People Are Paying More For Used Hybrids Than They Are For New Ones
While pure combustion engines and battery-electric vehicles are both seeing sales downturns in 2026, dealers can't even keep hybrids on the lot these days. New hybrid sales have surged 24 percent year-to-date, while pre-owned hybrid transactions have jumped nearly 33 percent. The driving force is obvious: Donald Trump. Who thought the current president would be the catalyst behind electrifying America's driveways? As fuel prices continue their upward march thanks to bombs in the Strait of Hormuz, full-electric vehicles remain a tough sell, and buyers are clustering around more affordable options.
According to CarGuru's Q3 Intelligence Report,the market's sweet spot sits between $34,000 and $42,000. Some of the industry's most popular options live in this space — the Ford Maverick Hybrid averages around $34,200, the Toyota Camry sits at $35,900, Honda's CR-V Hybrid lands at $40,800, and the Uber driver darling, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, is roughly $41,300.
On several models where hybrid and pure combustion options are offered side by side, the hybrid versions are officially eating their siblings alive. Hybrids represent 65.7 percent of overall Toyota Highlander sales, 61.5 percent of Grand Highlander volume, and 59.9 percent of Ford Maverick deliveries.
Demand for hybrids is so hot right now, it's been reported that Honda is actually delaying the next-gen CR-V to keep selling the current crossover into an insatiable market. Among all automakers, Toyota is the one really enjoying the demand right now. The Japanese automaker holds 47.2 percent of all new hybrid sales in the U.S. and claims four of the top five best-selling models. People want a Toyota hybrid so badly that the automaker's most popular vehicles are basically sold before the transport truck even arrives at the dealership:
- RAV4 Hybrid: Average days on lot: 15.6 days
- Grand Highlander Hybrid: Average days on lot: 16.0 days
- Sienna: Average days on lot: 17.3 days
- Camry: Average days on lot: 21.7 days
The Inverted Used Market Insanity
As a result of the hybrid FOMO, the typical automotive depreciation curve has been flipped on its head. Desperate to skip months-long waiting lists and take home a car today, buyers are now overpaying for used cars. On the other side of the equation, people are selling their one- and two-year-old used cars for more money than they originally paid for them.
Used 2026 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid listings are averaging 116 percent of their original brand-new sticker price — shoppers are willingly paying a 16 percent markup on a used car just to save some gas right now. Older model years aren't offering much relief, either.
Welcome to crazy town, where the only winner in this silly game is the dealership's finance department.
