The average new car now costs $50,900, versus just over $30,000 for the average used car, a roughly $21,000 gap and the piece argues that gap makes older, proven Toyota models the smartest buy on the market right now.
Why new cars got so expensive
CarGurus' Mid-Year Review shows the average new car price has risen 3.3% since December, hovering near $50,000 since 2022, with a third of new cars now carrying monthly payments over $1,000. Before COVID-era chip shortages, nearly half of all new cars stickered at or below $35,000 - now more new cars cost over $50,000 than under it, driven by tariffs on vehicles assembled outside the US, shifting buyer preferences, and the phase-out of cheaper sedans in favor of pricier crossovers/SUVs.
Why used is structurally better right now, not just cheaper
Discontinued nameplates like the Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa only exist used now, with no direct new replacements — buyers get pushed up to pricier Corollas/Sentras instead. So shopping used doesn't just save money, it opens up an entire tier of vehicles that no longer exists.
The Toyota-specific pitch
Mid-2010s Toyotas hit a reliability sweet spot - the Tacoma and 4Runner's proven 3.5L/4.0L V6 engines, the final year of the 7th-gen Camry before its 2018 redesign, and the Tundra's 5.7L V8 - pointing to a previously-reported 2016 Camry that hit 500,000 miles on its original engine as anecdotal proof of durability.
Trim-creep math on a new Camry
To illustrate why "new" costs balloon: a base Camry LE starts at $29,600, but stepping up to the SE adds $2,500, the XLE adds another $2,700, and the XSE adds $1,200 more - each tier priced to make the next one look like the "smarter" upgrade.
The close
There's no real catch to buying used - manufacturer-backed extended warranties exist even for used vehicles, certified pre-owned cars require dealer inspections, and the average car on US roads is now 12–13 years old, which the piece frames as evidence people are increasingly choosing durability over new-car payments and depreciation.
Just don’t forget, just because it’s a used Toyota doesn’t automatically mean it’s a good one. Get your Car Inspection Score!
Thanks for reading everybody!
-Paul