According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for new vehicles were 254.89% higher in 2018 versus 1950 (a $5,097.85 difference in value).
Between 1950 and 2018: Vehicles experienced an average inflation rate of 1.88% per year. In other words, vehicles costing $2,000 in the year 1950 would cost $7,097.85 in 2018 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.51% during this same period, inflation for vehicles was lower.
In the year 1950: Pricing changed by 0.54%, which is below the average yearly change for vehicles during the 1950-2018 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1950 (1.10%), inflation for vehicles was lower.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Vehicles, over time, for $2,000 beginning in 1950. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
---|---|---|
1950 | $2,000.00 | 0.54% |
1951 | $2,103.83 | 5.19% |
1952 | $2,277.54 | 8.26% |
1953 | $2,292.76 | 0.67% |
1954 | $2,256.56 | -1.58% |
1955 | $2,177.43 | -3.51% |
1956 | $2,238.64 | 2.81% |
1957 | $2,355.47 | 5.22% |
1958 | $2,431.23 | 3.22% |
1959 | $2,534.99 | 4.27% |
1960 | $2,502.15 | -1.30% |
1961 | $2,501.77 | -0.01% |
1962 | $2,492.07 | -0.39% |
1963 | $2,477.14 | -0.60% |
1964 | $2,470.05 | -0.29% |
1965 | $2,415.93 | -2.19% |
1966 | $2,372.26 | -1.81% |
1967 | $2,394.28 | 0.93% |
1968 | $2,459.60 | 2.73% |
1969 | $2,499.53 | 1.62% |
1970 | $2,577.91 | 3.14% |
1971 | $2,682.04 | 4.04% |
1972 | $2,658.53 | -0.88% |
1973 | $2,659.28 | 0.03% |
1974 | $2,813.42 | 5.80% |
1975 | $3,056.02 | 8.62% |
1976 | $3,249.36 | 6.33% |
1977 | $3,421.79 | 5.31% |
1978 | $3,682.68 | 7.62% |
1979 | $3,974.92 | 7.94% |
1980 | $4,292.54 | 7.99% |
1981 | $4,554.55 | 6.10% |
1982 | $4,729.59 | 3.84% |
1983 | $4,846.04 | 2.46% |
1984 | $4,979.66 | 2.76% |
1985 | $5,145.75 | 3.34% |
1986 | $5,366.33 | 4.29% |
1987 | $5,549.96 | 3.42% |
1988 | $5,653.34 | 1.86% |
1989 | $5,781.73 | 2.27% |
1990 | $5,890.34 | 1.88% |
1991 | $6,112.79 | 3.78% |
1992 | $6,269.17 | 2.56% |
1993 | $6,440.49 | 2.73% |
1994 | $6,675.62 | 3.65% |
1995 | $6,839.10 | 2.45% |
1996 | $6,970.85 | 1.93% |
1997 | $6,999.22 | 0.41% |
1998 | $6,959.65 | -0.57% |
1999 | $6,931.66 | -0.40% |
2000 | $6,926.44 | -0.08% |
2001 | $6,895.08 | -0.45% |
2002 | $6,792.82 | -1.48% |
2003 | $6,688.69 | -1.53% |
2004 | $6,650.24 | -0.57% |
2005 | $6,691.30 | 0.62% |
2006 | $6,675.62 | -0.23% |
2007 | $6,611.08 | -0.97% |
2008 | $6,511.10 | -1.51% |
2009 | $6,580.47 | 1.07% |
2010 | $6,696.04 | 1.76% |
2011 | $6,884.20 | 2.81% |
2012 | $6,998.16 | 1.66% |
2013 | $7,073.43 | 1.08% |
2014 | $7,097.28 | 0.34% |
2015 | $7,139.01 | 0.59% |
2016 | $7,149.81 | 0.15% |
2017 | $7,132.08 | -0.25% |
2018 | $7,097.85 | -0.48% |
2019 | $7,124.41 | 0.37% |
2020 | $7,161.58 | 0.52% |
2021 | $7,580.80 | 5.85% |
2022 | $8,368.76 | 10.39% |
2023 | $8,680.19 | 3.72% |
2024 | $8,659.78 | -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 |