There aren’t too many cars left that have CD players from the factory, either as standard or as an option. At this point with digital streaming technology, it’s a throwback not many people use or appreciate, at least in a new car. That’s why Subaru offering a single-disc CD player as an accessory option for the WRX is so wonderful
You’ll find the $375 CD player buried among the 96 accessories Subaru offers for the WRX on its online configurator. The CD player even looks old school, mounted in the center console underneath the armrest, resulting in one having to feed the disc into the player towards the floor of the car.
There’s a price difference for the CD player depending on which transmission you choose. If you stick with the standard six-speed manual transmission, the CD player will be $375. Option the WRX with the Subaru Performance Transmission, Subaru’s fancy name for its CVT, and the price goes up to $449.95.
It’s a strange and wonderful accessory to have in the year 2024, but Subaru is not alone. Over at Lexus, the infotainment system in the IS sedan still comes with an in-dash CD/DVD player, though it may not be long for this world as the IS’ system will soon get updated to the same one used in other Lexus models that has no disc player. Still, if you’re feeling nostalgic and in the market for a WRX, it’s cool to know you can option a CD player from the factory It’s just a matter of remembering where you put all those burned CDs you made using LimeWire.