Buying a new car has become increasingly out of reach for many Americans, the new-vehicle average transaction price reaching $48,402 in 2025, or nearly $11,000 more than it was in 2019, according to Edmunds.

That's a 30% increase in six years, and though the pandemic made a significant impact, the upward trend was already under way, Edmunds said. Car shoppers began gravitating toward larger vehicles, like trucks and SUVs, and advanced technology, and automakers therefore moved away from entry-level models with more affordable prices.

According to the car-shopping site, nearly 59% of large SUVs sold for above $60,000 in 2019, and by 2025 that amount had climbed to 95%. Full-size trucks took the same path, just 8% selling above $60,000 in 2019 to nearly half today. And in the luxury segment, nearly 74% of midsize SUVs sold above $60,000 in 2025, more than double the 36% share in 2019

For shoppers wanting to spend $25,000 or under on a new vehicle, the options are limited. Just under 5% sold in that range last year compared to 21% in 2019, a 75% decline.

The share of compact and subcompact vehicles on the market has fallen dramatically. Between 2019 and 2025, compacts at $25,000 or less fell by roughly 56%, and subcompact cars below $20,000 fell from nearly half to fewer than one in four.