Only eight major car brands averaged sale prices below $40,000 in the United States in September 2026, as the average price of a new vehicle neared an all-time high above $50,000.
Consumers paid an average of $52,331 for new cars in September 2026, according to market data compiled by Cloud Theory’s MotoMiner platform and USA TODAY Co.’s LocaliQ Automotive. The average new-car price in September rose 0.7% from $51,973 in August and 5.1% from $49,775 in September 2025.
LocaliQ also said automakers’ average manufacturer’s suggested retail price (also known as the sticker price) was $54,288 in September, 0.5% higher than the average sticker price of $54,011 in August 2026.
The figures from LocaliQ don’t include Tesla because the Austin, Texas-based electric carmaker does not have franchised dealerships. Instead, Tesla uses a direct-to-consumer sales model.
Cox Automotive says Tesla’s average price for September was $54,345.
Chris Wood, vice president of automotive client strategy for LocaliQ Automotive, said the data shows “one of the biggest contributors to rising average new-vehicle prices is the changing composition of the market itself.”
“Manufacturers have increasingly emphasized higher-priced pickups, SUVs and premium trims while reducing the availability of affordable entry-level vehicles,” he said. “We need to stop treating rising average vehicle prices as though every individual vehicle is becoming more expensive at the same rate. Part of the affordability problem is that the industry has increasingly prioritized selling more expensive vehicles, leaving consumers with fewer lower-priced choices.”
USA TODAY’s Cars team examined why cars are getting more expensive and the nine auto brands with average sale prices below $40,000 in August.
Why Car Prices Keep Climbing
Car prices have been rising in recent years because of a variety of factors, including more technology that is now expected to be standard in modern vehicles and manufacturing disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Tariffs imposed on imported cars, auto parts, steel and aluminum have also contributed to higher prices.
Consumer Reports said in a 2023 analysis that carmakers also won changes to the way the federal government measures fuel economy that made it easier for them sell SUVs and pickups rather than cheaper small cars without damaging their fleetwide mpg averages.
“Automakers lobbied heavily and won changes to the rules that made it much easier to sell bigger and heavier vehicles in exchange for stronger overall standards,” said Chris Harto, manager of sustainability advocacy for Consumer Reports, in the report. “The end result is that while all vehicles have become a lot more efficient, there has been a rapid shift away from producing sedans and wagons to producing more SUVs and pickups.”
Erin Keating, an executive analyst for Cox Automotive, also said in a statement that car buyers gravitating toward larger, more expensive models that have premium features have driven up average car prices. But she said some car buyers are starting to opt for cheaper, small vehicles as average prices top $50,000.
“Consumers don’t buy the industry average. They buy a vehicle, and prices for many of the vehicles they’re shopping are continuing to move higher,” she said. “What’s keeping the overall average transaction price increase relatively modest is mix. Affordability pressures are pushing more buyers toward lower-priced vehicles and segments, which tempers the industrywide number even as prices for individual vehicles rise.”
Charlie Chesbrough, senior economist at Cox Automotive, said modern car buyers, in general, are wealthier than previous generations might have been. “Although there has been a lot of economic volatility in 2026, the new vehicle market has held surprisingly steady,” he said in a recent sales briefing. “A wealthier customer base, and more business buying, is insulating the vehicle market from more negative forces. And as long as the stock market remains strong, this trend seems likely to continue.”
The Cheapest Car Brands Right Now
1. MitsubishiAverage September transaction price: $34,032Percentage change from August: -1.2%Best-selling U.S. car: Mitsubishi Outlander
2. NissanAverage September transaction price: $35,514Percentage change from August: -1.5%Best-selling U.S. car: Nissan Rogue
3. HyundaiAverage September transaction price: $38,211Percentage change from August: -0.2%Best-selling U.S. car: Hyundai Tucson
4. MazdaAverage September transaction price: $38,412Percentage change from August: 1%Best-selling U.S. car: Mazda CX-5
5. KiaAverage September transaction price: $38,559Percentage change from August: 0.6%Best-selling U.S. car: Kia Sportage
6. HondaAverage September transaction price: $39,243Percentage change from August: -0.3%Best-selling U.S. car: Honda CR-V
7. VolkswagenAverage September transaction price: $39,465Percentage change from August: 0.2%Best-selling U.S. car: Volkswagen Tiguan
8. SubaruAverage September transaction price: $39,991Percentage change from August: -0.1%Best-selling U.S. car: Subaru Crosstrek
Keith Laing is an automotive reporter on the National Trending Desk at USA TODAY. Contact Keith at [email protected].
Reporting by Keith Laing, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
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