Overview

• September’s average transaction price reached $50,080, with average MSRPs at $52,183, rising 2.1% from August and 3.6% year over year, according to Kelley Blue Book.
• Electric vehicles accounted for an estimated 11.6% of new sales, and the average EV sold for about $58,124, with many buyers accelerating purchases before federal incentives expired at the end of September.
• EV sales totaled 437,487 in the third quarter for a 10.5% market share, while Tesla’s average transaction price was about $54,138 in September, down from a year earlier.
• Financing costs remain elevated, with average new-auto loan rates near 9% in August and roughly 18%–20% for deep-subprime borrowers, and 19.1% of financed buyers committing to $1,000-plus monthly payments in the third quarter.
• Credit stress is concentrated among subprime borrowers, with 6.43% at least 60 days delinquent in August and record-high CFPB complaints, as tariffs add cost pressure that analysts warn could further strain affordability.