Dealers are questioning whether reported gains in new-vehicle affordability are actually moving metal, with the consensus being that high borrowing costs and a hollowed-out used inventory make paper improvements largely irrelevant at the point of sale. Contributors note that customers are stretching to 84-month terms, leaning on trade equity, and finding no realistic step-down option on the used lot — with median used asking prices near $28,000 and only 6.6% of listings under $10,000. A side debate emerges over whether OEMs are driving trim inflation or simply responding to buyer demand, with agreement that brands abandoning entry-level vehicles risk ceding those customers to competitors permanently.
