Out of their league? Six vehicles with shocking sticker prices.
If you鈥檙e not headed to the dealership intending to buy a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser, you might find it quite shocking to see that聽聽more than most of the Lexus lineup.
What the Land Cruiser, as well as a lot of聽聽that might seem priced unusually high, has is a well-respected badge and a storied reputation that together command a steep premium鈥攁nd arguably, a well earned one, to those fans.
鈥淏uild a rich history like that and you also have a rich brand image, brand value, and you鈥檙e willing to sell at very low volume, then you can command the聽,鈥� said Eric Lyman, VP of industry and insights for TrueCar, and affiliated residual and resale value authority ALG.
Shockingly high doesn't always mean overpriced
Some might see the Land Cruiser as shockingly high in its price鈥攎ore than $80,000鈥攜et it鈥檚 not overpriced. Looking at the very low level of discounting that happens at the dealership, as well as its top-notch resale values, it鈥檚 priced just right for what it is, within the market.
That also, for the most part, applies to the Jeep Wrangler. It鈥檚 a聽聽that, at $40k or more in some of its four-door Unlimited trims, seems shockingly high to those who think of it as an simple, basic truck. But there鈥檚 nothing else quite like it on the market today, and with values propped up, Wrangler fans have clearly decided it鈥檚 worth that.
鈥淭hey might be perceived as overpriced niche products, but they have some of the highest retained value聽because聽they鈥檙e niche vehicles,鈥� explained Lyman of the Land Cruiser and Wrangler. 鈥淪omeone who has no knowledge of the heritage isn鈥檛 going to see the value of this vehicle...but someone who鈥檚 followed them since they were young will want one."
Sticker shock takes on an entirely different meaning when it applies to an all-new model, like the Cadillac ELR, a model that鈥檚 both shockingly high in its sticker price and definitely overpriced for the market.
The plug-in hybrid luxury coupe starts at $75,995, and blows past $83k fully loaded.
For new models, first (pricing) impressions mean everything
At present, the ELR isn鈥檛 selling in the numbers anticipated. It鈥檚 not even selling, significantly discounted, in the numbers already produced. Based on the rate of sale so far, U.S. dealers have a gasp-inducing year of inventory sitting around.
鈥淚t probably is the most prominent example of an overpriced car that we鈥檝e seen, simply by looking at the inventory,鈥� said Lyman.
Lyman notes that getting a case like the ELR back on track is an extreme challenge for a brand. The ELR arrived just at the time when there was a recalibration in pricing for a number of electric cars and聽, and as gas prices weren鈥檛 as big of a concern as they鈥檇 been, perhaps, when the car was being developed. Product planners also grossly misjudged the value that shoppers would place in the powertrain.
If an聽聽strikes out on pricing in such a profound way, Lyman says that the best option isn鈥檛 to drop the price right away, but to wait until it can give the vehicle some kind of overhaul鈥攖hen push the revamped model out under the guise of being a better car, with increased value and features, at a lower price.
Will Cadillac save the ELR by repositioning it? That鈥檚 something we can鈥檛 yet answer, but click on to see six models that could seem very pricey if you鈥檙e not tuned into the fanbase or the marketing message.
Price:聽$75,995 (base), $83,130 (loaded) [2014]
Why it鈥檚 shockingly high:聽Because it鈥檚 more than double the price of the聽it鈥檚 based on, the Chevy Volt.
The Cadillac ELR is a personal-luxury coupe that also packs a green-conscious聽powertrain, allowing you to drive in all-electric mode for nearly 40 miles before the gasoline engine cycles on. We鈥檝e driven the ELR and like it, but whether Tesla comes up in the conversation or not, it鈥檚 tough justifying that $40,000 premium over the Volt, which has essentially the same powertrain and with a much more useful, versatile layout.
Price:聽$81,000 (base)
Why it鈥檚 shockingly high:聽Because it鈥檚 a Toyota with an $80,000+ price tag.
