New-Car Transaction Prices Jump More Than 3 Percent In August 2015, According To Kelley Blue Book

All Major Brands Report Year-Over-Year Improvement; Labor Day and Financial Market Conditions Could Impact Future Growth

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Kelley Blue Book

Sep 01, 2015, 05:00 ET

IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The analysts at Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, today report the estimated average transaction price (ATP) for light vehicles in the United States was $33,543 in August 2015. New-car prices have increased by $1,107 (up 3.4 percent) from August 2014, while dropping $79 (down 0.2 percent) from last month.

"All major automakers are up year-over-year, but September will be a telling month depending on the impact of Labor Day sales and wavering financial market conditions," said Akshay Anand, analyst for Kelley Blue Book. "Hopefully manufacturers will stay disciplined and not over incentivize to meet sales goals if the markets continue to falter."

Manufacturer	August 2015 Transaction Price (Avg.)*	July 2015 Transaction Price (Avg.)*	August 2014 Transaction Price (Avg.)*	Percent Change July 2015 to August 2015*	Percent Change August 2014 to August 2015*
American Honda (Acura, Honda)	$27,276	$27,518	$26,521	-0.9%	2.8%
Fiat Chrysler (Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, RAM)	$34,703	$34,322	$33,685	1.1%	3.0%
Ford Motor Company (Ford, Lincoln)	$36,420	$36,394	$34,584	0.1%	5.3%
General Motors (Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC)	$38,087	$38,051	$37,200	0.1%	2.4%
Hyundai-Kia	$25,287	$25,418	$24,219	-0.5%	4.4%
Nissan North America (Nissan, Infiniti)	$28,246	$28,349	$27,103	-0.4%	4.2%
Toyota Motor Company (Lexus, Scion, Toyota)	$30,532	$30,680	$30,110	-0.5%	1.4%
Volkswagen Group (Audi, Volkswagen, Porsche)	$39,281	$39,901	$38,655	-1.6%	1.6%
Industry	$33,543	$33,622	$32,436	-0.2%	3.4%
*Kelley Blue Book Average Transaction Prices do not include applied consumer incentives

At the segment level, trucks continue to do notably well and the Nissan Titan and Toyota Tacoma should only add fuel to that fire, including increasing average transaction prices. Some of the greatest declines in average transaction prices come from high performance cars. Vehicles in the segment that have dropped month-over-month include models like the BMW 6-Series and Porsche 911. The economy also is a factor, and as a latter part of August has been tough in terms of the financial markets, which may impact some luxury or pricier segments.

"Another segment consistently under scrutiny is the electric vehicle category, which continues to dip in sales as well as average transaction prices, down nearly 3 percent from just last month," said Anand. "In a recent KBB.com survey, 80 percent of consumers reported looking for an electric vehicle as a primary vehicle. However, these shoppers may need more mileage or a more reliable history of this technology before taking the plunge. "

Segment	August 2015 Transaction Price (Avg.)*	July 2015 Transaction Price (Avg.)*	August 2014 Transaction Price (Avg.)*	Percent Change July 2015 to August 2015*	Percent Change August 2014 to August 2015*
Compact Car	$20,560	$20,579	$20,336	-0.1%	1.1%
Compact SUV/Crossover	$27,347	$27,227	$26,720	0.4%	2.3%
Electric Vehicle	$35,880	$36,933	$36,269	-2.9%	-1.1%
Entry-level Luxury Car	$44,926	$45,488	$44,114	-1.2%	1.8%
Full-size Car	$34,597	$34,505	$33,390	0.3%	3.6%
Full-size Pickup Truck	$45,896	$45,627	$43,515	0.6%	5.5%
Full-Size SUV/Crossover	$46,162	$45,668	$45,872	1.1%	0.6%
High Performance Car	$89,692	$91,130	$93,147	-1.6%	-3.7%
High-end Luxury Car	$88,007	$87,262	$91,089	0.9%	-3.4%
Hybrid/Alternative Energy Car	$25,542	$25,507	$25,969	0.1%	-1.6%
Luxury Car	$56,217	$56,246	$55,771	-0.1%	0.8%
Luxury Compact SUV/Crossover	$42,383	$42,183	$41,814	0.5%	1.4%
Luxury Full-size SUV/Crossover	$66,687	$65,498	$66,456	1.8%	0.3%
Luxury Mid-size SUV/Crossover	$55,148	$55,677	$53,424	-1.0%	3.2%
Mid-size Car	$25,312	$25,326	$24,817	-0.1%	2.0%
Mid-size Pickup Truck	$29,562	$29,494	$28,413	0.2%	4.0%
Mid-size SUV/Crossover	$34,180	$34,215	$33,084	-0.1%	3.3%
Minivan/Van	$33,123	$33,351	$32,357	-0.7%	2.4%
Sports Car	$31,262	$31,006	$31,034	0.8%	0.7%
Subcompact Car	$18,107	$18,301	$17,562	-1.1%	3.1%
Industry	$33,543	$33,622	$32,436	-0.2%	3.4%
*Kelley Blue Book Average Transaction Prices do not include applied consumer incentives

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About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry. Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new and used cars this week. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies. Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com ranked highest in its category for brand equity by the 2014 Harris Poll EquiTrend^® study and has been named Online Auto Shopping Brand of the Year for four consecutive years. Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. is a Cox Automotive company.

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