I don't know why people are shocked at the $30K average price. Car prices have shot up a lot, especially in the last 5 years or so. Econoboxes are pushing up against $20K now. The Honda Fit STARTS at over 15K. Aren't minivans like $30K? Throw in the full size trucks that are approaching the size of an 18 wheelers and a healthy dose of audi and BMWs and I'm surprised that number isn't even higher. They're a lot safer, more fuel efficient, have more features and are probably more reliable than the older models but you can't buy the older models new anymore and even if you could they still wouldn't sell for their old prices due to inflation. Moreover, the used car market is a rip off right now so it isn't much of an alternative in many cases. The supply of them is low since few people with serviceable vehicles are discarding them and the government decided to crush a lot of the supply. I've seen 2 year old cars priced within $500 of a new model. To me that sends a clear message to potential used car buyers: Get Lost.
I'm not saying Americans aren't taking out god awful loans and buying ginormous vehicles but the article is acting like this is some sort of new phenomenon and Americans have just up and decided to be stupid. I read an article a few weeks ago about how Americans are keeping their cars longer than ever. And in his zeal to imply Americans are looking for the most gas guzzling vehicle available the author glosses over the fact that new vehicles across all classes get better gas mileage. He also presents very little comparison data from previous years leading me to believe he's cherry picked a few statistics and ignored broader trends. I'd look it up but I'm feeling kinda of lazy honestly, but often what some one doesn't say tells volumes.
You mention outliers(like the fit) and do not look at the overall picture. The avg prices for small sedans and mid-sized sedans, the sizes with the highest volume, have stayed at a fairly steady price. Trucks can still be had in the $18k-24k range, so can small to mid sized SUV/Crossovers. Yes mini vans are expensive, but the market for them isn't as high as it once was so much so manufacturers are pairing down the number of models offered.
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