The global microchip crisis is still ongoing at full power and the situation isn’t expected to get any better until at least the middle of next year. Other factors, including most recently the war in Ukraine, are also causing production disruptions. Meanwhile, the demand for new, safer, more efficient, and better-looking vehicles continues to grow, which creates a wide gap between the number of available cars and the number of buyers as a natural effect. All this leads to higher prices on both the new and used car markets.
A new market analysis by iSeeCars covering about 1.2 million new car listings in the United States reveals the overall new car price in the country is 9.9 percent above the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). This may not seem like a giant price hike but some of the hottest products on the market are priced well above the market average. The Jeep Wrangler leads the chart with $8,925 or 26.7 percent over MSRP on average, followed by the Ford Maverick in hybrid guise with $5,601 or 25 percent over MSRP.
Interestingly, the Wrangler Unlimited – the off-roader’s four-door version – is placed fourth with 22.9 percent above MSRP ($9,534) on average, while the Gladiator truck, based on the same vehicle, is fifth with 22.5 percent above MSRP ($9,824). The standard combustion-powered Maverick comes sixth with 22.2 percent over MSRP ($5,368) on average. Another Ford product, the Bronco, is eighth with 20.6 percent above MSRP ($7,783), more than twice above the 9.9 percent average for all vehicles.
Below is the list of the Top 15 new cars with the highest price above MSRP:
| New cars priced the highest over MSRP | |||
| Rank | Vehicle | % Above MSRP | $ Above MSRP |
| 1 | Jeep Wrangler | 26.7% | $8,925 |
| 2 | Ford Maverick (Hybrid) | 25.0% | $5,601 |
| 3 | Porsche Macan | 23.3% | $13,254 |
| 4 | Jeep Wrangler Unlimited | 22.9% | $9,534 |
| 5 | Jeep Gladiator | 22.5% | $9,824 |
| 6 | Ford Maverick | 22.2% | $5,368 |
| 7 | Lexus RX 450h | 21.0% | $10,365 |
| 8 | Ford Bronco | 20.6% | $7,783 |
| 9 | Genesis GV70 | 20.0% | $8,611 |
| 10 | Mercedes-Benz GLB | 19.8% | $7,992 |
| 11 | Chevrolet Corvette | 19.3% | $15,218 |
| 12 | Ford Mustang | 19.1% | $6,941 |
| 13 | MINI Countryman | 18.9% | $6,325 |
| 14 | Lexus RX 350L | 18.6% | $9,242 |
| 15 | Mercedes-Benz GLA | 18.6% | $7,142 |
| Overall Average | 9.9% | $3,753 | |
“Dealers have responded to market conditions by pricing cars above MSRP to make a higher profit on specific models and to help offset lower sales volumes due to restricted new car production,” Karl Brauer, an analyst at iSeeCars, comments. “In today’s market, consumers are willing to pay well above sticker price for the most in-demand vehicles because it’s the only way they can get the vehicle of their choice and avoid a lengthy wait.”
