New car prices are at record highs, but that doesn’t include so-called “market adjustments” from dealers. Demand is stabilizing as we head into 2024, but there are still many new cars selling well over the manufacturer’s suggested price. Leading the charge is the combustion-powered Mini Cooper Hardtop, which has an average MSRP of $25,858. A recent iSeeCars study shows the average selling price is actually a whopping $37,473.
That’s 25.5 percent over the MSRP, having us questioning the sanity of Mini buyers. The figures apply to the outgoing generation, which dates back to 2014. A new electric Cooper hit the scene last year, and it will be joined by a gas-powered version this year. Nevertheless, Mini fans clearly couldn’t wait, and paid handsomely for it.
The Hardtop isn’t the only Mini on the list, either. Moving further down you’ll find the Mini Countryman and Clubman selling 18.7 percent above sticker price. That translates to $40,757 for the Countryman and $43,238 on the Clubman. The electric Mini is on there too, fetching $36,434 on average – 17.8 percent over its MSRP.
Porsche buyers are also shelling out big bucks over MSRP. The Taycan sedan is second to the Mini Hardtop, selling for 23.1 percent over its suggested price. That translates to a massive $25,836 beyond the Taycan’s average sticker of $111,893. And like Mini, it’s not the only Porsche buyers are desperate to own. The Cayenne, Macan, Taycan Sport Turismo, and the 718 Boxster/Cayman make the cut, all fetching around 20 percent over MSRP. In fact, Porsche and Mini vehicles comprise half of this top-20 list.
Here’s a breakdown of the 20 new cars that have the highest average selling price over MSRP, as of January 2024 per iSeeCars.
| Model | Average MSRP | Average Selling Price | Percent Difference |
| Mini Cooper Hardtop | $29,858 | $37,473 | +25.5% |
| Porsche Taycan | $111,893 | $137,729 | +23.1% |
| Porsche Cayenne | $86,593 | $105,574 | +21.9% |
| Porsche Macan | $66,310 | $80,421 | +21.3% |
| Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo | $121,248 | $146,594 | +20.9% |
| Cadillac CT5-V | $56,043 | $67,254 | +20% |
| Porsche 718 Boxster | $83,301 | $99,848 | +19.9% |
| Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid | $28,248 | $33,719 | +19.4% |
| BMW X3 M | $75,448 | $90,057 | +19.4% |
| Cadillac CT4-V | $55,873 | $66,633 | +19.3% |
| Porsche 718 Cayman | $89,092 | $105,910 | +18.9% |
| Genesis GV70 | $49,351 | $58,646 | +18.8% |
| Mini Countryman | $34,337 | $40,757 | +18.7% |
| Mini Clubman | $36,435 | $43,238 | +18.7% |
| Lexus LS 500 | $80,072 | $94,962 | +18.6% |
| Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class | $69,500 | $82,399 | +18.6% |
| Ford Maverick | $27,996 | $33,098 | +18.2% |
| Mini Cooper Electric | $30,918 | $36,434 | +17.8% |
| Genesis GV80 | $59,677 | $70,080 | +17.4% |
| Audi RS6 Avant | $125,609 | $147,482 | +17.4% |
The good news is that, per the study, overall markups are falling. At this time last year, the average was 8.9 percent. Now, we’re sitting at 7.2 percent. Electric vehicles have seen the biggest decline, with vehicles like the Hyundai Kona Electric and Volkswagen ID.4 selling slightly below MSRP on average.
“Supply is gradually catching up with demand, which means even as new car MSRP rises the ability for dealers to charge over MSRP falls,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars Executive Analyst. “At some point we’ll get back to pre-Covid new car pricing. But we’re not there yet, and at this rate it’s still at least a few years out.”
