Negative Equity Leaves 30 Percent of Car Buyers Underwater on TradeIns

BusinessThe average amount owed on trade-ins in the fourth quarter was a record $7,214.A Honda dealer in Carlsbad, Calif, on May 16, 2025. Jane Yang/The Epoch TimesAndrew Moran3/30/2026|Updated: 3/30/20260:00Almost one-third of American car buyers with a trade-in owe more than the vehicle is worth, new industry data show.About 30.5 percent of buyers trading in a car toward a new vehicle maintained negative equity, according to a JD Power report released on March 26.