maybe your radio loses reception and you are still 2 more hours away from home. A CD player can become a musical life line.