These New Car Models Have Some Of The Worst Markups Right Now (2024)

Markups are like a mosquito that the industry can’t get rid of. While it might seem like the markup situation isn’t as bad as it was during the pandemic, you can still find plenty of ridiculous car prices. Worse yet, they’re putting people in bad financial situations: recent data has shown that more Americans are underwater on their car loans than ever.

But this is America of course. That kind of greedy behavior doesn’t get punished. It continues, as evidenced by the cars we have here. The following are some of the newest, most recent models to hit the market with some of the worst markups right now.

Some of these were found with help from trusty friend of the site Markups.org.

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The all-new Tacoma was highly anticipated after how long the outgoing model has been around. Yes, the model has been on dealer lots for a couple months now, but a few dealers across the country have been hitting each of the truck’s six trims with markups.

The worst so far is a Tacoma TRD Sport — the all-style-and-no-off-road-substance trim — for sale at Stevens Creek Toyota in San Jose, California. They’ve hit this truck and its already high MSRP of $49,839 with a $9,999 “market adjustment.” Including other fees, you’ll have to part with $59,834 for this Tacoma. And someone apparently bit, as the truck has “sale pending” on the listing.

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The Kia EV9 is one of the best entries into the EV market recently. But with the slight slowdown in EV sales, dealers across the country have offered discounts on the EV9. Some are being stubborn and choosing to ignore both the market and the $7,500 EV credit. One of those dealers is Aloha Kia Kona in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i.

The EV9 Land in the dealer’s inventory usually has an MSRP of $73,775 with its slate of included options. You won’t pay that here, of course. Aloha Kia Kona slapped on a $17,750 markup on top, bringing the total price to a wild $91,525.

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I know I said new models, and I know that what you’re seeing here is the outgoing generation of the Hyundai Santa Fe. But this gets an honorable mention because of how egregious it is.

Future Hyundai of Concord, California has a 2023 Santa Fe Limited. The Limited trim wears an MSRP of $49,420 and is as loaded as loaded gets with the Santa Fe. But Future is tacking on a $10,000 markup. That means someone might end up paying $59,415 for the previous generation of a crossover that’ll be worth half that in two years.

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Chevy’s troubled Blazer EV has recently gone back on sale after a pause to remedy some software issues. While that’s come with some new, lower prices, don’t count on paying these prices at Capital Chevrolet of Austin, Texas.

Capitol has a 2024 Blazer EV LT trim in stock. Remember, the LT is the base of the Blazer EV. According to the window sticker, including options and destination charges, this Blazer EV has an MSRP of $50,195. But Capitol is throwing on another $28,470 on top of the MSRP. This means you’ll pay more than Blazer EV RS money for a base trim: $78,665. The dealer even has the nerve to advertise the price with the $7,500 “taken off.”

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The final Dodge SRT models will go down in history as some of the most powerful and outrageous muscle cars ever produced. Equally outrageous was the pricing some dealers wanted for these things. Suburban Chrysler, Dodge Jeep, Ram of Troy, Michigan is one of those dealers.

The dealer still has a 2023 Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody in stock that usually has an already outrageous MSRP of just over $125,000. But Suburban is throwing on another $79,364 to the price. Prepare to drop a Porsche-like $215,000 for this Challenger.

This price gets more hilarious when you notice that the dealer mentions that it is employee pricing, and that the non-employee price is “slightly more” than this.

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The all-new Mustang Dark Horse sits at the top of the muscle car lineup. It gets 500 HP from its 5.0-liter V8, along with unique styling and pricey options (like a handling package that costs near $15,000 when you add on the available $9,000 19-inch carbon fiber wheels). But I knew this thing would be trouble once it hit dealers.

Dealers like Wade Ford in Smyrna, Georiga are selling the Dark Horse for GT500 money. Wade has a Dark Horse Premium in stock that normally has a MSRP of $68,220. But when you throw on a $22,713 markup for a total price of $90,933 like Wade has, the Mustang Dark Horse starts to look a little different. At near six figures, it becomes an expensive appearance package for the GT with 20 extra horsepower.

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Toyota’s hybrids are some of the hottest cars on the market right now. One of the last minivans on the market, the Sienna, is one of the hottest. Now that the people mover has gone hybrid, buyers can’t get enough of them. I’ve heard some dealers have six-eight month waiting lists for these things. And some dealers are trying to capitalize on the popularity by being greedy.

Roseville Toyota in Roseville, California is one of those dealers. Among the 14 Siennas the dealer has in stock is a loaded Sienna Platnium that has an MSRP of $58,325. You won’t pay that here, of course. With a $15,000 markup tacked on, you’ll be paying a Lexus-like $73,320 for this model. Worse yet, someone actually paid this, as the listing wears a “sale pending” label — and it’s not even at the dealer yet.

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Markups are bad, but they’re even worse when they’re tacked onto cars that are supposed to be affordble. Take what’s possibly one of the best, cheap new car buys on the market, the Chevy Trax. You can get one loaded for way under $30,000, like the top of the range Trax Activ and its $26,685 MSRP.

You won’t pay that at Greg Bell Chevrolet in Adrian, Michigan. It’s Trax Activ is listed with a $8,304 markup, bringing the price to $34,989. Who in their right mind would walk past the Equinoxes and Blazers on the lot to pay the same money for a smaller crossover?

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Subaru’s popular Crosstrek recently received a redesign as well as a new off-road Wilderness trim. It’s a pretty compelling crossover for someone wanting something that can actually handle a bit more than a dirt road.

Unfortunately the Crosstrek isn’t immune from the greed at dealers. Take Dalton Subaru in National City, California. Dalton has a 53 Crosstreks in stock, a nice amount. Among those is what looks to be the most expensive Crosstrek in the country right now. With a $10,156 markup, Dalton wants $43,352 for one of its Crosstreks. Worse yet, its not even a Wilderness trim, its a Crosstrek Sport that has an MSRP of $33,198.

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Nissan’s redesigned Z has been hit with some nasty markups from the moment it started to arrive at dealer lots. It’s probably one of the reasons why you still haven’t seen many on the road. Things got even worse when the Z NISMO debuted a few months ago.

It’s already the most expensive Z ever with its $69,900 MSRP. Jim Bass Nissan in San Angelo, Texas takes things to another level. Including a $20,000 markup, Jim Bass wants $89,900 for its Z NISMO.

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