Is it still possible to find a new car that's not too expensive?
Prices have increased by 6% in one year.
The cause is electronics and security, which are weighing more and more on prices.
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When you walked through the doors of this dealership, you probably weren't expecting this. Here is the new vehicle, the cheapest. “Today, a first price starts at 18,000 euros on a small city car. Whereas before, you could find cars at 12,000 euros, 13,000 euros and a few years ago”says in the TF1 1 p.m. video, Fabrice Le Sciellour, sales director at Technic auto services in Mareil-Marly (Yvelines). And that goes for all models. The Dacia Sandero, for example, the cheapest on the market, cost 8,690 euros in 2020. It is more than 12,000 euros today.
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How to explain this increase? It is partly due to this myriad of new equipment for greater safety. A front camera to anticipate braking, sensors to ensure that the driver keeps his hands on the wheel or a radar capable of alerting you to excessive speed. On board, it's hard not to notice them. “As soon as you pass the other lane. You have a light that comes on and then the steering wheel comes back online.” explains an expert in the video at the top of this article. It is now an obligation on board every new vehicle, but it is not really unanimous. “What’s annoying is all the alarms that systematically go off. I don’t see the point,” criticizes a motorist.
Isabelle is reassured when buying the first car for one of her children: “I prefer my son’s safety. Careless mistakes happen very quickly.” And this is particularly why manufacturers are offering increasingly expensive cars. “It's not nothing. It’s 500, 600 euros more per vehicle. When you take an entry-level vehicle, it can represent 4.5% of the price. So, it's far from negligible.” says Eric Champarnaud, automotive expert. So much so that some brands decide to remove these entry-level cars from their catalog. With these new standards, no more Renault Twingos, Mitsubishi Spaces or Suzuki Inis. At this price, today, only models of cars without a license remain.
