The first car is rarely the dream car. It's probably not the color you preferred, nor did it feature the coolest trim. But it was appropriately priced and would get you from point A to point B.
That's the beauty of the first car. It never needed to be much more than four wheels and a gas pedal that can be pressed any time our teenage selves wanted a small taste of freedom: the freedom to visit the shop down the road, run errands for the parents, or meet with friends for milkshakes after class.
Stacker analyzed price index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and used vehicle price data from Edmunds to compile this timeline of used vehicle prices from the year you first got behind the wheel. The BLS Consumer Price Index measures the cost of goods and services relative to a point in time. The BLS index for used car and truck prices is from 1982 to 1984.
After years of turbulence following the COVID-19 pandemic, used car prices finally stabilized in 2023 and 2024. However, costs are once more on the rise in 2025. According to an August 2025 report from iSeeCars, the prices of used vehicles (except for Teslas) have increased by 3.7% in the prior five months, reversing 2.5 years of declines.
August 2025 data from Edmunds puts the average price of a three-year-old used car at $31,216 in the second quarter of 2025. For context, the record set in the second quarter of 2022 is barely higher at $31,628. Prices could continue to rise in the coming months. The Manheim Used Vehicle Value Index, which tracks wholesale used car prices, increased by 0.3% in the first half of September 2025, indicating higher costs for car-buyers may be on the horizon.
Though it's not unheard of for used vehicle costs to undergo significant changes, these price hikes boil down to several factors. First, the semiconductor chip shortage occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, shrinking today's inventory. And second, of course, are President Donald Trump's tariffs. After Trump announced 25% tariffs against vehicles and auto parts made outside the U.S. in March 2025, Americans rushed to dealerships to snag cars before the new policies took effect. While car sales slowed in the summer months and Trump has since backtracked on some of his tariff plans, auto tariffs remain in effect as of September 2025.
Whether you're in the market now and gawking at used car prices today, or reminiscing on when a solid used ride went for $4,000, take a spin through this look at the average cost of a used vehicle from the year you got your license.
