Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Corvette Stingray Top List of Cars That Cost More Used Than New

• CarInsurance.org found that the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray were the biggest gainers last month, topping the list of used cars with prices above new-car MSRP.

• Using different metrics, iSeeCars recently found that the Kia Telluride, GMC Sierra 1500, and Toyota Tacoma were the top three used cars that cost more than new versions.

• The2020 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid had a starting MSRP of $29,470, but every example available on Edmunds right now costs more than that, with some base models daring to have a $35,000-plus asking price.

New and used vehicle prices are not following the traditional rules these days. The average new-car price hit $41,044 in July, a jump of 17 percent over the year before and, more important, the highest average ever recorded, according to data from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive Forecast. Meanwhile, the confluence of COVID-19, semiconductor chip shortages, and the resulting manufacturing delays has meant that you can't necessarily find the new car you want when you want it. So demand for used cars has become so great that sellers can practically write their own prices—and they're doing just that.

Take the 2020 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid in base LE trim, for example. The popular and fuel-efficient small SUV had an official starting MSRP of $29,470, including Toyota's $1120 delivery fee. But if you were to look at the used listings on Edmunds.com for a 2020 RAV4 Hybrid, you will not find any that are listed below that price. Every one of the 38 used 2020 RAV4 Hybrids currently for sale cost more than the vehicle did when it was new, with many of them featuring an asking price well above $35,000. The price of a new 2021 RAV4 starts at $30,115, including the $1215 delivery fee.

CarInsurance.org took a look at Edmunds data to find the vehicles with the biggest delta between their 2020 MSRP and their current highest used car asking prices. The group found that the 10 most popular used cars had a price that was, on average, $7557 higher compared to their new purchase price. Percentage-wise, the RAV4 Hybrid had the largest price increase at $10,493, representing a jump of 37 percent, the group said. The second-highest increase was found in the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, which jumped up 28 percent, or $22,865.