BOSTON, June 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CarGurus, the No. 1 most visited automotive shopping site in the U.S.1, today released its 2026 Mid-Year Review, highlighting a year shaped so far by resilient consumer demand as consumer preferences are pushing new milestones across key segments, from luxury SUVs selling faster than the new vehicle average to used hybrid prices hitting all-time highs.
"The first half of 2026 has been defined by demand holding especially strong at both ends of the price spectrum," said Kevin Roberts, Director of Economic and Market Intelligence at CarGurus. "At one end, full-size luxury SUVs priced above $80,000 are clearing lots in under 30 days. At the other, almost half of the used cars sold this year were models over 7 years old, with high-mileage trucks priced around $20,000 seeing the largest gains. At the same time, used hybrid prices have hit an all-time high. Buyers have shown they'll continue to adapt to a market that's constantly finding new norms."
Key themes from the report include:
- $50,000 has become the norm for new vehicles: The average new car list price reached $50,900 this spring, up 3.3% since December. With the average hovering near this level since 2022, a lasting shift has likely taken hold. Inventory mix has flipped alongside pricing. In 2020, over half of new inventory was priced below $35,000. Today, there is more inventory above $50,000 than below $35,000.
- Full-size SUVs signal strength at the higher end: In a market resetting around higher price points, full-size SUVs are one of the clearest indicators that demand at the top is healthy. These vehicles are turning about 16% faster year-over-year, at nearly 53 days vs. 65 days in 2025, and outpacing the national average for new vehicles. The Cadillac Escalade, averaging at about $122,000, and the Toyota Sequoia, averaging $84,000, are clearing lots in under 30 days.
- Drivers are holding onto their vehicles longer, reshaping used car expectations: The average vehicle on U.S. roads is now nearing teenage years. As the gap between average new and used prices has widened from roughly $13,000 in 2015 to $21,000 today, shoppers have become more willing to compromise higher age and mileage for more value. The share of sales for 7-year-old and older models has grown from 32% in 2020 to 40% today, and sales of vehicles with 60,000 to 150,000 miles are up 16%. The top-moving models in this category include the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, and RAM 1500, averaging around $20,000 with more than 120,000 miles on the odometer.
- Gas prices have shaped clean powertrain demand, pushing hybrids to new highs: Interest in clean powertrains climbed through May, up nearly 4 percentage points on new vehicles and 2 points on used, before starting to dip once gas prices eased in June. The reaction to rising gas prices has impacted used hybrids the most. Used hybrid sales are up nearly 34% year-to-date, with average list prices hitting an all-time high of $38,800, up about 11% so far this year. The Toyota Camry Hybrid, Honda CR-V Hybrid, Jeep Wrangler 4xe, and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid are leading sales growth. Used EVs are also gaining, with demand concentrated in the $25,000 to $31,000 range, led by the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Chevrolet Equinox EV, Tesla Model Y, Kia EV6, and Hyundai Ioniq 6.
To learn more about these trends and more, the CarGurus 2026 Mid-Year Review is available here
About CarGurus, Inc.
CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG) is the leading multinational automotive platform helping consumers and dealers confidently buy and sell vehicles. Founded in 2006 with a mission to bring more trust and transparency to car shopping, CarGurus is the No. 1 visited automotive shopping site in the U.S.1 with the largest selection of inventory and network of dealers.2 CarGurus' unmatched selection, trusted automotive insights, and data-driven products and solutions support each shopper's journey - from online research and shopping to in-dealership decisions - to empower them at every step. And, by translating data from billions of monthly site interactions, CarGurus provides dealers a personalized, predictive intelligence platform with software solutions that helps them run their businesses more efficiently and profitably at all stages of inventory acquisition and pricing, marketing, and conversion to sale.
CarGurus operates online marketplaces in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. The company's network of brands includes PistonHeads, the largest online motoring community in the U.K.3, and Autolist, a U.S.- based online marketplace.
To learn more about CarGurus, visit www.cargurus.com
1 Similarweb: Traffic and Engagement Report (Cars.com, Autotrader.com, TrueCar.com, CARFAX.com Listings (defined as CARFAX.com Total Visits minus Vehicle History Reports)), Q1 2026, U.S.
2 Largest car shopping platform defined as most inventory and largest dealer network. Compared to Autotrader.com, Cars.com, TrueCar.com, and CARFAX (Joreca as of December 31, 2025).
3 Similarweb: Traffic Insights, Q1 2026, U.K.
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