Photo: Toyota
2022 has brought us “market-adjustment fees” added to the MSRP of the most popular vehicle models. While we expected the Chevy Corvette or the Ford Bronco to be among the most affected, it looks like Toyota dealers also want a piece of the pie.
For many years, Toyota was mocked as the maker of “white goods on wheels.” Although highly reliable, many Toyota models had a rather dull design, and the way they drove would not impress anyone. It was one of the reasons why people could buy a Toyota without worrying about dealer markups or “market-adjustment fees,” as they are usually called.
But times are changing, and Toyota has stepped up its design game. Its latest model, the Prius, impressed many people with its attractive looks. It was probably the first time someone would consider buying a Toyota because they liked how it looked. Nevertheless, many others wanted a Toyota because they loved how it drove, which was even harder to believe, even five years ago. With the GR line of performance cars, Toyota catered to enthusiasts, strengthening its brand image even more.
That’s why the GR Corolla, unlike other models in the perennial franchise, was quite a hard-to-get model, probably even more so than a Ford Bronco. We can say without remorse that the GR Corolla is one of the best hot hatches in the market, and customers noticed that, flocking to buy it. Of course, Toyota dealers thought this was their moment to squeeze some extra cash and rushed to seize it.
This has made the GR Corolla the best Toyota to buy right now and one of the most marked-up cars in the U.S., with up to $40,000 added to the sticker price. Considering that the Toyota GR Corolla starts at $36,995, this represents more than double the MSRP. You could buy a second Toyota for the money, and the Japanese carmaker has many models below that price point.
A quick look at the markups.org website revealed 13 reports of dealers marking up the GR Corolla, although there’s also a report for a zero markup. We suppose the dealer itself filed this. Otherwise, we don’t see the purpose of this report, considering the website title. Most reports show Toyota dealers marking up the GR Corolla between $15,000 and $20,000, although there are instances with smaller market fees. There is also one user who was quoted a ridiculous $40,000 above the MSRP, although they don’t offer any evidence to support the claim.
Although carmakers try their best to curb the trend (or so they claim), there are no legal means to limit dealers’ ability to set their selling prices. As long as people are willing to pay outrageous “market-adjustment fees” just to get on a waiting list, the dealer markups are here to stay. Because having a pile of cash now looks more important than having loyal customers for many years.
But times are changing, and Toyota has stepped up its design game. Its latest model, the Prius, impressed many people with its attractive looks. It was probably the first time someone would consider buying a Toyota because they liked how it looked. Nevertheless, many others wanted a Toyota because they loved how it drove, which was even harder to believe, even five years ago. With the GR line of performance cars, Toyota catered to enthusiasts, strengthening its brand image even more.
That’s why the GR Corolla, unlike other models in the perennial franchise, was quite a hard-to-get model, probably even more so than a Ford Bronco. We can say without remorse that the GR Corolla is one of the best hot hatches in the market, and customers noticed that, flocking to buy it. Of course, Toyota dealers thought this was their moment to squeeze some extra cash and rushed to seize it.
This has made the GR Corolla the best Toyota to buy right now and one of the most marked-up cars in the U.S., with up to $40,000 added to the sticker price. Considering that the Toyota GR Corolla starts at $36,995, this represents more than double the MSRP. You could buy a second Toyota for the money, and the Japanese carmaker has many models below that price point.
A quick look at the markups.org website revealed 13 reports of dealers marking up the GR Corolla, although there’s also a report for a zero markup. We suppose the dealer itself filed this. Otherwise, we don’t see the purpose of this report, considering the website title. Most reports show Toyota dealers marking up the GR Corolla between $15,000 and $20,000, although there are instances with smaller market fees. There is also one user who was quoted a ridiculous $40,000 above the MSRP, although they don’t offer any evidence to support the claim.
Although carmakers try their best to curb the trend (or so they claim), there are no legal means to limit dealers’ ability to set their selling prices. As long as people are willing to pay outrageous “market-adjustment fees” just to get on a waiting list, the dealer markups are here to stay. Because having a pile of cash now looks more important than having loyal customers for many years.
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