According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for new vehicles were 620.62% higher in 2018 versus 1935 (a $43,443.69 difference in value).
Between 1935 and 2018: Vehicles experienced an average inflation rate of 2.41% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, vehicles costing $7,000 in the year 1935 would cost $50,443.69 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.56% during this same period, inflation for vehicles was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Vehicles, over time, for $7,000 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
---|---|---|
1935 | $7,000.00 | - |
1936 | $7,034.48 | 0.49% |
1937 | $7,172.41 | 1.96% |
1938 | $7,517.24 | 4.81% |
1939 | $7,344.83 | -2.29% |
1940 | $7,379.31 | 0.47% |
1941 | $7,931.03 | 7.48% |
1942 | $7,931.03 | 0.00% ** |
1943 | $7,931.03 | 0.00% ** |
1944 | $7,931.03 | 0.00% ** |
1945 | $7,931.03 | 0.00% ** |
1946 | $7,931.03 | 0.00% ** |
1947 | $11,896.55 | 50.00% |
1948 | $12,958.62 | 8.93% |
1949 | $14,137.93 | 9.10% |
1950 | $14,213.79 | 0.54% |
1951 | $14,951.72 | 5.19% |
1952 | $16,186.21 | 8.26% |
1953 | $16,294.43 | 0.67% |
1954 | $16,037.14 | -1.58% |
1955 | $15,474.80 | -3.51% |
1956 | $15,909.81 | 2.81% |
1957 | $16,740.05 | 5.22% |
1958 | $17,278.51 | 3.22% |
1959 | $18,015.92 | 4.27% |
1960 | $17,782.49 | -1.30% |
1961 | $17,779.84 | -0.01% |
1962 | $17,710.88 | -0.39% |
1963 | $17,604.77 | -0.60% |
1964 | $17,554.38 | -0.29% |
1965 | $17,169.76 | -2.19% |
1966 | $16,859.42 | -1.81% |
1967 | $17,015.92 | 0.93% |
1968 | $17,480.11 | 2.73% |
1969 | $17,763.93 | 1.62% |
1970 | $18,320.95 | 3.14% |
1971 | $19,061.01 | 4.04% |
1972 | $18,893.90 | -0.88% |
1973 | $18,899.20 | 0.03% |
1974 | $19,994.69 | 5.80% |
1975 | $21,718.83 | 8.62% |
1976 | $23,092.84 | 6.33% |
1977 | $24,318.30 | 5.31% |
1978 | $26,172.41 | 7.62% |
1979 | $28,249.34 | 7.94% |
1980 | $30,506.63 | 7.99% |
1981 | $32,368.70 | 6.10% |
1982 | $33,612.73 | 3.84% |
1983 | $34,440.32 | 2.46% |
1984 | $35,389.92 | 2.76% |
1985 | $36,570.29 | 3.34% |
1986 | $38,137.93 | 4.29% |
1987 | $39,442.97 | 3.42% |
1988 | $40,177.72 | 1.86% |
1989 | $41,090.19 | 2.27% |
1990 | $41,862.07 | 1.88% |
1991 | $43,442.97 | 3.78% |
1992 | $44,554.38 | 2.56% |
1993 | $45,771.88 | 2.73% |
1994 | $47,442.97 | 3.65% |
1995 | $48,604.77 | 2.45% |
1996 | $49,541.11 | 1.93% |
1997 | $49,742.71 | 0.41% |
1998 | $49,461.54 | -0.57% |
1999 | $49,262.60 | -0.40% |
2000 | $49,225.46 | -0.08% |
2001 | $49,002.65 | -0.45% |
2002 | $48,275.86 | -1.48% |
2003 | $47,535.81 | -1.53% |
2004 | $47,262.60 | -0.57% |
2005 | $47,554.38 | 0.62% |
2006 | $47,442.97 | -0.23% |
2007 | $46,984.27 | -0.97% |
2008 | $46,273.69 | -1.51% |
2009 | $46,766.68 | 1.07% |
2010 | $47,588.09 | 1.76% |
2011 | $48,925.31 | 2.81% |
2012 | $49,735.20 | 1.66% |
2013 | $50,270.11 | 1.08% |
2014 | $50,439.60 | 0.34% |
2015 | $50,736.21 | 0.59% |
2016 | $50,812.94 | 0.15% |
2017 | $50,686.98 | -0.25% |
2018 | $50,443.69 | -0.48% |
2019 | $50,632.41 | 0.37% |
2020 | $50,896.63 | 0.52% |
2021 | $53,875.99 | 5.85% |
2022 | $59,475.92 | 10.39% |
2023 | $61,689.23 | 3.72% |
2024 | $61,544.14 | -0.24%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for New vehicles:
Year | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
CPI | 20.300 | 20.400 | 20.800 | 21.800 | 21.300 | 21.400 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 23.000 | 34.500 | 37.580 | 41.000 | 41.220 | 43.360 | 46.940 | 47.254 | 46.508 | 44.877 | 46.138 | 48.546 | 50.108 | 52.246 | 51.569 | 51.562 | 51.362 | 51.054 | 50.908 | 49.792 | 48.892 | 49.346 | 50.692 | 51.515 | 53.131 | 55.277 | 54.792 | 54.808 | 57.985 | 62.985 | 66.969 | 70.523 | 75.900 | 81.923 | 88.469 | 93.869 | 97.477 | 99.877 | 102.631 | 106.054 | 110.600 | 114.385 | 116.515 | 119.162 | 121.400 | 125.985 | 129.208 | 132.738 | 137.585 | 140.954 | 143.669 | 144.254 | 143.438 | 142.862 | 142.754 | 142.108 | 140.000 | 137.854 | 137.062 | 137.908 | 137.585 | 136.254 | 134.194 | 135.623 | 138.005 | 141.883 | 144.232 | 145.783 | 146.275 | 147.135 | 147.358 | 146.992 | 146.287 | 146.834 | 147.600 | 156.240 | 172.480 | 178.899 | 178.478 |