Hyundai Elantra Transaction Prices Higher Than Average

The average Elantra is selling for more than $1,500 above an average Corolla and more than $500 over the average Civic.

This is surprising, because a main reason shoppers consider the Elantra in the first place is due to its lower entry price.

The problem is that the Elantra has become too successful. There's more demand than supply, which results in less wiggle room when it comes to negotiating price. There are some dealers who are selling these at full MSRP, and some are bold enough to even put an additional dealer markup on top of that.

Car shoppers need to realize there are two prices when it comes to vehicles. The official manufacturer price, and the actual transaction price. Just because a vehicle has a low entry price doesn't mean you're going to get a better deal on it than the competition.

You need to be aware of how the demand affects the price that you'll ultimately have to pay. As always, my advice is to test-drive and cross-shop as many vehicles as you can, and get a good feel for the types of prices you will realistically have to pay. Only then can you make a fair comparison and see which vehicle offers you the best deal.

Use the CarWoo negotiation service to see real prices that dealers are willing to negotiate on the vehicle of your choice.