The average price of a new car purchased in the U.S. hit a new record high in July 2021, at $42,736, according to Kelley Blue Book. This was the fourth month in a row that transaction prices increased as supplies tightened due to a computer chip shortage.
Those who were in the market to buy a new car in 2020 have generally avoided the effects of the pandemic-driven economic downturn, so they were able to purchase pricier vehicles. These luxury car buyers were not typically in the market for supercars like Lamborghinis and Ferraris, but they were in the market for the dozens of cars that were selling by the thousands in 2020 despite having price points well above $70,000.
To determine the most expensive cars in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from automotive research company Kelley Blue Book on luxury cars with the highest starting prices that sold at least 5,000 units in 2020. Only vehicles from the 2021 model year were considered.
The most expensive mass-market luxury cars were mostly manufactured by long standing European luxury brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Porsche. Yet a handful of American vehicles from Ford, Dodge, and Cadillac made the list as well.
Though these luxury vehicles are fun to drive and are visually appealing, they do come with some drawbacks besides the high price tag — they typically get poor gas mileage, are often expensive to insure, and many are prone to malfunctions. These are the new cars that are most likely to break down.
Click here to see the most expensive cars
25. Porsche Macan
> Starting price: $73,450
> Sales, 2020: 18,633
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24. Dodge Charger
> Starting price: $73,674
> Sales, 2020: 77,426
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23. Ford Mustang
> Starting price: $74,095
> Sales, 2020: 61,090
22. BMW X4
> Starting price: $74,395
> Sales, 2020: 7,662
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21. Mercedes-Benz GLC
> Starting price: $74,950
> Sales, 2020: 52,626
20. Audi A6
> Starting price: $75,445
> Sales, 2020: 10,536
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19. BMW X7
> Starting price: $75,895
> Sales, 2020: 23,230
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18. Alfa Romeo Giulia
> Starting price: $76,845
> Sales, 2020: 8,204
17. Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class
> Starting price: $77,050
> Sales, 2020: 22,172
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16. Lincoln Navigator
> Starting price: $77,480
> Sales, 2020: 15,253
15. BMW 5-Series
> Starting price: $77,795
> Sales, 2020: 25,515
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14. Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class
> Starting price: $79,500
> Sales, 2020: 48,153
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13. Cadillac Escalade ESV
> Starting price: $80,490
> Sales, 2020: 24,545
12. Tesla Model X
> Starting price: $81,190
> Sales, 2020: 26,100
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11. Dodge Durango
> Starting price: $82,490
> Sales, 2020: 57,828
10. Alfa Romeo Stelvio
> Starting price: $82,845
> Sales, 2020: 10,282
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9. BMW 8-Series
> Starting price: $85,995
> Sales, 2020: 7,714
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8. Audi SQ7
> Starting price: $86,095
> Sales, 2020: 25,372
7. BMW 7-Series
> Starting price: $87,795
> Sales, 2020: 5,985
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6. Land Rover Range Rover
> Starting price: $93,350
> Sales, 2020: 13,982
5. Porsche 911
> Starting price: $100,550
> Sales, 2020: 8,839
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4. BMW X5 M
> Starting price: $107,095
> Sales, 2020: 50,513
3. BMW X6 M
> Starting price: $110,595
> Sales, 2020: 7,291
2. Mercedes-Benz S-Class
> Starting price: $110,850
> Sales, 2020: 8,589
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1. Mercedes-Benz G-Class
> Starting price: $132,800
> Sales, 2020: 7,723
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