The average cost of a new automobile in the US surpassed the $50,000 mark in September, the first time in history. This significant rise has resulted from increased sales of costly electric vehicles and luxury cars.
During this month, data released highlighted that American car purchasers spent an average of $50,080 on new vehicles. This spending represents a 3.6% increase from last year.
Record EV sales, fueled by the expiration of a $7,500 federal tax credit, further pushed prices upward, making new cars less affordable for many consumers.
Erin Keating points out the influence of wealthier families on the American car market
Erin Keating, an Executive Analyst and Senior Director of Economic and Industry Insights at Kelley Blue Book’s parent company, Cox Automotive, noted that the days of the $20,000 car have disappeared from the market.
Based on her argument, the current car market is greatly influenced by wealthier families. According to Keating, many cost-conscious car buyers will wait for vehicle price drops or opt for used cars.
This cautious behavior stems from the surge of new car prices, which have increased more than 25% over the last five years. At this time, Americans attracted more attention in the car market, making significant purchases of expensive trucks and SUVs while ignoring affordable options that once appealed to first-time buyers.
Following these price hikes, reports from S&P Global research revealed that several young buyers have shifted their preferences to used vehicles or are maintaining their older ones longer, as the average age of cars on the road has exceeded twelve years.
Additionally, individuals buying new vehicles secure seven-year or longer loan term extensions. Meanwhile, according to reports from researcher Edmunds.com, the average car payment per month escalated to $754 in the third quarter. One in five individuals purchasing a new automobile is spending a monthly budget of more than $1,000 on car loans.
Concerning the federal tax credit, many consumers had rushed to make EV purchases to be eligible for the credit, resulting in price hikes. Moreover, this escalation in sales led battery-powered vehicles to account for a record 12% of the US car market. Kelley Blue Book reported that electric models recorded an average selling price of $58,124 in September.
Luxury vehicles, on the other hand, also recorded impressive sales in September. To illustrate this, over 60 models worth average prices exceeding $75,000 made up 7.4% of all new car sales that month. This reflected a surge from 6% the previous year.
Trump’s extensive tariff policies raise tension in the car market
The full effects of President Donald Trump’s tariffs on inflation have not been fully realized, as automakers absorb much of the added costs. Regarding this situation, analysts raised concerns that carmakers would eventually have to pass these costs on to consumers to sustain their profits.
“Tariffs have established new cost pressures for the car industry,” Keating said, pointing out a powerful combination of EVs and high-end automobiles as the main influencers of the pricing trends in September.
In the meantime, Ford Motor Co. anticipated that its profits would drastically decline this year amid the escalating effects of Trump’s tariffs. This highlights the considerable changes in Washington policies interfering with the car industry.
Apart from Ford, the automaker, based in Dearborn, Michigan, forecasted that its adjusted earnings before interest and taxes would decline by as much as 36% this year. This reduction is mainly due to the net tariff effect of $2 billion, which equals roughly $500 million more than Ford had estimated earlier.
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