- The average used car in America sold for $124 less in August than in July
- Prices are about 1% higher than a year ago
The average American used car buyer paid $25,393 in August, down from a revised $25,517 at the end of July. Prices sit about 1% higher than a year ago despite economy-wide inflation of 2.9% (in the most recent Consumer Price Index).
The wholesale price dealers pay for used cars stayed flat during the month, suggesting that prices could hold fairly stable into the fall.
Related: Is Now the Time to Buy, Sell, or Trade-In a Used Car?
Dealers ended August with a 43-day supply of used cars in stock – low by historical standards but not by the unusual measurements of 2025. According to Kelley Blue Book parent company Cox Automotive, dealers held 2.21 million used vehicles in inventory nationwide. That’s 2% higher than July’s total.
Higher inflation and tense political news haven’t kept shoppers away from sales lots. Sales numbers grew by 5% during the month.
However, the market remains difficult for the most price-conscious shoppers. Used cars priced below $15,000 continue to have low availability, with only 29 days’ supply, which is the lowest it has been since March, and 14 days below the overall industry average. The top five sellers of the month were listed at an average price of $23,571, more than 7% below the average listing price for all vehicles sold. Once again, Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan were the top-selling brands, accounting for 50% of all used vehicles sold.
