With the average transaction price of a new vehicle in the U.S. now topping $50,000, a growing number of shoppers are having no choice but to instead turn to the pre-owned market. The heightened demand is fueling the current rise in used-car prices to the limits of affordability, with the number of sub-$20,000 models on the market dwindling rapidly.
According to the online vehicle marketplace iSeeCars.com, the average pre-owned model is now going for a staggering $32,561. That’s 32% higher than in pre-pandemic 2019.
And while electric vehicles have lost their luster in the new-vehicle market, sales – and prices – are surging among used models. Pre-owned EV prices are up by 7.4% over the past year, says iSeeCars, and stand at an average $33,305 per unit.
However, the site reports that Tesla prices in particular are beating the market, with all four models among the top 10 used cars with the biggest price bumps since summer 2025. The Model X SUV leads all comers at an average transaction price approaching $61,000:
- Tesla Model X: $60,950 (+17.5%)
- BMW X2: $33,956 (+17.4%)
- MINI Countryman: $30,535 (+16.1%)
- Ford Mustang Convertible: $32,524 (+14.1%)
- Tesla Model 3: $28,520 (+13.5%)
- Alfa Romeo Giulia: $30,320 (+13.4%)
- Tesla Model S: $52,787 (+13.1%)
- Honda Pilot: $37,301 (+12.6%)
- Tesla Model Y: $32,916 (+12.0%)
- Lexus ES 300h: $43,057 (+11.3%)
Not only that, even wrecked Tesla prices are going through the roof, reports the global vehicle auction firm A Better Bid. The company’s data shows the median auction cost of a totaled Tesla is currently at an eye-popping $10,700. That’s nearly triple the industry average and represents a seven-fold increase in value since 2019.
And this comes at a time when the inventory of wrecked Tesla models is saturating salvage yards, concurrent with the past years’ upswing in new-model sales. Back in 2019 they reportedly accounted for just 0.31% of all salvaged listings, while during the first half of 2016 they jumped to 2.34% of reported inventory, according to the auction house.
The rising cost of wrecked Tesla models is being fueled by a world-wide demand among repair shops and rebuilders for the EVs’ components. Most coveted are the battery modules, electric drive systems and assorted high-tech electronic components that are astoundingly costly to replace with brand-new units.
Reports peg the cost of replacing a damaged or depleted Tesla battery pack with a brand-new one at between $12,000 and $25,000 depending on the model and where it’s serviced. An independent repair shop can reportedly cut that cost to around $6,000-$15,000 using a remanufactured unit harvested from a salvaged Tesla. The cost can drop even further – down to approximately $1,500-$6,000 – if the shop is able to replace only the faulty battery cells or modules.
For better or worse, wrecked Teslas are often suitable for a complete restoration in the proper hands and are subsequently resold, albeit with salvage title branding. This notes that the vehicle was severely damaged in a wreck and was deemed a total loss by an insurance company. Since this status often has implications regarding registration and insurance eligibility depending on state laws, astute used-car buyers should always obtain a vehicle history report from title search companies like Carfax and Experian’s AutoCheck before buying.
