Here’s what a car cost back when you got your license
Remember that beat-up hatchback with the cassette deck you drove to prom? Yeah, that entire classic probably cost less than your monthly car payment now. Let’s take a trip down memory lane—and check out what a car cost the year you first got your license.
The car cost time machine: new and used prices by year
Yahoo Finance compiled a list of what one given new and one given used car cost each year from 1950 to 2024. Prices are in nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation, so you can see what folks actually paid at the time. Yahoo used data from sources including GOBankingRates and CarZing.
| Year | New Car (Make & Model) | Price | Used Car (Make & Model) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Henry J | $1,299 | Oldsmobile 88 | $1,995 |
| 1951 | Henry J | $1,362 | Dodge Coronet | $1,995 |
| 1952 | Jaguar XK 120 | $5,065 | Chevrolet Bel Air | $1,995 |
| 1953 | Packard | $2,679 | Chevrolet | $1,295 |
| 1954 | Oldsmobile 88 | $2,362 | Chevy Convertible | $1,500 |
| 1955 | Buick | $2,395 | Ford Victoria | $598 |
| 1956 | Jeep Dispatcher | $1,367 | Chevrolet | $500 |
| 1957 | N/A | N/A | Pontiac Catalina | $2,095 |
| 1958 | Renault Dauphine | $1,695 | Ford Fairlane | $1,995 |
| 1959 | Ford Anglia | $1,561 | Dodge Sierra | $2,195 |
| 1960 | Austin-Healey Sprite | $1,795 | Dodge V8 | $1,595 |
| 1961 | Rambler Ambassador | $1,795 | Chevrolet Impala | $2,195 |
| 1962 | Ford Galaxie | $2,645 | Chevrolet Bel Air | $1,750 |
| 1963 | Cadillac Executive | $4,895 | Volkswagen | $1,376 |
| 1964 | Ford | $1,764 | Chevrolet Bel Air | $1,095 |
| 1965 | Volkswagen Bug | $1,595 | Pontiac Catalina | $695 |
| 1966 | Oldsmobile 98 | $3,399 | Buick Skylark | $2,495 |
| 1967 | Ford Sedan | $2,199 | Comet Caliente | $1,495 |
| 1968 | BMW | $2,597 | Ford Mustang | $2,085 |
| 1969 | Ford Mustang | $3,175 | Plymouth Fury | $2,195 |
| 1970 | Dodge Demon | $2,652 | Camaro | $2,295 |
| 1971 | Ford Torino | $3,895 | Pontiac Firebird | $1,195 |
| 1972 | Ford Maverick | $2,140 | Chevrolet Malibu | $2,995 |
| 1973 | Mercury Montego | $4,281 | Toyota Wagon | $4,595 |
| 1974 | AMC Gremlin | $2,408 | Dodge Dart | $1,195 |
| 1975 | Maverick | $3,625 | Mustang Fastback | $2,749 |
| 1976 | Chrysler Cordoba | $4,895 | Dodge Colt | $2,295 |
| 1977 | Mercury Bobcat | $3,588 | Lincoln Continental | $5,400 |
| 1978 | Honda Civic | $4,299 | Buick Regal | $1,300 |
| 1979 | Datsun 280ZX | $10,654 | Jeep CJ5 | $4,995 |
| 1980 | Buick Regal | $8,085 | Ford Pinto Squire | $1,995 |
| 1981 | Datsun Stanza | $6,680 | Pontiac Trans Am | $7,999 |
| 1982 | Lincoln | $13,491 | Cadillac Eldorado | $10,999 |
| 1983 | Chevrolet Chevette | $7,287 | BMW 320i | $11,700 |
| 1984 | Chevrolet Chevette | $5,289 | Buick Regal | $2,790 |
| 1985 | Buick Skyhawk | $8,999 | Mustang II | $995 |
| 1986 | Dodge D-50 | $5,595 | Buick Riviera | $9,400 |
| 1987 | Chevrolet Sprint | $6,995 | Toyota MR2 | $12,977 |
| 1988 | Buick Skylark | $11,306 | Dodge Daytona | $7,500 |
| 1989 | Chevrolet S10 Blazer | $15,750 | Ford Mustang GT | $11,749 |
| 1990 | Chrysler New Yorker | $15,586 | Dodge Caravan | $9,500 |
| 1991 | Chevrolet Astro Van | $19,811 | Ford Escort | $5,850 |
| 1992 | Oldsmobile Supreme | $15,895 | Dodge Dynasty LE | $12,591 |
| 1993 | Chevrolet Lumina | $12,599 | Ford Mercury | $5,990 |
| 1994 | Dodge Intrepid | $17,477 | Chrysler New Yorker | $15,777 |
| 1995 | Oldsmobile Cutlass | $16,596 | Acura Integra | $9,675 |
| 1996 | BMW 328i | $29,780 | Chrysler LeBaron | $13,500 |
| 1997 | Chrysler Concorde | $17,495 | Oldsmobile Aurora | $23,495 |
| 1998 | Ford Taurus | $15,988 | Honda Accord | $17,400 |
| 1999 | Chevrolet Tracker | $16,390 | Mazda Protege CX | $10,990 |
| 2000 | Buick Regal | $19,999 | Volkswagen Golf | $12,477 |
| 2001 | Jeep Wrangler | $14,995 | Toyota Camry | $11,995 |
| 2002 | Mazda MPV LX | $22,995 | Chrysler Voyager LX | $17,771 |
| 2003 | Ford Ranger | $8,995 | Chevrolet Cavalier | $9,990 |
| 2004 | Ford Taurus | $16,533 | Honda Accord | $995 |
| 2005 | Lincoln LX V6 | $26,590 | Honda Civic LX | $11,995 |
| 2006 | Chevrolet Impala | $19,901 | Nissan Pathfinder | $17,990 |
| 2007 | Chrysler Sebring | $18,995 | Mercury Grand Marquis | $11,495 |
| 2008 | Chevrolet Trailblazer | $25,705 | Ford Explorer | $19,995 |
Every year, the average car cost just kept creeping up. From the $1,299 Henry J in 1950 to today’s $24,250 Honda Civic, we’ve watched the sticker price balloon like a parade float. And no, it’s not just inflation.
Automakers will tell you cars today are safer, more efficient, and come with tech your first ride couldn’t dream of. True. But they’ve also mastered the upsell—turning basic features into luxury-line items and shoving buyers toward expensive trims. The car cost today includes backup cameras, blind-spot monitors, and infotainment screens big enough to stream a Super Bowl. But not everyone wants to finance that for six years.
And it’s not just new cars. Even used rides saw major bumps. By the mid-90s, some used models were fetching more than their new counterparts from 20 years earlier. “A used Oldsmobile Aurora in 1997 was $23,495.” That’s more than a new Dodge Intrepid the same year. Let that sink in.
Comparing your first car cost to today’s reality
Let’s say you got your license in 1988. Maybe you scrounged up $7,000 for a new Ford Escort. Fast forward to today, and the average Civic will run you nearly four times that. Gas is up. Insurance is up. Car cost? Way up.
Even leasing—once the affordable workaround—now comes with monthly payments that would’ve bought you a whole car in the ‘70s. And if you’re thinking of handing down your first car to your kid? They’ll look at it the way you looked at a rotary phone.
So, how much did your first ride set you back? Odds are, it didn’t require a six-year loan and a second job. Whether it was a $900 Pinto or a $13K Camaro, one thing’s for sure—cars might’ve changed, but that first drive still hits the same. The car cost more now, but that moment you turned the key and pulled away? Priceless.
