Back in May of 2019, GM Authority listed the very small number of GM vehicles fitted with a CD player, either optionally or as standard. In February of this year, we returned to the subject with a reader poll, pointing out that CD players were now available only in the 2021 Chevy Express van and its corporate cousin, the 2021 GMC Savana.
Readers rent their garments in twain in the comments section of each article, and we expect a similar response to the news that no GM passenger vehicle will be available with a CD player for the 2022 model year. In case you missed it, check out our recent article about this item being discontinued as an option in the 2022 Chevy Express and the 2022 GMC Savana.
Those were the last models to feature this increasingly neglected item of audio equipment. It had previously been discontinued in the redesigned 2021 Chevy Tahoe, 2021 Chevy Suburban, 2021 GMC Yukon, 2021 GMC Yukon XL and 2021 Cadillac Escalade.
In fact, it’s still possible to buy a GM product in the United States or Canada with a CD player, but one would need a better reason than that to make a purchase. The vehicles in question are the 2021 Chevy Silverado Medium Duty trucks – the 4500HD, 5500HD and 6500HD – and the 2021 Chevy Low Cab Forward trucks. All of these are commercial vehicles, and therefore of little interest to most GM customers.
It is now overwhelmingly common for a vehicle to be able to play music stored on a smartphone through Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto or even a simple USB cable, although this is cold comfort to anyone who does not have a smartphone, but does have a CD collection. Of course, it’s possible to transfer many CDs’ worth of music on to a single memory stick, but this is more appealing to some people than others.
Both GM Authority and our sister publication Cadillac Society have received from comments from readers complaining about the disappearance of CD players from GM passenger vehicles. Here are some examples:
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
This is a major issue for some people, and a matter of no importance whatever for others. Feel free to express your own views in the comments section, but play nice.
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Comments
2 questions to other readers:
1. When was the last time you bought a CD?
2. What do you think the heat in a parked car means for your valuable CDs?
BTW, on of the two CD set of “The well tempered synthysizer” which I left in the CD player in the car got stolen togther with the radio itself. It took me years to find a used one to buy.
GM, Ford, Stellantis and every other car maker that no longer offers a CD player aren’t losing sales as a result of that change, which goes to show what a non-issue this is.
Yesterday. Actually a 10 CD set. I have over 2000 CDs and am continuously adding more. I live in FL and have never had a problem with heat damaging a CD. I listen to a lot of Sirius now, but mostly just the sounds of my Corvette and Z28.
Why not just buy a USB 3.0 Flash Drive 32 GB at Walmart for $6.00. Download your CDs to your media library on your computer, and then download your songs to your 32 GB Flash Drive. It only takes a couple of minutes and you’re not carrying a bunch of CDs and your not installing a CD player. All new cars have USB ports, you just push the flash drive into the USB port and it will appear on your radio and use the radio just like a CD player. If you don’t know how to do the downloads there are plenty of videos on the web that show you how to do it. It’s very simple once you do it. Lots of luck.
Why would you pay $6 for 32 GB, when it’s possible to get 128GB for $14? Geeze, now I know why they have gotten rid of the cd players, they can make more money off the clueless!
A 32 GB flash drive can hold the information stored on approximately 45 CDs. For anyone with more than 45 CDs, your point is valid. For anyone with fewer, Jerry’s comment is not only helpful and well-meaning, it is also financially sensible.
They probably make a lot of money off you, Bubba.
Cuz maybe 32gb is more than enough for many many CD’s there’s only so Muncy music you need!!
I actually prefer “small” Geek Sticks over large ones. I can easily change genres or albums by only having a limited amount of music on each one. I tend to run 512 MB to a couple of GB.
Certainly is better, easier, cheaper by far, and more “convenient” than using a PHOOOOOONNE.
1. Irrelevant question. I have many CDs which require a CD player. It’s that simple.
2. Nothing, they work fine.
On Saturday, I visited the electronics shop in “my” city, which once had the largest CD selection on sale in town, and found one which is severely downsized. Three other records shops which I had frequented in past times are closed alltogether.
I get my music to a large extent by lending CDs and “ripping” the tracks as MP3 files. I use Audiograbber version 1.83. Still available for download, just add org or de to the product name.
Bring back the CD player. Do you think it’s safer for someone to be fiddling with a phone to play music with head on traffic on the other side of that yellow line. Hey GM this is pretty stupid. I have been a GM customer all my driving life looks like maybe time to buy something else.
