Do New Cars Have Cigarette Lighters & Ashtrays? (Checked)

One may never be sure if new cars have cigarette lighters and ashtrays. This is because of the government regulations and the positive reaction people have developed toward smoking.

Cigarette lighters and ashtrays are common features in old cars made before the 1990s. However, these days, we need to ask if new cars have them as they have become scarce.

In this article, we will explore if new cars still come with cigarette lighters and ashtrays, the car models that have them if they do and if it is legal to smoke in cars these days.

Do New Cars Have Cigarette Lighters and Ashtrays?

Some manufacturers still include built-in lighters and ashtrays in cars but most cars don’t have them anymore. Cigarette lighters can also be added to any standard 12v outlet in a car.

Do New Cars Still Come With Cigarette Lighters Today?

Cigarette lighters in cars are not as common today as in old times. This is because of the decrease in smoking each year. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported smokers have decreased from 20.9% in 2005 to 12.5% in 2020.

Car manufacturers also contributed to these statistics when most of them started exempting cigarette lighters from their cars. However, new cars still have cigarette lighters today. They come as standard options in some cars, while others may require you to pay for them.

For new cars that come with cigarette lighters, your owner’s manual will specify its location in your car. However, car manufacturers always install them on the dashboard.

Over the years, cigarette lighters have developed from just lighting cigarettes to supplying power to accessories through the port. Because of this development, many cars now come with multiple cigarette lighters for convenience. Your manufacturer may integrate some into the passenger area of your car to power electrical devices.

However, note that the cigarette lighter included in today’s cars for lighting cigarettes is not the same as the one for powering your devices.

Unlike the normal cigarette lighter, the cigarette lighter for powering your devices should not be used to light your cigarettes. This is because it may damage the outlet. The cigarette lighters for powering your devices usually have a plastic cover that is tethered to them without the heating elements.

They are also labeled as being for DC power only. However, manufacturers built most cigarette lighters for lightening cigarettes to power accessories with no problem.

For new cars with cigarette lighters today, carmakers install both the cigarette lighter to light your cigarette and also the ones to power accessories separately. You should identify which is meant for which before you use them.

Most times, the cigarette lighter in your car that didn’t come with a lighter is not for lighting cigarettes, but to power your devices.

You can also consult your user manual or your car manufacturer to confirm which receptacle is for lighting cigarettes and which is for charging your accessories. They built some receptacles to do both, but make certain which one yours is.

What Cars Still Have Cigarette Lighters and Ashtrays?

The adoption of cigarette lighters and ashtrays in cars has drastically reduced since the 1990s. These days, people employ cigarette lighters to power devices and not to light cigarettes, while they employ ashtrays for other use aside from storing ashes and cigarette butts.

Here is a list of cars that still have cigarette lighters and ashtrays, whether as a standard feature or based on extra charges.

BMW

The BMW smokers package includes a cigarette lighter and ashtray in cars for the convenience of smokers. Most BMW cars come with these features without extra charges.

The company installs the cigarette lighter in the dashboard, while the ashtray fits into the center console cup holders. Also, the ashtray has an integral snuffer for safety.

Porsche

Porsche installs the smoker’s package in their cars at no cost from the factory. It may include multiple cigarette lighters and ashtrays depending on the car model.

For example, the Porsche Panamera includes only one cigarette lighter and an ashtray.

Ford

Ford offers the smoker’s package as standard equipment in most of their cars. You can opt for them or not depending on your preference.

If the option doesn’t come with your car, you can purchase the cigarette lighter and ashtray package online at Ford Accessories. The cigarette lighter and ashtray at Ford Accessories are available for all their car models.

Ferrari

Ferrari offers its customers a smoker package that entails a cigarette lighter and an ashtray at the price of $811. You can order the smoker’s kit from the Ferrari genuine catalogs according to your car model.

Audi

Your Audi comes with two 12v sockets, one of which is a cigarette lighter and the other to power your devices. It also includes an ashtray which is all available as a smoker’s package standard option when getting your new car.

Lamborghini

Lamborghini includes an ashtray and a cigarette lighter in their cars as a smoker’s package. With Lamborghini, the price of the smoker’s package may be up to $490, depending on your dealership or the platform you bought it.

