U.S. car prices are on the rise, in part because consumers are flocking to heavier SUVs and pickup trucks. Rapid advances in vehicle technology are also playing a role, especially on the high-end.
The average transaction price of a new vehicle in the United States continues to break records, topping $37,000 earlier this year, according to automotive pricing and research company Kelley Blue Book.
For those willing to spend more than the average price and splurge on an SUV, full-size luxury sedan, or a performance sports car, it is an exciting time to buy one. New technologies, like advanced semi-autonomous driving features, camera-based collision warning systems, intuitive touch screen dashboards, dead quiet electronic transmissions, powered door systems, and LED lighting are some of the standard features in cars designed and crafted for wealthier buyers. Though buyers should beware, as expensive cars also tend to have pricier insurance. These are the most expensive cars to insure.
For obvious reasons, newer, costlier vehicle technology tends to appear in luxury cars years before the cost of the technology falls enough to appear in lower-priced cars, too. So early adopters with cash to spend can find the latest technology at the higher-end of an automakers’ model inventory. These are some next generation technologies that could soon be in your car.
Cars priced between $50,000 and $100,000 provide a good balance between performance, reliability, and technology, while cars priced beyond that are often equipped with the newest technologies and are almost always the best performers in their prices categories.
The following is a list of the highest-priced car, truck, and SUV models sold by 38 major brands. Most of these vehicles are priced well above the current average price of over $37,000, and a dozen of them cost well over $100,000. Eight of the vehicles on this list are plug-in hybrids or fully electric cars.
Click here to see every car brand’s most expensive model.
Click here to see our methodology.
Acura: NSX
> Most expensive model (base price): $157,500
> Combined fuel economy: 21 mpg
> Segment: Luxury sports car
> Parent company: Honda Motor Company
[in-text-ad]
Alfa Romeo: Stelvio Quadrifoglio
> Most expensive model (base price): $80,245
> Combined fuel economy: 19 mpg
> Segment: Compact luxury SUV
> Parent company: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Audi: R8 Spyder (2020)
> Most expensive model (base price): $182,100
> Combined fuel economy: 16 mpg
> Segment: Sports car
> Parent company: Volkswagen Group
Bentley: Mulsanne Speed
> Most expensive model (base price): $307,395
> Combined fuel economy: 12 mpg
> Segment: Full-size luxury car
> Parent company: Volkswagen Group
[in-text-ad-2]
BMW: i8 Roadster
> Most expensive model (base price): $163,300
> Combined fuel economy: 69 MPGe
> Segment: Plug-in hybrid sports car
> Parent company: BMW Group
Buick: Enclave Avenir (2020)
> Most expensive model (base price): $53,800
> Combined fuel economy: 20 mpg
> Segment: Mid-size SUV
> Parent company: General Motors
[in-text-ad]
Cadillac: CTS-V
> Most expensive model (base price): $86,995
> Combined fuel economy: 16 mpg
> Segment: Full-size luxury car
> Parent company: General Motors
Chevrolet: Corvette ZR1
> Most expensive model (base price): $123,000
> Combined fuel economy: 15 mpg
> Segment: Sports car
> Parent company: General Motors
Chrysler: Pacifica Hybrid
> Most expensive model (base price): $40,245
> Combined fuel economy: 82 MPGe mpg
> Segment: Minivan
> Parent company: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
[in-text-ad-2]
Dodge: Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody
> Most expensive model (base price): $77,945
> Combined fuel economy: 16 mpg
> Segment: Mid-size SUV
> Parent company: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Fiat: 500e
> Most expensive model (base price): $33,460
> Combined fuel economy: 112 MPGe
> Segment: Subcompact
> Parent company: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
[in-text-ad]
Ford: Mustang Shelby GT350R
> Most expensive model (base price): $73,435
> Combined fuel economy: 16 mpg
> Segment: Sports car
> Parent company: Ford Motor Co.
Genesis: G90
> Most expensive model (base price): $69,350
> Combined fuel economy: 20 mpg
> Segment: Full-size luxury car
> Parent company: Hyundai Motor Group
GMC: Yukon XL Denali
> Most expensive model (base price): $67,700
> Combined fuel economy: 16 mpg
> Segment: Full-size SUV
> Parent company: General Motors
[in-text-ad-2]
Honda: Civic Type R
> Most expensive model (base price): $36,300
> Combined fuel economy: 25 mpg
> Segment: Compact car
> Parent company: Honda Motor Company
Hyundai: Nexo Fuel Cell Limited
> Most expensive model (base price): $61,800 (Only available CA)
> Combined fuel economy: 57 MPGe
> Segment: SUV
> Parent company: Hyundai Motor Group
[in-text-ad]
Infiniti: QX80 Limited
> Most expensive model (base price): $90,200
> Combined fuel economy: 15 mpg
> Segment: Full-size luxury SUV
> Parent company: Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance
Jaguar: F-Type SVR Convertible
> Most expensive model (base price): $126,700
> Combined fuel economy: 18 mpg
> Segment: Sports car
> Parent company: Tata Motors
Jeep: Wrangler MOAB
> Most expensive model (base price): $51,300
> Combined fuel economy: 20 mpg
> Segment: Mid-size SUV
> Parent company: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
[in-text-ad-2]
Kia: K900
> Most expensive model (base price): $59,900
> Combined fuel economy: 21 mpg
> Segment: Luxury car
> Parent company: Hyundai Motor Group
Land Rover: Range Rover SVAutobiography Dynamic (2020)
> Most expensive model (base price): $178,500
> Combined fuel economy: 16 mpg
> Segment: Full-size luxury SUV
> Parent company: Tata Motors
[in-text-ad]
Lexus: LC Inspiration Series
> Most expensive model (base price): $106,210
> Combined fuel economy: 19 mpg
> Segment: Sports coupe
> Parent company: Toyota Motor Corp.