Unfortunately, EVERYTHING on the planet is now all about the stupid PHOOOOOOOONNE!!! Which is usually the stupidest, most expensive, and least convenient way to accomplish anything – including playing music, and most especially playing music in my car. I still buy all my music on CDs, but prefer “geek sticks”, aka “Thumb drives” to play in the car – certainly not a darn smartphone.
Admittedly, I haven’t bought a cd in a while, but I always enjoyed playing them while in the car; especially
on a long drive. As for being concerned abut the heat in a parked car; that would never happen. The cd’s
would be taken into my home.
I still buy CD’s. Why not? Download this and that. No! If I want to listen at MY leisure an entire album or however many songs off an album, I can do so. I am not constantly searching a variety stations on SIRIUS, which I pay for, for “certain music” that I like. It’s all about personal preference. Give the customer what they want, even if an option. Hell, I still have an ’88 IROC with the original BOSE AM/FM cassette player and yes, I still have cassettes and they still sound great! CD’s and the sun? Never a problem unless you get stupid and put them directly under a blistering window. I love my 2021 but I would of paid the money for a CD player because they still make them. Yes, I may be old fashioned, but sometimes the old ways are the best. Bottom line…It’s all about money…….always is.
I agree with you 100% – We should always be able to have a CD player in the vehicle.
I still have cassettes and people think I’m still living in the past. Well, the past is a hell of a lot better than our future. I hated when car manufacturers stopped offering cassette players.
Really dumb to discontinue. Just bought another 2024 Tahoe (my 12th). . It may be my last.
Even though my Buick has a CD player (2016 LaCrosse), I loaded all of my CDs onto a memory stick that i keep plugged into the car. As long as you have the time and interest in loading those CDs onto a phone or portable memory stick, it sure allows you to enjoy your CD collection without needing to phyically load them while driving. Maybe the sound quality isn’t as perfect as a CD, but not many people outside of a professional sound studio could tell the difference – especially when you are driving along (although the Buick is super quiet inside).
Most CDs, if not all, are generally similar in quality to MP3. When you transfer them to memory stick, you’re getting similar digital quality from your CD. People looking for high quality sound today have moved on to purchasing digital music in lossless formats, such as FLAC, but not all cars can play FLAC files.
I have lived in the 8 track cassette era, then on to mini cassette, next CD Disk. All worked great during there time. Down side they took up space, someone always wanting to borrow, or worst yet getting them stolen. Now on my new Equinox I can Bluetooth from my phone. The best yet is download all the audio content you like on a USB drive and plug it into your radio’s USB port. Listen to what you want, when ever you want.
Nothing has better sound quality than a CD,I suppose you can spend thousands to get yourself back to CD quality.
One can have more sound quality with a top vinyl disk, provided to have good record player.
Who of you still owns a record player?
A better question would be what vehicles from other manufacture’s still have a CD player?
Current Subaru Outback Touring has a CD Player Standard.
Audi does it better. There is a CD/DVD in my glovebox. You put a disk in and copy it to the car’s computer. That does away with having to use a phone or other medium.
I also have a large collection of CDs. I used to have a large collection of cassettes and before that a collection of 8 track tapes. Now, 75 years young, I have down loaded all of my music to my computer and created music USB drives. I can put 6 or more hours of music on one 16 gigabyte USB drive. I can arrange the songs, duplicate the songs I like or just play an entire album in original order.
I also download music to my iPhone and use Apple Car Play.
I own several vehicles, some older and a couple new. I just replaced the entertainment system in my 2001 work truck with an android touch screen that does everything I need. No CD player but USB Apple Car Play, etc. so I don’t have a problem with no CD player in my vehicle. Digital is the future. Time does not stand still.
You still play. CDs through radio with wireless CD portable player solded HSN called Studbaker played on channel FM 81 preset
already for about $80 bucks check it out it works. Lol
???? I don’t understand “solded HSN called Studbaker played on channel FM 81 preset”.
It’s clear that GM and others have made a pact with the devil (Apple & SiriusXM) to eliminate the ubiquitous CD player in their vehicles. Mary Barra should be forthcoming in telling the buying public how GM has sold out to an allied corporate interest for economic gain. Buyer be dammed.
I just received my new c-8 Corvette in march of 2021 and was very disappointed that there was no CD player. I don’t know if I can put one in the glove box or not, but when I get time I’ll look into it.
Miss my CDs every road trip. I built a great collection and don’t care to use my phone for everything! My 2016 Malibu Premier is nice, very nice. That is my one fault without.
