agent Entrepreneur logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

New-Vehicle Sales Expected to Spike

August forecast reflects anticipated EV surge, reveals tariff hit for summer shoppers.

August 21, 2025
New-Vehicle Sales Expected to Spike

Trade tariffs are adding an average of $4,275 per unit, and buyers are taking on more auto loan debt than for any August on record, J.D. Power said.

Credit:

Pexels/Vadutskevich

2 min to read


U.S. new-vehicle sales are forecast to jump about 8% this month as electric-vehicle shoppers rush to secure expiring tax breaks. The bounce comes despite trade tariffs already pumping up many models’ prices.

Further juicing August numbers is an early Labor Day weekend with its traditional auto-buying surge, though J.D. Power said in its forecast that incentives are flat for the holiday shoppers.

Ad Loading...

The data provider projects just under 1.3 million units in retail sales this month when adjusted for the number of selling days. It puts the average transaction price at $44,750, up 2% year-over-year. Average incentive spending is estimated to rise 1% to $3,105, or a flat 6% of manufacturer’s suggested retail price.

Retailer profit per unit, including finance-and-insurance sales, is also essentially flat from July and a year ago at $2,202, J.D. Power estimated.

Consumers, meanwhile, are walking away with more auto loan debt than ever, with average monthly payments of $743, a record for August, according to J.D. Power data.

U.S. trade tariffs are influencing vehicle pricing and incentives, adding an average of $4,275 per unit, though some models have so far been unscathed, J.D. Power said. 

“Further adjustments are likely as the year unfolds and new model-year introductions arrive, though many companies may hold back their most definitive incentive actions until year-end,” said the company’s data and analytics division president, Thomas King.

Ad Loading...

More Industry

red car parked in front of a sunset, The Used Market Divide, Agent Entrepreneur
Industryby Lauren LawrenceJuly 23, 2026

Used EVs Defy Overall Market

While the used-car market saw three months of price declines or stagnation, the used EV segment did the opposite – rising for three straight months.

Read More →
Photo of a retriever dog looking out of an open SUV window with a yellow Peugeot headrest on the top of the window below it
Industryby Hannah MitchellJuly 16, 2026

Gone to the Dogs

A Stellantis brand decided to have some fun with one of its SUVs’ design to address growing emphasis on family pets.

Read More →
Aerial shot of a car dealership
Industryby Hannah MitchellJuly 13, 2026

OEM Poll Sees Industry Evolution

Kerrigan Advisors’ survey of automakers finds that tariffs, technology, network tightening and other factors are poised to reshape auto retail.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Foreign Cars Italia dealership store in front of sunset
Industryby Hannah MitchellJuly 2, 2026

Luxe N.C. Dealerships Change Hands

A collection of Italian and English brand franchises were handed off to the owner’s friend in the business and include the Carolinas’ only Ferrari retail stores.

Read More →
inside of car, person with hands on black steering wheel
Industryby Lauren LawrenceJuly 2, 2026

Exposure Drives Interest in Chinese Cars

At a recent demonstration, consumers had the chance to ride in a Chinese-branded vehicle, a firsthand experience that improved their perceptions and purchase intent.

Read More →
Woman's hands holding an wallet empty of cash
Industryby Hannah MitchellJuly 1, 2026

Automotive Consumers Sink Further in Debt

Most financing metrics hit records in the second quarter as more buyers locked themselves into long terms and high monthly payments.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Rob Mancuso sitting in a chair on stage
Industryby Hannah MitchellJuly 1, 2026

Agent Advocate

Rob Mancuso, who comes from a long line of auto dealers, values general agents’ place in the industry and makes a case for them taking an even bigger seat at the table.

Read More →
Photo of a touchscreen on a car's dashboard
Industryby Hannah MitchellJune 25, 2026

Driving Under Distraction

Though consumers gave higher marks to new vehicles in JD Power’s most recent initial-quality poll, high-tech interference worsened, pointing to craving for simplicity.

Read More →
split background green and blue. 2019 to 2025 with car going from starting location to end point. $37,310 and $48,402. Agent Entrepreneur logo
Industryby Lauren LawrenceJune 25, 2026

Affordable New Cars a Thing of the Past

More than one out of five new vehicles sell for more than $60,000, according to Edmunds. That's up 7% compared to prepandemic 2019.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of multiple new SUVs on a car dealership lot
Industryby Hannah MitchellJune 22, 2026

State Follows Federal Warning on Auto Ads

The Massachusetts attorney general cautioned the state’s automotive dealers to be upfront with the consuming public about their vehicle prices or risk punishment.

Read More →
Ad Loading...