Bentley

Bentley includes a cigarette lighter and ashtray in cars for smokers, which you can after-install in your car. Your dealer can help with the installation.

Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz’s smoker’s package comprises a cigarette lighter and the ashtray. They integrate the ashtray into the car console and you can easily remove it from its holder to empty it. The option is a standard feature in Mercedes Benz that doesn’t require extra charges.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet includes a smoker’s package as an option in their cars for those who like to smoke on the go. However, it comes at a price of up to $46.

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Can You After-Install Cigarette Lighters in a Car?

You can after-install cigarette lighters in a car if yours doesn’t have one. Some manufacturers have smokers kits available for their customers. You can order them from the platforms they provided. However, the cost of after-installing cigarette lighter varies depending on the car model and manufacturer. It ranges from $50-$100.

If your car doesn’t come with a cigarette lighter, you can after-install one by checking your dashboard for the hole designed for it. Most new cars come with them.

They already built the wiring required for the lighter in the hole. You can insert your cigarette lighter and your lighter is ready for use. In case any material covered it, all you need to do is replace the material with your cigarette lighter.

If your car doesn’t come with a hole, you will need to insert your cigarette lighter following these steps:

• Make a hole in your dashboard after making an appropriate measurement. Make sure where you are making the hole is not obstructing anything.
• After making your hole, insert your bracket in it without the lighter element and casing, and make sure it fits.
• Then, you will fit the bracket with the casing that comes with the package from the back. Make sure it is tight to avoid a short circuit.
• The next thing is to disconnect the battery for safety, then run a wire from the live feed to the center of the socket.
• After running the wire, fit an inline fuse to the wire and join a wire to the terminal on the casing, make sure you connect the negative to negative and the positive to positive. Then run it to the spot on the body of the cigarette lighter.
• Reconnect your battery and test your cigarette lighter.

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Is It Legal to Smoke in a Car Today?

It is legal to smoke in a car today, but that is if it is a private car. The government doesn’t allow smoking in public transport in some states, like Minnesota, so far.

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the state prohibits employees and the public from smoking in public vehicles when there are passengers present. These public vehicles include light rail, commuter trains, buses, taxis, vans, limousines, and other for-hire vehicles, excluding rental vehicles.

Also, to protect passengers from second-class smoking, the government banned smoking in private cars carrying children in some states. The restriction applies to 9 states for now. They include Arkansas, California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia.

However, the age limit for children varies in each state. California, Illinois, Maine, and Oregon, banned smoking in cars carrying children from 18 years and below. The Vermont law applies to children from 8 years and below. Louisiana’s law, however, applies to children from 13 years and below.

Also, Arkansas bans smoking in cars containing children from 14 years and younger, while Utah and Virginia involve children from 15 and below.

When Did Cigarette Lighters Stop Being Standard in Cars?

Cigarette lighters were a very popular feature in cars until the early 1990s. But, the awareness of the negative impact of smoking on health, the positive response of people to it, and the government regulations on smoking led to a reduction in the number of people who smoke.

Aside from car buyers opting out of the feature of cigarette lighters in cars, manufacturers also started removing the feature from their cars.

Chrysler was the first USA car manufacturer to stop including cigarette lighter in cars in the year 1996. This led to the other car manufacturers’ exclusion of cigarette lighters in cars. Eventually, it stopped being standard in cars in the late 1990s. 

Instead of cigarette lighters for cigars, most auto-makers started installing 12v ports that power devices. Also, car manufacturers that offer cigarette lighters in their cars started making it an option for their consumers instead of the standard feature it used to be.

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What Are Some of the Most Popular Cars Today With Cigarette Lighters?

There are some popular cars with cigarette lighters today. According to Joey Capparella’s list of the most popular cars in the USA, they include:

• Ford F Series ranks number one on the list of most popular cars in America with 299,345 units sold.
• There is Chevy Silverado with 259,516 units sold.
• Also, there is Ford explorer has 102,917 units sold.
• And Ford Escape with 73,120 units sold in America, among others.

Sources

Current Cigarette Smoking among Adults in the United States |cdc.gov

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