Consumers are going to be paying a lot more for new cars, even if the White House strikes tariff deals with the biggest car importers, according to a report from Cars.com.

Currently, President Trump’s auto sector tariffs stand at 25% for most of the world and 27.5% for exports coming from the EU. Preliminary deals with the EU and Japan have the rate coming down to 15%, but there’s still much to be done to make the deals final.

But even if those rates come down, Americans will be paying significantly more for cars.

Cars.com said if tariffs remain at the 25% rate, analysts estimate the average new vehicle price could rise 13.5% to $54,400 from $48,000 — a difference of $6,400. But even if trade negotiations bring tariffs closer to 15%, prices may still increase by about 8.1%, or $4,300.

Prior to Trump’s tariffs, auto imports from most countries faced 2.5% tariff rates, but those days are over. In the second quarter, the largest automakers in the US cumulatively took an $11.7 billion hit to profits from those tariffs and can’t absorb those tariff costs in the long term.

Read more: What Trump's tariffs mean for the economy and your wallet

This means rising prices for cars at the dealership, which is a major problem, as new car pricing is easily trumping income growth in the US. Cars.com noted Atlanta Fed data showing median household incomes grew 1% or $768 over the past year, meaning car prices are climbing six to eight times faster than incomes.

“Affordability will remain a challenge,” David Greene, Cars.com principal analyst, said to Yahoo Finance.

With new cars costing $52,000+ on average, with the effect of 15% tariffs, many consumers will struggle to buy a new vehicle. Manufacturers are responding with more affordable, entry-level trims to keep affordable options available, Greene said.

Even Tesla (TSLA), which sees itself as a more premium brand, will offer a stripped-down Model Y SUV in the fall once the federal EV tax credit expires at the end of September.

“The reality is most of us don’t buy cars because the market looks good — we buy them when we need one," Greene said. "Even when prices rise, people don’t stop buying cars; they adjust what they buy."

“For consumers, there are still ways to soften the impact: Shop early while pre-tariff inventory is available, consider lower-trim new models, explore ‘young’ used vehicles, and keep an open mind across brands, body styles, and new vs. used options,” he said.

Pras Subramanian is the lead auto reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram.

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