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The current state of vehicle pricing is nearly surreal. The average new vehicle now exceeds $50,000, with electric vehicles averaging over $58,000. For instance, the latest Ford F-150, a staple pickup in America, can now cost over $70,000, and a high-end Bronco Raptor hits around $103,000. Full-size SUVs like the Ford Expedition can reach close to $95,000. This escalation has happened even as the average salary increase remains modest—only around 7-10% since 2019—far behind the inflation in vehicle prices.