82% of American buyers paid over MSRP for a new car in January

The month of January saw 82.2% of new car buyers pay over MSRP for their new car, according to data collected by Edmunds. That’s an extraordinary number, even more so when provided the context that Edmunds data found 0.3% of new car buyers paid above MSRP in January 2021.

Just as we have reported for the past many months, the shortage of new cars combined with continued demand to buy them is to blame for these numbers. On average, a new vehicle bought in January 2022 was bought for $728 above MSRP. The data come from Edmunds, which compared new vehicle average transaction prices with the average MSRP across automakers.

Edmunds even broke out the numbers for individual automakers, so we can see which OEMs are commanding the most money over MSRP. However, we’ll issue a caveat here. Not every brand’s numbers will reflect everybody’s individual experiences. For example, anybody hoping to buy a new Porsche 911 GT3 is likely to be met with far greater markups than if they were angling for a Macan. Plus, since these numbers only account for new cars sold, it doesn’t illustrate the massive markups seen on barely-used but technically not new cars out there. As in, that Mercedes-AMG G 63 you saw listed for $150,000 over sticker with 50 miles on it being sold as a “used car” won’t show up in this data.

Nevertheless, we’re sure you’re curious which brands are selling cars for the most over MSRP, so here’s Edmunds' list.