Vehicles price history from 1984 through 2019

Vehicles Inflation Calculator

Prices for Vehicles, 1984-2019 ($500)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for new vehicles were 43.07% higher in 2019 versus 1984 (a $215.33 difference in value).

Between 1984 and 2019: Vehicles experienced an average inflation rate of 1.03% per year. In other words, vehicles costing $500 in the year 1984 would cost $715.33 in 2019 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 2.61% during this same period, inflation for vehicles was lower.

Price Inflation for New vehicles since 1984

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1986 (4.27%), 1991 (3.79%), and 1994 (3.67%).

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for New vehicles:

Year	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
CPI	102.633	106.067	110.600	114.367	116.500	119.200	121.400	126.000	129.200	132.733	137.600	140.967	143.700	144.267	143.433	142.867	142.767	142.133	140.000	137.867	137.067	137.933	137.600	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	147.253

View price changes for other categories
New cars · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Women's apparel · Chicago, Illinois · More

Buying power of $500 since 1984

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Vehicles, over time, for $500 beginning in 1984. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1984	$500.00	-
1985	$516.73	3.35%
1986	$538.81	4.27%
1987	$557.16	3.41%
1988	$567.55	1.87%
1989	$580.71	2.32%
1990	$591.43	1.85%
1991	$613.84	3.79%
1992	$629.43	2.54%
1993	$646.64	2.73%
1994	$670.35	3.67%
1995	$686.75	2.45%
1996	$700.06	1.94%
1997	$702.83	0.39%
1998	$698.77	-0.58%
1999	$696.01	-0.40%
2000	$695.52	-0.07%
2001	$692.43	-0.44%
2002	$682.04	-1.50%
2003	$671.65	-1.52%
2004	$667.75	-0.58%
2005	$671.97	0.63%
2006	$670.35	-0.24%
2007	$663.79	-0.98%
2008	$653.75	-1.51%
2009	$660.72	1.07%
2010	$672.32	1.76%
2011	$691.21	2.81%
2012	$702.66	1.66%
2013	$710.21	1.08%
2014	$712.61	0.34%
2015	$716.80	0.59%
2016	$717.89	0.15%
2017	$716.10	-0.25%
2018	$712.67	-0.48%
2019	$715.33	0.37%
2020	$717.37	0.29%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.

How to calculate the inflation rate for vehicles, 1984-2019

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2019 / CPI in 1984 * 1984 USD value = 2019 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for New vehicles was 102.633 in the year 1984 and 146.834 in 2019:

146.834 / 102.633 * $500 = $715.33

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $500 in 1984 has the same "purchasing power" as $715.33 in 2019 (in the CPI category of New vehicles).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for New vehicles in 1984. In addition to vehicles, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.