WOBURN, Mass.–A new analysis confirms what every credit union auto lender knows quite well: the restricted new-car production during the pandemic from 2020 to 2022 has led to similarly restricted used car supply and substantially higher used car prices today.

“Consumers have to pay about $9,500 more for a three-year-old used car in 2025 compared to pre-pandemic pricing,” according to iSeeCars “With used car prices rising for the last three months, there’s no indication prices will drop anytime soon.”

iSeeCars said it analyzed more than 2.6 million three-year-old used cars and found the average used car now costs $32,635, which it said is a $9,476 price increase over the last six years’ prices compared to the average price of $23,159 in 2019. 

A Wreck in One Category

The company noted that in 2019 the sub-$20,000 price range made up the largest percentage (49.3%) of three-year-old used cars. But in 2025 the higher $20,000 to $30,000 price range now makes up the largest percentage (43%) of three-year-old used cars. 

“This shift in pricing has dramatically reduced access to late-model used cars for buyers with a $20,000 budget. While these buyers had access to half of the 3-year-old used cars for sale in 2019, that same $20,000 will only buy them 11.5% of three-year-old used cars today,” a company spokesperson stated.