New vehicle transaction prices reach record $51,109 average, Kelley Blue Book reports

The short version

• A Kelley Blue Book report puts the average new-vehicle transaction cost at a record $51,109, about $500 above the prior high.[NPR]
• Cox Automotive analyst Erin Keating says the 2.1% yearly increase is below inflation.[NPR]
• Used cars average close to $27,000, up 6% from last year, while Edmunds reports new-vehicle loan rates above 7%.[NPR]
• Edmunds finds buyers financed an average $44,664 last quarter, and over a quarter used 84-month or longer loans.[NPR]

Key facts

• The Kelley Blue Book report puts the average new-vehicle transaction cost at a record $51,109, about $500 above the record set in December 2025.[NPR]
• Cox Automotive analyst Erin Keating, who co-authored the report, said the 2.1% year-over-year increase is below inflation.[NPR]
• The average used car costs close to $27,000, 6% higher than last year, according to Cox Automotive.[NPR]
• Edmunds reports auto loan rates of about 11% for used vehicles and over 7% for new vehicles.[NPR]
• Edmunds reports car buyers financed loans worth an average of $44,664 in the past quarter, and more than a quarter used loans with 84-month or longer terms.[NPR]
• The average sticker price for a full-size pickup truck is nearly $72,000, according to Kelley Blue Book.[NPR]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.

• The average cost for a new vehicle in the U.S. hits a record high: over $51,000NPR - Top News