At a time when Americans increasingly want pricey SUVs and trucks rather than small cars, the Mirage remains the lone new vehicle whose average sale price is under 20 grand — a figure that once marked a kind of unofficial threshold of affordability. With prices — new and used — having soared since the pandemic, $20,000 is no longer much of a starting point for a new car.

This current version of the Mirage, which reached U.S. dealerships a decade ago, sold for an average of $19,205 last month, according to data from Cox Automotive. (Though a few other new models have starting prices under $20,000, their actual purchase prices, with options and shipping, exceed that figure.)

  • blargerer@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    Nope. This is all driven by the car companies. They can get higher margins on large vehicles.

    • FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Also they’re barely offering sedans any more- except for high performance things

      They’re all cross overs and “SUVs” and “pickups”

      • Sir_Kevin@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        1 year ago

        The fuel economy regulations are more forgiving for larger vehicles. Since the manufacturers fail at making efficient engines, they just make larger vehicles to get a passing rating. This is why small trucks no longer exist and an F150 is now the size of an elephant.

      • rambaroo@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Barely offer sedans? Only if you specifically mean American manufacturers. Toyota, Nissan, Subaru and Honda all offer multiple sedan models. Claiming there aren’t any sedan models out there is just pure nonsense.

    • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
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      1 year ago

      But is it? Even the few small models available aren’t selling. If this were being forced on us, the few economy models would be in high demand but it seems to be the opposite. What is going on in the American psyche? I don’t understand it.

      • c_jay@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Extreme wealth inequality causes Muricans to be the most insecure people on the planet. Understand this and you’ll also understand all the other stupid shit we are infamous for.