Ford dealership showroom with cars displayed and salespeople assisting customersUnited States

Rising Costs Push Buyers Away from New Cars in the U.S.

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The U.S. auto industry faces sobering new math: Some one million prospective buyers have defected from the new-car market since the start of the decade. They aren’t expected back soon.

Until recently, auto executives, analysts and economists believed that U.S. new-car sales were on a steady climb back to volumes last seen before the pandemic closed factories and scrambled global supply chains.

That’s no longer the case. GM, Ford, Toyota and other automakers have said they are planning for sales of new cars to shrink or stagnate this year.

This comes after consumers, stung by persistent inflation, rising fuel prices and high interest rates, are baulking at prices that have risen to around $50,000 on average.

Executives at the world’s biggest automakers say they recognize that a new car is out of reach for more Americans. Some have promised to bring out more affordable models. But no one predicts significant relief soon.

Historically, stagnating sales led automakers to juice demand by rolling out deals and incentives that eroded their profit margins.

That isn’t the case this time, particularly as America’s automaking giants, GM and Ford, are making solid profits selling fewer vehicles.

Buyers are left with few options. They could turn to used cars, but those are similarly climbing in price. Many choose to keep their old cars running longer. The average car on U.S. roads is now about 13 years old, a historic high, according to S&P Global.

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  2. Hilarious part about this is, if you dont buy them, you have to export them, and who is the US’s number one buyer of US cars outside the US??? Canada, and you royally pissed in our cherrios with all that 51 st and CUSMA violating tariffs on steel, aluminum, so…good luck trying to sell them up here, will go about as well as booze and tourist sales…..in any event, ppl of all nations should shun new cars due to all the snooping tech in them nowadays.

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  3. Just bought a 1995 F-150. I will rebuild it to like new for 20k, including rebuilding the engine. I will NEVER buy a “connected” vehicle.

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  4. Buyer beware: Subscription fees are hidden in your new car

    I recently posted a TikTok video about the 2025 Toyota Camry and the two things I didn’t like – one of which is that subscription fees will kick in after a free trial to use features like traffic jam assist and real-time traffic. The video exploded, and people seemed surprised that new cars have subscription fees after spending tens of thousands of dollars on the initial purchase. 

    So, I’m here to tell you, yes, your new car will likely offer features for a fee. No, you don’t have to subscribe, but the automakers are banking (literally) on the fact that you’ll become addicted to the feature and shell out $15 to $40 per month to keep those features. 

    So, here’s a look at some of the more popular features with free trials that turn in to subscriptions. Remote start subscription fees?

    A lot of the bruhaha about subscription fees started when Toyota took the remote start button off its key fob and made it an app-only feature. Remote start is a part of the “Remote Connect” package included in the “Go Anywhere” subscription, which is $15 per month. Mazda is another automaker that doesn’t have the remote start button on its fob. You’ll get the connected services on your MyMazda app for free for three years, and then it’s a monthly or annual fee. I couldn’t find a plan outline for Mazda but saw a post on a CX-30 forum that stated a two-year subscription fee would be $425. 

    While a lot of automakers still have the remote-start button on their fobs, it means you have to essentially be within sight of your vehicle to get it started. If you want to start warming your car on a chilly day from the confines of your bed, it’ll be on the app, and there’s likely a fee for that.Hands-free driving is a double whammy

    Hands-free driving tech is an interesting one because the automaker kind of charges you twice for these features. Take, for instance, the new Chevrolet Traverse. You can get Super Cruise on the LT trim ($43,395) as a part of a $3,280 package – so you’re paying for the hardware. Then, after a three-year trial, if you want to keep this hands-free capability, you’ll have to pay $25 per month. The Ford F-150 comes with Blue Cruise equipped starting at the XLT trim ($47,730), but you only get 90 days free, then it’s $75 per month or $800 per year to keep it. Gulp. Ram 1500 got the hands-free driving assist in 2025, but it’s only available starting at the Limited trim ($75,450), and then you still need to add a $4,415 package to get it as well as pay for the Ram Connect Assistance and Navigation Package for $24.98 per month or $274.78 per year after a three-month trial.

    END OF WORLD AS WE KNOW IT? Buy new care before 2027 arrives !

    https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2024/07/buyer-beware-subscription-fees-are-hidden-in-your-new-car/

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