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You are here: Home / News / Cox Automotive Says Added Content, Not Sticker Price, Drives Vehicle Affordability Debate

Cox Automotive Says Added Content, Not Sticker Price, Drives Vehicle Affordability Debate

June 30, 2026 By CollisionWeek Editor Leave a Comment

The average new vehicle now transacts at or near $50,000, but Cox Automotive argues that the headline figure obscures what is actually happening in the market: today’s vehicles carry far more standard safety and technology content than they did a decade ago, and household budgets are being squeezed across nearly every category of spending, not just at the dealership.

The argument, drawn from Cox Automotive’s 2026 Mid-Year Review and laid out in an analysis published June 30 by Executive Analyst Erin Keating, reframes a persistent affordability narrative. Average manufacturer’s suggested retail price, Keating wrote, is not a straightforward measure of

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Filed Under: News Tagged With: Cox Automotive, Kelley Blue Book, New Vehicle Prices

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