US Car Buyers Face Record Costs as Cheap Options Fade
For many Americans, the idea of purchasing a new car for under $20,000 has largely faded away. As base models vanish from dealership inventories, the typical price of a new vehicle has soared, narrowing choices for lower-income buyers and transforming the overall automotive market.In 2024, US consumers still had access to a handful of vehicles priced below $20,000. Today, however, not a single new car falls under that threshold. According to recent estimates from Kelley Blue Book, new car buyers paid an average of $50,326 in December 2025, a record high. Edmunds reported a slightly lower, but still staggering, average…