IRVINE, Calif. — The average price of a used car in the United States rose in December, underscoring ongoing affordability challenges for car shoppers as supplies remain tight, according to data from Kelley Blue Book.
The average used vehicle was listed for $26,043 in December, up 2% from November and nearly 3% higher than a year earlier, data compiled by Kelley Blue Book parent Cox Automotive showed.
Affordability pressures are being felt across the market. New-vehicle prices climbed to a record high in December, with the average new car listed at $50,326, adding to the strain on consumers who might otherwise turn to the used market, the data indicate.
Supply & Demand
Used-car prices continue to be shaped by supply-and-demand dynamics. The nationwide supply of used vehicles remained constrained throughout 2025, a lingering effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Automakers built about 8.1 million fewer vehicles during the height of the crisis than originally planned, and those vehicles will never enter the used-car market, limiting supply for years.
Conditions are beginning to improve modestly. Dealers carried 5% more used-vehicle inventory in December than in November and had a 49-day supply of used cars at the start of January — one day more than a year earlier, according to Kelley Blue Book.
Much in Demand
Lower-priced vehicles, however, remain in especially short supply. Dealers had just a 38-day supply of older, higher-mileage used cars priced under $15,000, Cox Automotive said.
The five top-selling used models in December were listed at an average price of $24,049, nearly 8% below the overall average listing price. Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda and Nissan once again dominated used-car sales, together accounting for about half of all used vehicles sold during the month.
