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“Prices are going to shoot up now,” one shopper said. But some dealers said that economic concerns might be keeping people away.
By Neal E. Boudette and Mark Bonamo
Neal Boudette covers the car industry from Detroit. For this story, Neal, Mark Bonamo and several other reporters fanned out to dealerships in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Michigan and Illinois.
March 29, 2025, 6:07 p.m. ET
Ziggy Duchnowski spent Saturday morning car shopping along Northern Boulevard in Queens with two goals in mind.
He wanted to find a new small car for his wife, and he hoped to strike a deal before the new tariffs that President Trump is imposing on imported cars and trucks affect prices.
“The word on the street is prices are going to shoot up now,” said Mr. Duchnowski, 45, a union carpenter who voted for Mr. Trump, holding the hands of his two small children.
The tariffs — 25 percent on vehicles and parts produced outside the United States — will have a broad impact on the North American auto industry. They are supposed to go into effect on April 3 and are sure to raise the prices of new cars and trucks.
They will also force automakers to adjust their North American manufacturing operations and scramble to find ways to cut costs to offset the tariffs. And for now at least, they are spurring some consumers to buy vehicles before sticker prices jump.
Analysts estimate that the tariffs will significantly increase the prices of new vehicles, adding a few thousand dollars for entry-level models to $10,000 or more for high-end cars and trucks. Higher prices for new vehicles are also likely to nudge used-car prices higher.
