Used car prices, after reaching record highs, have finally started to come down. As we recently reported, the average used car sale price is nearly 5% less than it was in September.
But prices for some used cars are still rising, and an analysis by iSeeCars.com identifies several “lightly used” car models that sell for more than what consumers are paying for the 2023 version. The standout example is the Ford Maverick pickup.
Introduced in 2021, the compact pickup that debuted with a $20,000 starting price point has been so popular with buyers that Ford had to suspend orders last year. The 2023 Maverick has been so hard to find that used models are commanding high prices.
How high? The iSeeCars analysis found the average used Maverick sells for $36,777, 12.3% more than a new model.
You might as well buy a new one
While the Maverick may be an extreme example, there are other in-demand used vehicles that are selling for prices that, on average, exceed the cost of the same vehicle new. Here are some models you might want to pass up until prices start to fall:
Toyota Corrola Hybrid: sells for 7.9% more than a new one
Mercedes-Benz G Class: sells for 4.6% more than a new one
Toyota Sienna: sells for 3.7% more than a new one
Toyota RAV4 Prime: sells for 3.5% more than a new one
Toyota Corolla Cross: sells for 2.9% more than a new one
Kia Carnival: sells for 2.2% more than a new one
Ford Bronco: sells for 1.7% more than a new one
Honda Civic (hatchback): sells for 1% more than a new one
Honda Accord Hybrid: sells for 0.4% more than a new one
Chevrolet Corvette: sells for 0.4% more than a new one
Popular or just hard to find
In some cases, these models are hard to find new. In other cases, they’re just highly popular with consumers.
Beyond the hybrid and mainstream models that dominate this list, three special interest vehicles, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, Ford Bronco, and Chevrolet Corvette, also continue to be in high demand and short supply, keeping their used prices above their new prices.
On the flip side, iSeeCars identified several “lightly used” models that sell at a significant discount to a new model. A used Audi e-tron has an average sale price that is 27.8% below the new sticker price.
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio also is much cheaper than a new model with an average sale price 26.9% below the sticker price of a new one.