While many people attending the Chicago Auto Show may be dreaming of a new car, one glance at the window sticker can be a rude awakening. Charlie Wojciechowski has more on why prices are surging.
While many people attending the Chicago Auto Show may be dreaming of a new car, one glance at the window sticker can be a rude awakening.
Most of the latest SUV’s and pickup trucks sport prices of well over $50,000, leaving motorists shellshocked.
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“It’s kind of crazy right now,” said Alberti Hambrick who was looking at new truck. “A lot of these are nice. I would really like one, I really want one. But, unfortunately, the economy right now it’s just kind of tough.”
Mark Grigoletti is looking too. He wants a larger SUV to accommodate his growing family, especially their two-year-old daughter Lucy.
“I think its tough because we are millennials,” Grigoletti said, eying a new Toyota 4Runner. “We are trying to save for a house and we have two cars because we have two different jobs and it’s a balance.”
Every vehicle he has looked at seems to cost more than the one before it.
“I know this is a pretty decked out vehicle, but even the basic models are 45 grand,” he said. “That’s a lot.”
Automotive sticker shock is nothing new. Car prices have been climbing since 2016 when the average new car cost around $34,000. That’s when they started taking off.
By 2024, that average price had climbed to just shy of $50,000. Even though prices backed off to just over $48,000, that’s still a 43% increase in the last decade.
According to the Chicago Automobile Trade Association, there are many reasons behind the increases.
“The supply chain demand, the chip shortage, the pandemic and all these things factor into that,” said Jennifer Morand, the CATA’s President.
She said the kinds of cars we buy are impacting prices as well.
“We have to remember that a lot of people are purchasing larger SUVs that tend to kind of drive that price point up,” she said.
For now, Grigoletti’s search continues and price is not his only priority.
“Absolutely. That’s the first, well safety and reliability, but from there its just a price filter of what we can afford,” he said.
According to Morand, there are new cars available that can meet the needs of a small family and not break the bank. She pointed to the Hyundai Venue at $22,390, the Nissan Sentra at $22,600, the Chevy Trax at $23,495 and the Hyundai Elantra for $24,110.
All of them are on display at McCormick Place, with the Auto Show running through Monday.
