Prices for new U.S. cars have soared. Here’s 1 big reason why

Mar 11, 2026 - 17:02
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Prices for new U.S. cars have soared. Here’s 1 big reason why
Jan. 20, 2013, file photo, a buyer moves between rows of Ram pickup trucks and Dart sedans at a Dodge dealership in Littleton, Colo. Chrysler says its U.S. sales rose 8 percent in January 2014, as it posted strong growth despite the frigid weather that gripped much of the nation.

The affordability problem is a risk to American carmakers as Chinese brands expand globally. Many lower and middle-income car shoppers have been relegated to the used-car lot.