CARMEL, Ind. -

Trucks and SUVs are designed to carry a variety of things, from flea market finds to raw materials for countless projects.

And apparently those units carried overall wholesale price movements in September, too.

According to KAR Global Analytical Services’ monthly analysis of wholesale used-vehicle prices by vehicle model class, overall prices in September averaged $11,155. That figure is 0.8% lower compared to August but 1.6% higher relative to September of last year.

“Average wholesale prices in September fell relative to August but remained up on a year-over-year basis,” KAR Global chief economist Tom Kontos said. “The year-over-year price growth was again due to the strength and growing share of truck-segment sales, as car prices fell on a monthly and annual basis. 

“Declines on both a month-over-month and year-over-year basis were concentrated in the car segments,” he continued in the latest edition of the Kontos Kommentary released late on Friday afternoon.

As he regularly does, Kontos examined late-model midsize sedans as well as midsize CUV/SUVs. He found that when holding constant for sale type, model-year age, mileage and model class segment — using criteria that characterize off-lease units — prices were fairly flat on a year-over-year basis for both midsize cars and midsize SUV/CUVs.

Prices for those particular cars softened by $57 or 0.5% year-over-year in September to settle at $12,241, while prices for those specific SUV/CUVs ticked up $82 or 0.4% to $20,717.

Looking at other segments of the September data, Kontos also mentioned average wholesale prices for used vehicles remarketed by manufacturers were down 3.5% month-over-month but up 3.6% year-over-year. 

He noted prices for fleet/lease consignors dropped 1.6% sequentially but rose 0.9% annually.

Kontos went on to point out average prices for dealer consignors dropped 2.4% versus August and 1.9% relative to September of last year.

ADESA Wholesale Used-Vehicle Price Trends
   Average  Price  ($/Unit)  Latest  Month Versus
   September 2019  August 2019  September 2018  Prior Month  Prior Year
           
 Total All Vehicles  $11,155  $11,244  $10,981  -0.8%  1.6%
           
 Total Cars  $8,356  $8,465  $8,617  -1.3%  -3.0%
 Compact Car  $6,403  $6,530  $6,533  -1.9%  -2.0%
 Midsize Car  $7,231  $7,312  $7,491  -1.1%  -3.5%
 Full-size Car  $7,667  $7,592  $7,655  1.0%  0.2%
 Luxury Car  $12,934  $13,080  $13,380  -1.1%  -3.3%
 Sporty Car  $14,137  $14,219  $14,327  -0.6%  -1.3%
           
 Total Trucks  $13,272  $13,382  $12,949  -0.8%  2.5%
 Minivan  $8,197  $8,118  $8,314  1.0%  -1.4%
 Full-size Van  $13,934  $13,748  $13,365  1.4%  4.3%
 Compact SUV/CUV  $10,990  $10,923  $10,781  0.6%  1.9%
 Midsize SUV/CUV  $11,717  $11,548  $11,144  1.5%  5.1%
 Full-size SUV/CUV  $14,381  $14,248  $13,941  0.9%  3.2%
 Luxury SUV/CUV  $18,358  $18,465  $18,285  -0.6%  0.4%
 Compact Pickup  $11,083  $11,080  $9,981  0.0%  11.0%
 Full-size Pickup  $16,528  $17,061  $16,317  -3.1%  1.3%

Source: ADESA Analytical Services.