MENU
SEARCHJuly business brisk despite high prices; EVs move fast ahead of tax break stall.
The ATP, MSRP and incentives all hit their highest points of the year so far in July, Cox Automotive said.
Pexels/Vadutskevich
New-vehicle prices are ticking up, and so are incentives as brands and auto dealers work to juice sales in an inflated market.
July’s average transaction price was up 1.5% year-over-year to $48,841, Cox Automotive reported. Though flat from June, it’s the biggest annual bump so far this year, the company said.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price, also flat from June, rose year-over-year by nearly 2.5% – again the biggest bump of the year to date.
To soften the inflation impact, average incentives hit their highest point of 2025 at 7.3% of the ATP, up from 7% even in both June and a year earlier, Cox said.
Incentives or no, well-off consumers are steering a high-priced market, according to its analysis.
“In the face of rising prices, it is becoming more evident that the new-vehicle market is being supported by pent-up demand driven largely by high-net-worth households,” said Cox Executive Analyst Erin Keating in the monthly report. “These buyers are benefiting from the wealth effect of a healthy stock market and solid wage growth since the pandemic.”
Meanwhile, electric-vehicle segment sales jumped as consumers moved to buy before federal tax incentives end in October. They benefited from lower prices led by U.S. EV market leader Tesla, as well as increased incentives. The EV ATP fell 2% from June and 4% year-over-year to $55,689, Cox said. Tesla’s ATP was $52,949, down 9% year-over-year.
The average EV incentive was about 18% of ATP, which Cox said is a record for the segment, up a whopping 40% year-over-year. Sales matched the effort, up 20% to more than 130,000 units and estimated to be the second-best sales month on record.
Hybrids in particular lead not only EV market share but all power trains on the continent so far this year as gas and diesel continue their decline.
Read More →
Building on a previously announced $26 billion U.S. investment, Hyundai said it will grow its North American lineup and U.S.-based production and parts sourcing.
Read More →
Sony-Honda venture cancels two planned models, the first of which had been pegged for a mid-2026 California delivery debut. The brand’s direct sales had been challenged by the state’s auto dealers, but the venture cites Honda’s EV retreat.
Read More →
Softening prices, rising credit availability and higher tax refunds could be behind February’s sales pace rise and accompanying dip in inventory, according to Cox Automotive.
Read More →
The wholesale automotive market fared remarkably well given the U.S.-Israel war on Iran, Black Book analysts reported.
Read More →
The agency sent warning letters to dozens of auto groups about what it described as illegal practices and urged them to ensure their pricing policies enable transparency with consumers.
Read More →
New-vehicle sales fell year-over-year for the fifth month in a row in February, making retail deliveries the slowest they’ve been since 2023, according to a CarGurus report.
Read More →
The automaker says its California skunk works is already finding efficiencies to lighten traditionally heavy electric vehicles for lower cost, plus extended range.
Read More →
Both vehicle values and conversion rates sped up last week as two segments outperformed in the pre-spring burst of buying.
Read More →
GM says it sells the cheapest electric vehicle in the U.S. market. It explains how it made improvements to the entry-level EV while keeping its price down.
Read More →
