U.S. automakers set the terms on vehicle affordability. They absorbed pandemic-era price surges, navigated supply chain chaos, and pledged to protect customers from forces beyond their control. But something has shifted.
Despite consumers largely blaming external factors – 57% point to inflation and materials costs, 45% to tariffs – the reputational burden is falling on automakers anyway. Trust is eroding. A majority don’t believe they’re getting the full story on pricing. And 84% of Americans now say that even when cost increases are driven by outside forces, automakers are still responsible for protecting their customers.
“Consumers aren’t absolving automakers just because the cause is external. They’re watching how companies respond – and silence reads as complicity. When you pass along costs without explanation, you don’t just lose a sale. You lose the trust that makes your next price point believable.” – Gregory Paratore, Vice President, Automotive, The Harris Poll
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Find out more about how American consumers are responding to rising auto costs and what automakers should do next.
