Rising new car prices are causing consumers to either sell their cars or buy used ones.
Analysts said rising new car prices would push down sales forecasts.
- The average price of a new car in February 2026 was $49,353, up slightly from the previous month.
- Automakers have increased incentives, offering an average discount of $3,405 in February.
- Tata Motors, Mercedes-Benz and BMW were the top three most expensive car brands in February.
Car buyers paid an average of $49,353 for a new car in February 2026, according to Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book.
According to the group, the average price of a new car in February rose 0.3% from the average price of $49,191 in January 2026. Cox also said automakers’ average MSRP was $51,440, which is 3.5% higher than the average sticker price in February 2025, according to the group.
Cox said automakers are asking an average of $51,288 for new car sales in February 2026. The group said automakers increased incentives in February, going from an average discount of about $3,197 in January to $3,405 in February.
Erin Keating, executive analyst at Cox Automotive, said in a statement that February’s statistics show that rising car prices are the norm.
“The 3.4% rise in ATP in February stands out, but when you consider it in context, it’s not out of character,” Keating said. “Excluding the ‘everything broke’ phase when prices were up 13%, the long-term average for the industry is closer to 3%. What we’re seeing now looks more like a normalization than a new price problem.”
Keating added, “It’s also important to note that not all vehicles can be purchased for $50,000. Most sales are still in the price segment below the industry average.”
“If you take out the expensive full-size pickup trucks, the average price is closer to $39,000, which tells a completely different affordability story,” she says.
With this in mind, the USA TODAY Cars team researched February’s top 10 most expensive car brands and their best-selling models.
1. Tata Motors
Average transaction price in February: $103,363
Rate of change from January:3.8%
best selling car:Tata Safari
2. Mercedes-Benz
Average transaction price in February: $76,948
Rate of change from January:0.6%
Best selling car: Mercedes-Benz GLC Class
3.BMW
Average transaction price in February: $71,793
Rate of change from January :0.5%
Best selling car: BMW X5
4. Geely Automobile Group (Volvo)
Average transaction price in February: $59,476
Percent change from January: -0.9%
Best selling car: Volvo XC60
5. Volkswagen
Average transaction price in February: $58,355
Percent change from January: 1.1%
Best selling car: volkswagen tiguan
6. Ford
Average transaction price in February: $57,302
Percent change from January: -1.3%
Best selling car: Ford F-150
7. Stella
Average transaction price in February: $56,382
Percent change from January: -0.4%
Best selling car: ram 1500
8. Tesla
Average transaction price in February: $53,821
Percent change from January: 2.3%
Best selling car: Tesla Model Y
9.General Motors
Average transaction price in January: $53,336
Percent change from December 2025: -0.9%
Best selling car: chevrolet silverado
10. Toyota
Average transaction price in February: $46,646
Percent change from January: 1.0%
Best selling car: Toyota RAV-4
