If you're looking for an affordable larger family car in this market, you might have a tough time finding one.
The average price of a new car was $50,089 in August 2026, which is the most recent data available, according to Kelley Blue Book. The average price of a mid-sized SUV, such as a Kia Telluride, Hyundai Palisade, Toyota Highlander or Honda Pilot was $50,315, according to the group.
The average price of a larger full-sized SUV, such as a Ford Expedition, Chevrolet Suburban, Toyota Sequoia or a Cadillac Escalade, was $79,710.
Erin Keating, an executive analyst with Cox Automotive, said many shoppers are reacting to the high new car prices by opting for smaller vehicles.
"Many American households are under significant financial pressure, which
is steering more shoppers toward lower price points," she said. "The continued strong growth of Subcompact SUVs highlights how important affordability remains in today's market."
But what if you have young kids or large pets and need more room that smaller SUVs such as a Subaru Crosstrek, Hyundai Kona, Honda HR‑V, 2026 or Mazda CX‑30 can't provide?
The USA TODAY Cars team took a look at what family car shoppers can do to find decent prices, and we compiled a list of the best family car deals we could find.
Why are car prices rising?
Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jeremy Robb said in a blog post the higher prices can be attributed to both the increase in the amount of technology in modern cars and shoppers' preferences for higher level trims.
"Vehicles are one of the largest purchases consumers make, so they are highly visible in any affordability debate," he wrote.
Robb said automakers still make truly entry-level models, but consumers are turning away from them in the search for more features and technology.
"Base models still exist," he wrote. "Automakers continue to build them, and they are available on dealer lots. But many consumers are choosing better-equipped trims and vehicles with more advanced features. At the same time, more affluent households are accounting for a larger share of new-vehicle demand, and those buyers often gravitate toward higher-priced models."
Keating, the Cox Automotive executive analyst, said car prices have been expected to rise above $50,000 for awhile.
"We expected transaction prices to move back above the $50,000 mark in 2026, as new-vehicle prices typically increase through the year and especially in the second half, when next-model-year vehicles begin arriving at dealerships," she said.
But Keating said we may be nearing at least a temporary high point.
"New-vehicle price inflation is real, but automotive price increases have been moderate in recent years and remain below the long-term average of roughly 3%," he said.
How can I find an affordable family car?
People who are searching for an affordable family car that's large enough for more than five passengers can consider turning to the used car market if they are concerned about rising new car prices.
Cox said the average list price of a used car was $27,239 in August 2026, which is again the most recent data that the group has made available. That's a significant savings over the average price of new car, which topped $50,000 in August.
Cox said in August there were over 2 million used cars available on U.S. dealership car lots, and over 1.5 million previously owned vehicles were sold in the month.
But as rising car prices prompt many drivers to hold on to their vehicles longer, used car inventory can become an issue. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the average age of a car on U.S. roads is almost 13 years old.
Cox said "growth in new-vehicle inventory slowed during the quarter, suggesting supply levels are stabilizing, while used-vehicle inventory improved modestly."
"Dealers continue to face challenges sourcing affordable used vehicles, however, underscoring the growing importance of vehicle affordability across the market," the group said.
What are some of the best family car deals right now?
We took a look at the major automakers' website, and we came up with this list of the three-row family SUVs that have average used prices under $30,000, according to CarGurus.com.
Each option has plenty of room for passengers and cargo space.
1. Ford Explorer
Average new price: $38,465
Average used price: $25,516
2. Chevrolet Traverse
Average new price: $41,100
Average used price: $26,560
3. Nissan Pathfinder
Average new price: $39,990
Average used price: $26,385
4. Honda Pilot
Average new price: $42,395
Average used price: $27,253
5. Subaru Ascent
Average new price: $40,795
Average used price: $28,431
Keith Laing is an automotive reporter on the National Trending Desk at USA TODAY. Contact Keith at klaing@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Looking for an affordable family car? You might have to go used
