15 Brands With the Biggest Used Car Price Premiums

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on CoPilot.

After more than a year of high inflation across all parts of the economy, consumers are seeing some signs of relief. The overall rate of growth in the Consumer Price Index has leveled out in recent months, gas prices dropped from $5.03 per gallon in June to $4.08 in August, real estate prices have fallen slightly from record highs this summer, and travel experts say domestic airfare prices are down 37% compared with prices from summer.

The market for used vehicles is another area where consumers are hoping to see inflation ebb. The auto industry has been particularly hard-hit by supply chain disruptions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic over the last two and a half years. Car manufacturers are producing millions fewer vehicles than before the pandemic, which has dramatically increased demand — and prices — for used cars.

Fortunately, price increases in the used car market may be turning a corner, according to CoPilot’s Return to Normal Index. It compares current used vehicle values to what they would have been if not for the dynamics of the last two years. Recently, the Return to Normal Index saw its first three-month decline in the price premium on used cars.

Certain types of vehicles still have especially high price premiums, though. CoPilot’s Return to Normal Index shows that premiums are especially high for some manufacturers. Here are the brands with the largest used car price premiums. The final slide details the methodology used in developing the index.

15. Chevrolet

• Price premium percentage: 41%
• Average listing price: $32,505
• Month-over-month change in price: $0

14. Ford

• Price premium percentage: 42%
• Average listing price: $33,213
• Month-over-month change in price: $189

13. Pontiac

• Price premium percentage: 43%
• Average listing price: $10,052
• Month-over-month change in price: $88

12. Scion

• Price premium percentage: 43%
• Average listing price: $13,625
• Month-over-month change in price: -$35

11. Honda

• Price premium percentage: 43%
• Average listing price: $26,257
• Month-over-month change in price: $289

10. Mitsubishi

• Price premium percentage: 44%
• Average listing price: $20,281
• Month-over-month change in price: $104

9. Nissan

• Price premium percentage: 44%
• Average listing price: $24,390
• Month-over-month change in price: -$69

8. Mazda

• Price premium percentage: 44%
• Average listing price: $24,557
• Month-over-month change in price: $318

7. Chrysler

• Price premium percentage: 45%
• Average listing price: $23,011
• Month-over-month change in price: -$231

6. Smart

• Price premium percentage: 48%
• Average listing price: $12,701
• Month-over-month change in price: $301

5. Tesla

• Price premium percentage: 48%
• Average listing price: $70,374
• Month-over-month change in price: -$631

4. FIAT

• Price premium percentage: 51%
• Average listing price: $16,575
• Month-over-month change in price: $70

3. Hyundai

• Price premium percentage: 53%
• Average listing price: $22,849
• Month-over-month change in price: $167

2. Kia

• Price premium percentage: 55%
• Average listing price: $24,353
• Month-over-month change in price: $258

1. Volkswagen

• Price premium percentage: 58%
• Average listing price: $25,556
• Month-over-month change in price: $104

Methodology

To find the brands with the largest used car price premiums, researchers at CoPilot analyzed the latest data from CoPilot’s Return to Normal Index. The researchers ranked used car brands by highest price premium percentage from July 2022.

The price premium percentage is calculated using the differential between what any used car would typically be worth versus how much it is actually worth now, at retail. Additionally, the researchers also calculated the average listing price and the month-over-month change in price (June 2022 to July 2022) for each brand.