Consumer Reports Says These Cars Are The Worst Deals Right Now

The pandemic may have messed up the automotive supply chain, sending new car prices through the roof for a while, but the good news is, things have largely returned to normal. Walk into pretty much any dealership, and odds are, you can probably find some pretty good deals.

The cars on this list, however, are the opposite of that. Our friends at Consumer Reports recently analyzed sales data from TrueCar and found what it says are the worst deals on the market right now. If you’re in the market for a new car, you should probably skip everything on this list unless you like paying at least three percent over MSRP.

We knew the new Prius was going to be a hot commodity when Toyota gave it a stylish redesign. Expect to pay an extra $1,041 on top of the 2024 Toyota Prius XLE AWD’s MSRP of $32,795. That three-percent markup means that on average, you’ll be spending $33,836.

The Honda Civic is still a practical, reliable compact sedan with a relatively affordable base price, but if you want a 2024 Honda Civic Sport with the CVT, you probably won’t be paying the $25,550 MSRP. Instead, you should expect to spend $26,407, an extra $857, or about a three-percent markup over sticker.

The Kia Seltos’s sub-$30,000 base price makes it appealing, but if you want a 2024 Kia Seltos S AWD, you’re looking at another three-percent markup. That means you’ll be paying $27,487 instead of $26,590, or $897 more than MSRP.

With a 45-mile electric range, it’s no surprise there’s also a ton of demand for the plug-in hybrid version of the Prius. With an average transaction price of $37,509 on a 2024 Toyota Prius Prime XSE, you’re looking at a $1,284 markup over the $36,225 MSRP, or about four percent.

The Honda HR-V isn’t particularly quick, but it’s significantly larger than its predecessor, and apparently, people can’t get enough of them. You’re looking at a $1,013 or four-percent markup, increasing the price of a 2024 Honda HR-V Sport AWD from $28,200 to $29,213.

The Maverick has been a hit from the moment Ford first revealed it, and demand still remains strong. A 2024 Ford Maverick XLT AWD should cost $26,420, but you can expect to pay $27,553. That’s a markup of $1,133 or about four percent.

The Audi Q3 hasn’t been redesigned since 2018, so it’s not exactly new. And yet, on average, people are paying $1,701 or about five percent over sticker to get their hands on the 2024 Audi Q3 Premium Plus 40 TFSI quattro. So instead of costing $37,400, you can expect to pay $39,101.

We generally like the Kia K5, and with an MSRP of $25,590, the 2024 Kia K5 LXS should be a relatively affordable midsize sedan. On average, though, people are paying an extra five percent or $1,302, bringing the price up to a less-inviting $26,892.

There aren’t a lot of minivans to pick from these days, and the Sienna is about as good as it gets. If you want a 2024 Toyota Sienna XLE, though, it’s going to be pricey. The MSRP is already $42,995, but people are paying an extra five percent or $2,209, bringing the average transaction price up to $45,204.