BUYING A BRAND-NEW CAR HAS NEVER COST YOU SO MUCH?

The cost of duying a new car has gone through the roof over the past few years. We look into why, and offer ways for customers to minimise the price they have to pay

- Phil McNamara

BEEN browsing for a new car after a few years off and found yourself muttering: "How the hell did new cars get so expensive?!" Your incredulity is spot-on: over the past 10 years, the average list price of a new petrol car has soared from £27,035 to an eye-watering £45,218.

That's up 67 per cent, significantly more than general consumer price inflation and wage growth.

DUSTER, GOLF, PUMA: HOW MUCH HAVE NEW CARS RISEN BY?

IT'S not just petrol cars. The average retail price of hybrids has also risen, from £30,485 to £44,273 (up 45 per cent) in nine years according to research for Auto Express by expert analysts Cox Automotive, using CAP HPI data.

How does this increase play out for the more popular cars in the market? We asked Cox to crunch the numbers on a petrol-powered Dacia Duster, Ford Puma and Volkswagen Golf and a diesel Mercedes E-Class, taking one popular variant on consistent sale from 2016 to 2024.

Value-brand Dacia posted the highest percentage increase (28 per cent) but its low list price meant the monetary hike was contained to £4,197. Mercedes posted the biggest wallet impact - up £10,439 (22 per cent) - while VW boosted the Golf by £5,834 and Ford restricted the Puma's inflation to 12 per cent (£3,074).

The average RRP of diesel cars has increased too, but this is exaggerated by a structural shift: many mainstream car makers have stopped selling diesels, leaving the field to premium German car makers. Electric cars exist in their own niche.

What's behind the price hikes? Regulation, rising raw material costs, supply chain issues, changing consumer tastes and manufacturer line-ups - plus the Covid-19 pandemic.