2013 Chevrolet Spark Drops CD Player, Signals End of Era

The 2013 Chevrolet Spark is the first postmodern Chevy without a factory-installed CD player.

The move signals Chevrolet's desire to attract a younger buyer such as those Generation Y consumers who grew up using the Internet.

The Spark's 1LT and 2LT versions sport the MyLink infotainment system, which has a 7-inch color touchscreen, which allows the driver to use the apps and music on a mobile device.

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  2013 Chevrolet Spark Picture

  This is the first Chevrolet in years that will not offer a standard CD player. | July 06, 2012 | General Motors Corporation

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Just the Facts:

• The 2013 Chevrolet Spark is the first postmodern Chevy without a factory-installed CD player.
• The move signals Chevrolet's desire to attract a younger buyer such as those Generation Y consumers who grew up using the Internet.
• The Spark's 1LT and 2LT versions sport the MyLink infotainment system, which has a 7-inch color touchscreen, which allows the driver to use the apps and music on a mobile device.

DETROIT — What isn't included in the dashboard of the 2013 Chevrolet Spark is as interesting as what is.

The Spark mini car is the first postmodern Chevy without a factory-installed CD player, ending a 20-year tradition since the automaker widely introduced the music players in its vehicles in the 1990s.

The move signals Chevrolet's desire to attract a younger buyer, the "digital natives" — those Generation Y consumers who grew up using the Internet and have no experience using a record player or cassette tapes.

"It isn't so much about eliminating the CD player as it is offering to consumers the type of connectivity and technology they are interested in," said Chevrolet spokeswoman Afaf Farah, in a telephone interview with Inside Line.

"Millennials are attached to their mobile devices and they do everything on them, so this was a way to offer the connectivity in their vehicles they are looking for because they will be able to use their apps and the music they've stored," she added.

Rather than include both, Chevy omitted the CD player to contain costs, even on the basic LS Model, with a starting price of $12,995, Farah said.

The Spark's 1LT and 2LT versions sport the MyLink infotainment system, with its 7-inch color touchscreen, a three-month trial of SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth streaming audio for music and select phones, and the ability to play music through Pandora Internet music service.

The 2013 Chevrolet Spark hatchback is expected at dealerships in August.

Inside Line says: It was only a matter of time before that big CD slot gave way to the smaller, less intrusive USB port. Expect to see more of this in the next few years as the CD player goes the way of the cassette deck.