Another example of GM simply deciding what’s best for their profit margins versus what their new car customers want. With my 2021 Malibu Premier, I have an inflation kit for a flat tire. Useless if a sidewall is punctured or a large object pierces the tire. I now have an actually spare and jack purchased from a local Chevrolet Parts Department, minus $500.
GM only offered this spare kit through their Parts Group, not even as an option when the Malibu was purchased.
Its all about profit margins.
I like having options. Another reason to keep my XTS and ’17 Mustang.
I too miss a CD player in my 2021 LT1. I was forced to download my CD collection on to a USB stick. Took some time to download but now I have CD sound files that sound pretty close to CD. I still wish a CD player was available. People laugh when you mention CD.
Just buy an external CD drive for a laptop in BestBay for 30 dollars and plug it into USB in the car. The tracks and controls buttons appear on the radio’s screen. You really didn’t know that?
I tried that. The salesmen just laughed. What you described is a unicorn. The fact is, buyers would like to have the option to buy a CD player. The rest of you virtue shamers should just shut the hell up. You’re not helping.
@Jim:
actually there are slim size external CD players (and recorders) with USB connection to a host on the market. In how far the Car audio system recognizes this as a mass storage with MP3 music files, is another question.
I just searched on eBay.de and found a used Sony CRX85U “CD-RW/DVD-ROM DRIVE” with USBÂ 2.0. There are also more recent ones.
Another possibility is a “portable CD-Player”, which would rather have a 3.5 mm “phone jack” or rather “mini jack”, which requires that the car audio provides such an input. Other, more recent, might provide a Bluetooth connection.
Postscript:
I own such a portable CD-Player with 3.5 mm audio jack (also a Sony, called a “Discman”). I don’t know how many years ago was the last time I have used it.
Instead I have 52.93 Gigabyte of MP3-files on the 128 GB memory card in my mobile phone, and a bluetooth connection from the phone to my headphones, could also go to a car. I don’t own a car but am subscribed to a carsharing service, so the connection to car audio doesn’t matter. This is for listening to music on train, subway, or bus.
It Works?
My Chevy doesn’t have a USB connection. Nor does it have Android/Apple connectivity. It does have a CD player though. I keep a dozen or so CD’s in the console. They don’t melt in the Summer. Even if the car supported it, my cell is only a basic smart phone, because I think $100+ a month is nuts. I’d rather spend that money on new CD’s. I bought three in June alone. A major factor is how much you really love music.
I just purchased a new 2023 Buick Envision and imagine my disgust to discover there is no CD player. I have an external USB 3.0 CD slim drive that I purchased a few years back to download music to my Mac. Macs had a similar problem when they did an upgrade doing away with the CD portals. I will give this a try as I have hundreds of CD’s along with just as many vinyls from when I was in college…..yes! I just dated myself. Thanks for the suggestion.
I’m out of solution right now… for my no cd player 2022 Chevy Spark
No way I’m gonna transfer 380+ CD’S to USB! By the way, I also use USB in my car , I also use FM radio etc…!
When I sold my Chevy Spark in may , one of my criteria was a car with cd player! Porsche 718 Boxster has one plus a touchscreen! Imagine you pay 30 000$ for a car with no cd player!!!!
I just bought a new Bennington pontoon boat w/o cd player. However it does have an input port next to the head unit with connections for USB AND 3.5mm aux in. The latter will be hooked up to a portable cd player for my relaxed harbor listening to an artist’s complete product aka CD. Is this not win-win?
Vynl has been outselling CDs the last few years so that goes to show how few people use CDs anymore. I bet the same people crying now are the same ones that were crying when the CD replaced the cassette players, and when cassettes replaced records etc.
Does Vinyl really outsell CDs these days? Do you have reliable market data?
I know that Vinyl is experiencing a revival, expecially in “High End” circles, but I seriously doubt that more records are being sold as Vinyl than CD.
BTW, I have 4 shelf meters each of Vinyl and CDs… recently reorganized and made accessible.
I have a 2018 equinox premier. I also miss the cd player. Especially on trips. I do not use my phone for mysic.
Bought GMC, still didn’t get the bug reflector. Why
I miss having a CD player as well in my 2019 Acadia. I like putting my own music onto a CD that carries me down the road, not one to mess with phones/mp3 players, etc.
