While many plan to buy a new car in 2022, the market won't necessarily be easier to navigate.
Experts at Edmunds say that there will be a slight increase in new car sales in 2022. Automakers expect to get more inventory, which will help align supply and demand.
"That means if automakers can produce more vehicles next year, then hopefully prices will start to go down, and maybe consumers will start seeing more incentives," said Jessica Caldwell, the executive director of insights at Edmunds.
Caldwell says new car prices will likely still be high for at least the first half of 2022. She adds that consumers shouldn't expect to see rebates on cars and that prices on used vehicles will also continue to rise.
"I think it's a direct offshoot of what's happening in the newer car market, because a lot of people are seeing high prices on the new car side, so they're thinking, 'Well, I'll just shop for a used vehicle.' But when so many people are doing it, it's really caused those used car prices to skyrocket as well," Caldwell said.
Experts say it's also possible that the U.S. sees more build-to-order cars. While the concept is popular in Europe, consumers in the U.S. typically want their car immediately. But as it becomes more difficult to find new cars, the build-to-order option may become more popular.
