U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Office

Fact #520: May 26, 2008
Average Price of a New Car, 1970-2006

Before 1982, import car prices were less, on average, than domestic car prices. Since that time, the average price of an import car has always been more than that of a domestic car. The average import car price peaked in 1998 at $36,627 (constant 2006 dollars) while the domestic average that same year was only $22,855 (constant 2006 dollars). The average import car price has been declining since 1998.

Average Price of a New Car, 1970-2006 (Constant 2006 Dollars)
Graphic showing the top ten states for new hybrid vehicle registrations in 2007. For more detailed information, see the table below.

Supporting Information

Average Price of a New Car, 1970–2006
  Domestic Import Average
Year Current Dollars Constant 2006 Dollars Current Dollars Constant 2006 Dollars Current Dollars Constant 2006 Dollars
1970 3,708 19,266 2,648 13,759 3,542 18,404
1971 3,919 19,508 2,769 13,783 3,742 18,627
1972 4,034 19,456 2,994 14,440 3,879 18,708
1973 4,181 18,984 3,344 15,184 4,052 18,398
1974 4,524 18,500 4,026 16,463 4,440 18,156
1975 5,084 19,051 4,384 16,428 4,950 18,549
1976 5,506 19,508 4,923 17,442 5,418 19,196
1977 5,985 19,910 5,072 16,873 5,814 19,342
1978 6,478 20,030 5,934 18,348 6,379 19,724
1979 6,889 19,130 6,704 18,616 6,847 19,013
1980 7,609 18,616 7,482 18,305 7,574 18,531
1981 8,912 19,765 8,896 19,730 8,910 19,761
1982 9,865 20,609 9,957 20,801 9,890 20,661
1983 10,516 21,285 10,868 21,998 10,606 21,468
1984 11,079 21,497 12,336 23,936 11,375 22,071
1985 11,589 21,713 12,853 24,081 11,838 22,180
1986 12,319 22,660 13,670 25,145 12,652 23,272
1987 12,922 22,932 14,470 25,679 13,386 23,755
1988 13,418 22,866 15,221 25,939 13,932 23,742
1989 13,936 22,657 15,510 25,216 14,371 23,364
1990 14,489 22,349 16,640 25,667 15,042 23,202
1991 15,192 22,487 16,327 24,167 15,475 22,906
1992 15,644 22,479 18,593 26,717 16,336 23,474
1993 15,976 22,289 20,261 28,267 16,871 23,538
1994 16,930 23,030 21,989 29,912 17,903 24,354
1995 16,864 22,308 23,202 30,692 17,959 23,757
1996 17,468 22,445 26,205 33,671 18,777 24,126
1997 17,907 22,493 27,722 34,821 19,531 24,532
1998 18,479 22,855 29,614 36,627 20,364 25,186
1999 18,339 22,192 28,695 34,723 20,381 24,663
2000 18,577 21,749 27,447 32,133 20,600 24,117
2001 18,755 21,350 27,539 31,349 20,945 23,843
2002 18,897 21,176 27,440 30,750 21,249 23,812
2003 18,536 20,309 28,139 30,831 21,169 23,194
2004 18,909 20,180 28,408 30,318 21,636 23,091
2005 19,907 20,549 29,700 30,658 22,700 23,432
2006 20,044 20,044 28,739 28,739 22,651 22,651

Note: Domestic includes transplants. The constant dollar values were adjusted by the Consumer Price Index.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, National Income and Product Accounts.

 

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