Why should I, the paying customer, have to waste my valuable time bothering some pimple-faced Millennial to show me how to download/transfer my CDs to some complicated electronic gadget in order to play music which already plays easily and beautifully on a CD player??? How stupid is that?
Don’t fix something that isn’t broken! Surely GM knows how inexpensive and useful CD players are so just leave them optional for those of us not raised with a “smart” phone glued to our hands.
Just add it to the ever-growing list of reasons not to buy a “gm”!
Same here, don’t even have a smart phone and prefer the old way. Just sounds better!
This is a really sad thing, it does not matter if we have twice a cool technology than 2021 5, 10 or 20 years from now.
If a customer requests it, even though dealerships don’t want it. They should accommodate the customer, getting back to customer service. The customer is always right.
Of course there is someone out there that can do that – Gee whiz! Sure I can get an external USB Player but that is not the point.
No matter how many CDs someone has, the recent vehicles that still have CDs only play 1
at a time and you can’t reach it while driving. Some older cars have changers, but those
cars are old now.
The average album has 10 songs. Most likely your favorite groups only have 2-5 songs on
there that you like. Pick and choose your best liked songs, rip them to a USB and you will
be hearing your favorite songs while your drive. Way better than XM. It’s a pleasure to
do a long drive with nothing but my favorites songs on the USB.
I love my music while I drive. Period. My music. My CD’s. I hate having restraints on something because someone else thinks it’s obsolete due to technology. Not all technology is positive in my opinion. I’m a GM guy. I have two vintage cars. A 1979 Olds Delta 88 Royale and 1988 Chevrolet IROC. They each have AM/FM/Cassette players. You think I’m going to rip them out simply because they are dated. No. I have lived through 8 track, cassette and now the CD and and even though the previous 2 are basically gone, I have has always had a way of putting my music in a player of some kind. I drive a 2012 GMC All Terrain and the sound that a CD player, especially the BOSE system puts out is great. I love to pop in a CD of my choice and listen to the whole thing. I am really quite hesitant to buying a new vehicle simply because GM is “limiting” my source of music to their choices, especially if I have to “perform” work to listen. Why not make it an option? More money in your pocket….Thank you
Does anyone know why we can’t get the bug reflector we ordered for our GMCYukon Denial? Still didn’t receive it, why?
I still buy my music on CDs. Two of our three cars have CD players. My wife uses hers, I mostly don’t anymore. I load my music onto “Geek sticks” and plug them in. I would, however, have a MAJOR problem with a stereo that didn’t have a USB port. Streaming music via bluetooth from a smartphone or other device is just utter stupidity. I have to have the device with me, it has to be turned on, it has to have enough battery power to run itself and the bluetooth link – as opposed to simply plugging in the USB geek stick and forgetting about it.
The third car needed a new stereo – I bought a “mechless” unit with a USB port (and no bluetooth).
I figure I paid over $40,000 for this 2021 Equinox it should have had a CD player. It’s not my place to spend more money to buy thumb drives & spend MY time to load all my CD’s. Or to spend my money to put in aftermarket CD player. Also, real hard to download my CD’S to thumb drive when my New Laptop also came without a CD player/burner!!’ For what this SUV cost, it ought to cook my dinner!!
Yep, try $60,000 for a Silverado and no CD player. I guess we missed the memo that they were being phased out of automobiles because someone at the corporate level thought it was the thing to do. They could of made them an option. People still have tons of CD’s out there. It was a lousy decision on their end.
Am not enjoying my 2020 XT6Cadillac the way I would like, e.g. playing my CDs in the car. One feature I enjoyed most about driving. But no more. Expensive BOSE sound system just to listen to the radio? What a waste of money. Last GM new car that I’ll purchase if they don’t bring back the option of adding a CD Player. Really what’s the big deal with GM to let their customers have the option of adding a CD player in the glove box like I did with my 2016 ATS? I can remember the days when you’d order a car to be built with what you want in it, now GM builds them ahead of time and tells the customer what they are getting. Not good.
That BOSE sound system has in all probability a Bluetooth connection. Then you only need to find a portable CD player with a Bluetooth output for a Bluetooth headset. Sure, portable CD players are no longer the big hit in the portable devices market, and when such portable CD players were a hit, Bluetooth was not yet available. But check it out. Ask your audio-video salesman about it. Or search e.g. at ebay for used ones. Another helpful replacement can be a small portable computer with CD slot and Bluetooth. Also look if your BOSE sound system has a socket for a phone jack resp. headphone jack like in (look for “Phone connector (Audio)” on Wikipedia).
