(September 8, 2021) ATLANTA — New-car shoppers may be surprised this month to find themselves paying over sticker price for some of the most popular vehicles right now, according to a recent report from Autotrader. The laws of supply and demand are clearly at play in the current car-shopping environment, as the global microchip shortage and resulting automaker production delays continue to affect dealer inventories.

Several popular, hard-to-find models currently have even harder to find deals, and buyers are paying well over MSRP as a result. After examining the latest data, Autotrader recently named the Toughest Twenty: 20 new vehicles consistently selling above full retail price.

"Many car shoppers are in for a surprise right now — if they can find the model they are looking for at the dealership, they may have to pay more for it than expected," said Brian Moody, executive editor for Autotrader. "In these unusual times, Autotrader's consistent advice for deal-hunting car shoppers is to look for a sedan, hatchback or wagon. On the flip side, SUVs, trucks and even minivans are very popular right now, and they are in low supply. Chances are high that shoppers will have to pay more for the exact vehicle they want."

While some vehicles on Autotrader's Toughest Twenty list hail from luxury automakers for which buyers may expect to pay a premium, most of the vehicles are from mainstream/non-luxury manufacturers. Retail prices on these vehicles can range from under $15,000 to well over $100,000, so the possibility of paying above sticker price is an equal opportunity regardless of budget or spending power.