by Prices for new cars increased against the backdrop of new tariffs
The average price of a new car in April reached $48,699, which is 2.5% higher than in March. Typically, during this time of year, prices increase by only 1.1%, but this time the situation changed. Experts link this to the announcement of new tariffs on imported cars, which caused panic among buyers.
Data from Kelley Blue Book shows that people started buying cars more actively, fearing further price increases. This led to a decrease in the number of promotional offers – they accounted for only 6.7% of the average price, which is the minimum in the last year.
“The only time we saw a bigger price jump in April was in 2020, when the pandemic and the chip shortage caused chaos in production,” the report says.
Difference between segments
Prices for electric vehicles remained almost unchanged (+0.2%), which was accompanied by a 6% drop in sales. In contrast, subcompact cars became more expensive by 10.7% compared to March and by 8.3% year-on-year. Among premium brands, Land Rover (+5.8%), Cadillac (+3.7%), and Tesla (+2.8%) showed the highest growth.
Tables with detailed data by segments and brands confirm that the market is reacting unevenly. For example, full-size SUVs increased in price by 1.8%, while minivans lost 0.6%. Such fluctuations indicate that buyers have become more selective, focusing on specific categories of vehicles in the current economic conditions.
