
U.S. auto market bifurcates as affluents buy pricier new cars while lower-income buyers pull back
Affluent buyers are taking over new-car purchases at higher prices while lower-income shoppers retreat, signaling a K-shaped economy: the share of buyers earning under $100k dropped from 50% in 2020 to 37% in 2025, and those earning over $200k rose from 18% to 29%. With average MSRP around $51k in 2025, higher insurance costs and inflation, automakers have cut entry-level models and rely on wealthier buyers. About a third of Americans can’t afford new cars (roughly 110 affordable models for incomes ≤$65k vs 250 for ≤$105k), and average monthly payments rose to over $1,000 for 20% of buyers in Q4. Overall new-car sales cooled to 16.3 million in 2025 from over 17 million pre-2020, raising concerns that affordability constraints could shrink the market in the coming years.











