Kelley Blue Book reported that the average transaction price (ATP) for a new vehicle rose to 50,326 USD in december 2025, an increase of 0.8% compared to december 2024 and 1.1% from november of the same year. The strong desire among Americans for pickup trucks contributed to this growth.

According to Cox Automotive data, full-size pickup trucks like the Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado had an average price of 66,386 USD in december 2025, a slight 1.9% increase over december 2024. However, with over 233,000 units sold, this segment became a significant economic driver, pushing the overall industry's average prices higher.

This achievement marked not only a record for the pickup truck segment but also one of the highest revenue months in the history of the US automotive industry. It underscores the continued role of pickup trucks as a "money-making machine" for automakers in the US.

The Ford F-series is the best-selling pickup truck line in the US. *Ford*

The performance of pickup trucks confirms that average prices are not merely rising due to general inflation, even when inflation is low. The price increase stems from buyers choosing more expensive vehicles. According to Cox, nearly 20% of shoppers opted for luxury vehicles in december, and this figure does not even include premium pickup trucks, which increasingly resemble luxury cars with added bed liners.

The ATP for december stood at 50,326 USD, accurately reflecting the amount buyers paid at dealerships. This was not the only figure reaching a record high. The average manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) for new vehicles, often referred to as the "asking price", also set a record last month, reaching 52,627 USD. This was 1.2% higher than in december 2024. Notably, the average MSRP has remained above 50,000 USD for eight consecutive months.

Erin Keating, executive analyst at Cox Automotive, stated that Kelley Blue Book's ATP index reflects the number of vehicles sold in a given month, not the inventory available. In december 2025, nearly 20% of customers purchased luxury vehicles, the highest level in 2025 – and this figure excludes premium vehicles bought by affluent customers.

In the electric vehicle (EV) segment, results were mixed, primarily due to tariff instability and the loss of tax credits impacting a segment already experiencing slow growth. The average transaction price for EVs saw a slight decrease from november but remained higher than in december 2024, averaging over 58,000 USD.

However, significantly more generous incentives – a record 18%, more than double those for internal combustion engine vehicles – played a major role in boosting monthly EV sales to over 84,000 units in december. This marked the best sales performance since the tax credits were abolished in september. Despite this, total EV sales for 2025 were approximately 1.28 million units, a 2% decrease compared to 2024, according to Cox analysts.

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