Stop overpaying for these 5 new cars, says Consumer Reports | Official Website of Louis Velazquez, entrepreneur, finance guy and tech innovator

Apart from buying a home, buying a new vehicle will probably be the biggest purchase most Americans make in their lifetimes.

And Americans have expensive tastes when it comes to vehicles.

New-car prices averaged more than $50,000 for the first time ever in the U.S. in 2025, and in November, as Cox Automotive reported, cars priced over $75,000 outsold those priced under $30,000.

New vehicles with an MSRP below $30,000 accounted for just 7.5% of total sales in the month, down from 10.3% a year ago, “as lower-priced vehicles continue to struggle in the U.S. market,” according to Cox Automotive. At the same time, 10.8% of vehicles sold in the month had MSRPs over $75,000.

Most financial experts recommend capping your monthly vehicle spending at 15% of your income.

According to a MarketWatch Guides survey, about 10% of drivers say they spend 30% of their monthly income on driving, while another 12% said they “found themselves living paycheck to paycheck due to the financial strain of their cars.”

And the trend seems to be getting worse for people on the lower end of the financial spectrum.

Shockingly, of households with a monthly car payment, 20% have a bill over $1,000, according to Bank of America. The firm also reported an increase in $2,000 a month auto bills among people making less than $50,000 and between $50,000 and $100,000. Meanwhile, that type of spending decreased among people making more than $100,000 per year.

“Bank of America payments data shows that overall median car payments are already more than 30% higher than the 2019 average and have now outpaced both new and used car prices, possibly as there is a push towards more expensive cars,” analysts Taylor Bowley and David Tinsley wrote.

With that in mind, purchasing the right vehicle will be one of the most important financial decisions you can make. While dealers often offer incentives to get customers to purchase new vehicles, some cars are so popular that it is impossible to get a good deal.

If you are one of those six in 10 Americans looking to change car brands, TheStreet covered Consumer Reports‘ list of popular vehicles that have the worst deals right now.

Consumers are spending a larger proportion of their income on vehicles.

Photo by Halfpoint Images on Getty Images

What is Consumer Reports, and how did it compile this list?

Founded in 1936 by a group of workers fired from a product-testing firm called Consumers’ Research, Consumer Reports is a multifaceted nonprofit organization that aims to educate consumers about products and help them make informed purchasing decisions.

It does this by purchasing and testing products directly, administering detailed surveys to its members about the products they own and use, and investigating the veracity of manufacturers’ claims.

Consumer Reports at a glance

Founded: 1936 (as Consumers Union by former employees of Consumers’ Research, fired after they attempted to unionize)
Headquartered: Yonkers, NY
Leadership: Marta Tellado (president and CEO)
Employees: Approx. 500 to 600
Members: At least 6 million
Mission statement: “Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit member organization that works side by side with consumers for truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace.”

Consumer Reports’ slogan, “Smarter choices for a better world,” captures the organization’s purpose. CR aims to educate and inform the public by providing objective information about popular products, helping consumers make “smarter choices” when purchasing major items.

For this list, Consumer Reports used TrueCar data to determine which vehicles Americans were buying at a cost above sticker price.

Every model on this list is a 2026 vehicle selling for at least 5% over MSRP based on national prices.