Lincoln: Navigator Black Label
> Most expensive model (base price): $96,395
> Combined fuel economy: 18 mpg
> Segment: Full-size luxury SUV
> Parent company: Ford Motor Co.
Maserati: GranTurismo Convertible Sport
> Most expensive model (base price): $150,980
> Combined fuel economy: 16 mpg
> Segment: Sports car
> Parent company: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
[in-text-ad-2]
Mazda: CX-5 Skyactiv-D SUV
> Most expensive model (base price): $41,000
> Combined fuel economy: 29 mpg
> Segment: Compact SUV
> Parent company: Mazda Motor Corp.
Mercedes-Benz: Maybach S 650 sedan
> Most expensive model (base price): $199,900
> Combined fuel economy: 16 mpg
> Segment: Full-size luxury car
> Parent company: Daimler AG
[in-text-ad]
MINI: John Cooper Works All4 Iconic
> Most expensive model (base price): $48,400
> Combined fuel economy: 26 mpg
> Segment: Subcompact SUV
> Parent company: BMW Group
Mitsubishi: Outlander plug-in hybrid
> Most expensive model (base price): $35,795
> Combined fuel economy: 74 MPGe
> Segment: Compact SUV
> Parent company: Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance
Nissan: GT-R Nismo
> Most expensive model (base price): $210,740
> Combined fuel economy: 18 mpg
> Segment: Sports car
> Parent company: Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance
[in-text-ad-2]
Porsche: 911 GT2 RS
> Most expensive model (base price): $293,200
> Combined fuel economy: 17 mpg
> Segment: Sports car
> Parent company: Volkswagen Group
Ram: 3500 Limited
> Most expensive model (base price): $66,240
> Combined fuel economy: 9.5 mpg
> Segment: Full-size pickup truck
> Parent company: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
[in-text-ad]
Rolls Royce: Phantom
> Most expensive model (base price): $452,750
> Combined fuel economy: 14 mpg
> Segment: Full-size luxury car
> Parent company: BMW Group
Smart: Prime Cabrio
> Most expensive model (base price): $29,100
> Combined fuel economy: 102 MPGe
> Segment: Mini electric convertible
> Parent company: Daimler AG
Subaru: Ascent Touring
> Most expensive model (base price): $45,045
> Combined fuel economy: 22 mpg
> Segment: Mid-size SUV
> Parent company: Subaru Corp.
[in-text-ad-2]
Tesla: Model X Performance
> Most expensive model (base price): $104,990
> Combined fuel economy: 79 MPGe
> Segment: Mid-size luxury electric SUV
> Parent company: Tesla Inc.
Toyota: Land Cruiser Heritage Edition (2020)
> Most expensive model (base price): $87,645
> Combined fuel economy: 15 mpg
> Segment: Full-size luxury SUV
> Parent company: Toyota Motor Corp.
[in-text-ad]
Volkswagen: Golf R
> Most expensive model (base price): $40,395
> Combined fuel economy: 26 mpg
> Segment: Compact car
> Parent company: Volkswagen Group
Volvo: XC90 Inscription hybrid
> Most expensive model (base price): $73,800
> Combined fuel economy: 58 MPGe
> Segment: Luxury midsize SUV
> Parent company: Zhejiang Geely Holding Group
Methodology
24/7 Wall St. reviewed base prices of current-year models to determine the highest-priced vehicles for every major car brand available in the United States. Most of the prices listed here come from the auto brand’s website. For Rolls Royce and Bentley, we used the prices published by Car & Driver magazine. All prices listed do not include optional add-ons or features.
It should be noted that while optional add-ons were not included in the prices listed, some models on this list are more expensive versions of models offered by the brand, but we only considered specific named versions of these models, for example, we included the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, a higher-end version of the Corvette.
Unless otherwise noted, the vehicles on this list are for the 2019 model year. We used the U.S. Department of Energy’s estimated combined (city/highway) database for fuel economy. For the eight plug-in electric and fully electric vehicles on the list we cited the available miles per gallon equivalent, or MPGe, standard.
Credit Card Companies Are Doing Something Nuts
Credit card companies are at war. The biggest issuers are handing out free rewards and benefits to win the best customers.
It’s possible to find cards paying unlimited 1.5%, 2%, and even more today. That’s free money for qualified borrowers, and the type of thing that would be crazy to pass up. Those rewards can add up to thousands of dollars every year in free money, and include other benefits as well.
We’ve assembled some of the best credit cards for users today. Don’t miss these offers because they won’t be this good forever.
Flywheel Publishing has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Flywheel Publishing and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.