On the Dash:
- Bestselling cars hit a record $36,418 average price in September, up 2.7% from last year.
- Four Toyota models drove most of the yearly gain in passenger car prices.
- Truck prices are down 0.6% from last year, but incentives jumped 32%.
The average transaction price for the 10 bestselling passenger vehicles rose 2.7% in September compared to a year ago. That doubled August’s 1.3% year-over-year gain and set a new record for the CDK Affordability Tracker.
The average price paid reached $36,418, up 0.7% from August. It marks the fifth month above $36,000.
Here’s the list of the 10 bestselling 2025 passenger vehicles sold at franchised dealerships tracked by CDK Global for this study. The study does not include the Tesla Model Y, since Tesla is not sold through franchised dealerships.
- Toyota RAV4
- Honda CR-V
- Toyota Camry
- Toyota Tacoma
- Chevy Equinox
- Toyota Corolla
- Honda Civic
- Hyundai Tucson
- Ford Explorer
- Nissan Rogue
Four Toyota models drove most of the yearly gain. The RAV4, Camry, Tacoma and Corolla all posted large increases versus last year, though each transacted for less than it did in August.
The Honda CR-V, Ford Explorer and Hyundai Tucson moved the other way. Each transacted higher than in August and lower than a year ago. The Explorer gained nearly $700 from August, likely because more 2027 models reached lots with base MSRPs about 1% higher.
Trucks
CDK also tracks the four bestselling light-duty pickups. They are the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra and Ram 1500.
Their average price fell 0.6%, or $365, from a year ago to $55,912. That is well below the three-year high of $57,251 set in April 2024. All four trucks rose from August.
The Ram 1500 posted the biggest monthly gain at 1.3%. It is up 4.8% from a year ago. It is also the only truck with a significant number of 2027 models on dealer websites. Chevy and GMC have none listed, as both are due for significant redesigns for 2027.
Incentives
Truck incentives are up 32% from last September to $5,084 per vehicle. They barely moved from August. The last three months are the highest since March 2025, when incentives hit $4,684. Both the Ram 1500 and Sierra 1500 are seeing incentives drop as the year winds down. The Sierra is at its lowest since February. Ram’s have retreated for three straight months.
Passenger car incentives fell slightly from both August and a year ago, with no clear trend by model. The Chevy Equinox is nearly through its 2027 model-year turnover, and its incentives jumped 50% from August as dealers cleared older inventory. No Toyota carries more than $156 in incentives. The Ford Explorer, Nissan Rogue and Hyundai Tucson carry the most.