The Land Cruiser has been a relatively exclusive niche vehicle for decades, and with Toyota鈥檚 own Sequoia SUV offering a similar-sized package and truck-based underpinnings for about $35k less, it鈥檚 bound to stay that way. The Lexus LX 570 is essentially a version of the Land Cruiser with an more lavish interior and the superior dealership network and ownership experience, and it starts at less than a $3,000 premium to the Land Cruiser, but that鈥檚 meaningless to most Land Cruiser buyers, who want one based on the hard-earned, long-running heritage of the badge.
Price:聽$50,225 (Touring聽听础耻迟辞尘补迟颈肠)
Why it鈥檚 shockingly high:聽Haven鈥檛 we been here before?
The Nissan 370Z 鈥榬eturned鈥� in to the market 12 years ago to a market position that was supposed to break free of the lower-sales, higher-price territory that eventually doomed its 300ZX predecessor. We鈥檙e curious to see if Nissan goes back to basics with the next-generation 鈥榋鈥� because it鈥檚 again become a quite expensive grand-touring machine in some trims鈥攚hile lacking the refinement that should come with such a聽聽tag, we think. 370Z sales have dropped on a year-over-year basis for four consecutive years, up to this past year, as well鈥攁nother indication that a new pricing strategy might work.
Price:聽$45,480 (base); $62,345 (TDI Executive)
Why it鈥檚 shockingly high:聽Because it鈥檚 priced $10k or more above comparably sized, comparably equipped crossovers.
The VW Toureg has been arguably misunderstood since day one, and that鈥檚 part of the reason why there鈥檚 a more affordable mid-size crossover on the way next year. Volkswagen鈥檚 upscale SUV starts at $45,480 for its base V-6 gasoline model, but the models that are more shocking are the higher-trim versions with TDI diesel and hybrid powertrains under the hood. The Touareg Hybrid starts at $65,655鈥攎ore than $10k above the price of a top-of-the-line Audi Q7 TDI Prestige, or an Audi Q5 Hybrid.
Price:聽$36,200 (base); $47,650 (fully optioned); $60,099 (loaded with official accessories)
Why it鈥檚 shockingly high:聽It underscores how inflated MINI pricing can be鈥攅ven next to聽luxury聽counterpart BMW
We have trouble understanding, or stomaching, the聽聽tag on this top-of-the-line member of the 2015 MINI Cooper lineup. Load it up with the works (City Pack, Cold Weather Package, Technology Package, panoramic sunroof, navigation), and the bottom-line price adds up to $47,650, according to MINI鈥檚 consumer site. That's already within a couple grand of the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG. And when we outfitted it with what we鈥檇 consider a perfectly reasonable set of MINI accessories (including the extra-cost JCW aero kit and trim, black driving lamps, a roof basket and bike carrier), we ran the price up to an absolutely insane $60,099.
Price:聽$40,890 (Rubicon Hard Rock)
Why it鈥檚 shockingly high:聽Because it鈥檚 a Wrangler, and aren鈥檛 they simple and a little crude?
Yes, we do remember when the Jeep Wrangler seemed quite affordable. But in recent years its prices have crept up. And perhaps emboldening Jeep鈥檚 pricing strategy is that, with the Hummer H3 long gone and the Toyota FJ now discontinued, it鈥檚 the only pick for those who want the iconic, retro-styled Wrangler鈥攁nd not a luxury-badged聽聽that might look out of place dusty and dirty.
For 2015, the Wrangler Unlimited Hard Rock edition, optioned with the聽and items like the body-color hard top, tow package, the lower axle ratio, Uconnect infotainment, front seat side airbags (yes, they鈥檙e optional), and automatic climate control, altogether nudges $47k. Make some accessory choices and you could hit the $50k ceiling. It鈥檚 steep, but to serious off-road enthusiasts, the Wrangler鈥檚 worth it.