Anyway, don’t give up!
Appreciate your input but I dont think after spending close to 70M for my car I should have to go thru all that. It’s not rocket science, just add the connections to install a darn CD player if the customer wants one. Govt & big business are taking all the freedoms of choice away from us by dictating to us what we should spend our hard earned $$$ on. It’s my money I should get what I want not what GM says I should have. CD players were in cars for years & it wasnt such a big problem for all that time. Now it’s so much trouble for the car companies to add them. yeh right! Simple device, simple connection make it an option & make your customers HAPPY!!!
You’re absolutely correct. Once upon a time you could order a vehicle by LINE ITEM, now we’re stuck with expensive “Packages”, much like dealing with a cable company.
I totally agree 100%
Give the people what they want , what’s the big deal. If someone wants a CD player give them one.
Totally agree! Really tired of the ones who are saying : you should put your 430+ cd to a usb key!
I buy cds because I love them this way ! The feeling of sliding a cd into a car sound system and the sound is way better!
I’m 39 and I’m still buying cds! Everyone else in the automotive industry just don’t respect their potential buyers! They program users to abandon cds, I am not being programmed!
It is fun to be who you want to be and not being who they want you to be !
Please be respectful, my written english is not the best! Habituellement, je parle le français et écrit en utilisant la langue française.
Let’s face it – GM doesn’t really care about the buying public or keeping customers happy. What matters to them are their Share Holders, the bottom line and having enough money in the till to pay exorbitant salaries to top management. Don’t forget, the buying public bailed them out of financial disaster years ago with our Federal Tax dollars. Then years after that they started shutting down manufacturing and assembly plants around the country and going overseas to outsource the work to foreigners, the hell with the American worker. But the price of cars didn’t go down because of it, the prices continued to rise and once again Americans get the shaft. Putting a CD player into their vehicles to keep customers happy doesn’t matter to them. Just keep buying their expensive cars, that’s all that counts to GM.
Love my 2021 Buick Enclave but I truly was shocked & my heart sank when I realized there was no CD player! I still can’t believe I can’t have a CD player in my vehicle. Just not right…
GM has always led the pack in decontenting, starting with eliminating the passenger side keylock. As for CD players, good riddance. I load my music on multiple, SMALL “Geek Sticks”, so I can plug in whatever I’m interested in listening to, and not have to navigate hundreds of folders to find what I want. Just like in the CD days, the music I want plays instantly.
Playing music from a smartphone or other battery powered device is ridiculous (much less a battery powered device that has to transmit the music over a radio link) – but then again, smartphones are a plague on society and I don’t own one. As for quality, MP3s aren’t quite as good as CDs, but my ear can’t tell the difference. Ultimate quality is analog, vinyl being the best that’s commonly available. My ear can’t hear the difference there either.
With all of the above said, automakers can keep the screens and “infotainment”. I don’t want any of it in my car.
For those of you who have hours on end to download music onto your laptop and then onto your stick, I commend you. But to those of us who don’t, we are the one’s who want the convenience of here and now music, without sacrificing time and effort. I shouldn’t have to spend time for such a simple pleasure in a vehicle that costs 5 large figures and has luxuries I may never ever use. Music is important to me as well as a lot of you and it would not be hard to have a CD player as an option. Hell, I have 110 volt plugs in my truck and cameras by the score. They have so much other stuff crammed into the dash, why not one more feature…a simple CD player.
Excellent, excellent comment. Thank you. You said it well…
If someone is spending their hard earned money on a new vehicle, they should be able to get the options they want. If you want a CD player, you should be able to get it. In fact, when I was shopping for a car after hurricane Sandy in 2012, I was about to buy a 2013 Hyundai Sonata but the dealbreaker was that I needed a cassette deck in the car. When they told me they cant do it, I cancelled the order and walked out. I then found a gorgeous 2009 Pre owned Lexus ES350 that had my beloved cassette deck and i still have the car today heading into 2024. I still get to play all my mixed tapes on all road trips. Because of this cassette deck, I ended up with a better quality car and saved money. Oh, and I have a 6 disc cd changer as well lol!
Good luck with that – the CarCos will tell you what you want, and you’ll like it. Even if a desired option is available, you’re still stuck paying for a bunch of junk that you don’t want in order to get what you do! Never mind the idiotic “technology” that new cars are saddled with that you can’t opt out of. All this is why I’m “DONE” with new cars, I’ll just keep my old junk running.