- New car prices reached a record high of $51,974.
- Full-size pickup trucks are leading the market with the largest price increases.
- Sales are not decreasing due to high prices.
If you feel like new cars are too expensive, it’s not just a figment of your imagination; The data supports this. Reported by New Catalyst IQ Data automotive news It turns out that new vehicles in the United States have broken a three-year-old record for the highest average transaction price.
Catalyst IQ Vehicle Price and Inventory Tracker Hits June 26, 2026 $51,820Beating the previous record of $51,819, which was set on July 7, 2023, by just one dollar.
Even after setting a new record, the average transaction value continued to climb, adding another $154 to reach a peak of $51,974 just four days later. This represents an increase of $314 compared to May and an increase of $2,421 compared to June 2025.
Not all vehicle segments are equally affected by the price increase. For example, midsize luxury crossovers and SUVs saw an increase of $3,204 in average transactions last year, while midsize sedans saw the smallest increase of $262. Full-size pickups saw a larger increase of $2,296, and midsize mainstream crossovers and SUVs were less impacted, increasing by only $952.
According to Rick Wenschel, vice president of analytics at Catalyst IQ, five segments saw their prices decline. Convertibles saw the biggest decline of 9.8 percent, followed by minivans at 3.2 percent. Full-size SUVs, extra-large luxury SUVs and luxury vans also saw prices decline over the past year.
| Today | 30 days ago | a year ago | |
| all sections | $52,113 | +$428 | +$2,436 |
| full size pickup | $61,149 | +$89 | -$2,296 |
| midsize luxury suv | $72,312 | -$26 | +$3,204 |
|
midsize sedans |
$31,239 | +$34 | +$262 |
|
midsize suv |
$40,381 | +$205 | +$952 |
Tariffs have played a major factor in increasing prices across the industry as automakers work on new ways to shift production to North America. Models like the Subaru Outback moved production from Indiana to Japan, while Buick plans to move Envision production from China to the US.
According to Catalyst IQ experts, higher prices do not have a negative impact on sales. “Even with the rebates (automakers and dealers) are offering, prices are still moving upward,” Wenchel said. “But our data shows that overall, turn rates are up and days-to-move are down, which means vehicles are selling faster, and price increases aren’t having as big an impact as you might think.”
Motor1’s Opinion: The average weekly wage is currently not outpacing inflation, according to data from Bureau of Labor Statistics. With vehicle prices continuing to rise, a new car may become unaffordable for many people in the US.
