Data shows the average selling price of a Hyundai Elantra has increased by a whopping 56% since this 2019 model was new.HyundaiNot only have all the sub-$20,000 models vanished from the new-car market, reports suggest it's getting increasingly difficult to find a decent used vehicle at that price point. According to data compiled by Edmunds.com, they now account for just nearly a third (31.8%) of all pre-owned vehicle sales, compared to more than half (55.2%) in 2019.With the average new-vehicle costing in excess of $50,000, an increasing number of cash-strapped shoppers are heading to the pre-owned end of a dealer's lot out of financial necessity, with the heightened demand and limited supply driving prices up to record levels.Though sales of larger trucks and SUVs are partially responsible for driving up the average cost of a new vehicle, no matter what the size, make and model, today's new-car shoppers are looking for more than just basic transportation in their daily drivers.AdvertisementAdvertisementA recent study conducted by the research company AutoPacific found that more than 47% of those surveyed want their next ride to include heated seats, with 45% needing parking sensors, 44% looking for rear emergency braking and 43% requiring a power driver's seat, lane change assist, night vision and active cruise control. These are all features that not long ago were limited to luxury cars.Fueled by a combination of consumer demand for ample amenities and automakers' financial stake in satisfying it, new-vehicle prices have skyrocketed over the past decade.While automakers are promising a return to more affordable – and more basic – models in coming model years like the $25,000 Slate full-electric pickup truck, whether well-equipped or not, the market dictates pre-owned pricing, with supply and demand calling the shots.According to Edmunds, the average used vehicle now costs a whopping $32,461, which is 15.5% higher than it was at mid-year 2021. That's forcing many shoppers to settle for older models with considerably more miles on the odometer. Those looking for a car in the $15,000-$20,000 range are finding their choices, on average, limited to six-year-old models having been driven 71,192 miles, versus 3.4 years and 41,851 miles in 2019.AdvertisementAdvertisementBack then, buyers in the $10,000-$15,000 price range were typically able to purchase a four-year-old unit driven an average 58,250 miles. Today it's only good enough to obtain one that's 8.7 years old with 98,222 miles on the clock.Biggest And Lowest Used-Car Price GainersA comparison of more than 11.4 million used-vehicle transactions conducted by the online used-car marketplace iSeeCars.com shows that the humble Hyundai Elantra leads all comers among the most popular pre-owned rides with a 56% transaction price escalation since 2019. Here's how the top 10 sellers have fared over the last seven years:Hyundai Elantra: $12,295-$19,178 (+56.0%)Kia Sportage: $16,312-$24,543 (+50.5%)Toyota Camry: $16,567 $24,829 (+49.9%)Honda Civic: $16,430-$23,771 (+44.7%)Ram 1500: $28,105-$40,060 (+42.5%)Honda CR-V: $20,677-$29,245 (+41.4%)Toyota RAV4: $20,825-$29,190 (+40.2%)Toyota Corolla: $14,301-$19,971 (+39.7%)Ford F-150: $31,497-$43,121 (+36.9%)GMC Sierra 1500: $33,542-$45,785 (+36.5%)The study also found that some used luxury models have registered the highest price ascent since 2019, topped by the Porsche Cayenne's whopping 75.7% increase, followed by the Porsche 911 (+74%), Mercedes-Benz G-Class (+72.8%), Mercedes-Benz E-Class (+68.3%) and the Acura TLX (+67.1%).AdvertisementAdvertisementFortunately for pre-owned-vehicle shoppers, not all models are seeing price upturns of that magnitude. Used models iSeeCars found to have the least-significant average price increases since 2019 are led by the Tesla Model X with a 17% drop. Here is the top 10 list of used models that have appreciated in price the least since 2019:Tesla Model X: $75,554-$62,689 (-17.0%)Land Rover Discovery Sport: $28,798-$28,118 (-2.4%)Mazda CX-9: $27,454-$27,825 (+1.3%)Tesla Model S: $57,256-$58,400 (+2.0%)Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: $31,630-$32,274 (+2.0%)Volvo XC90: $38,710-$39,782 (+2.8%)Nissan Murano: $23,519-$24,341 (+3.5%)Buick Envision: $25,868-$27,106 (+4.8%)Chevrolet Malibu: $16,153-$17,275 (+7.0%)Ford Edge: $22,450-$24,383 (+8.6%)(You can read the full results of the website's used-car price-tracking study here.)Fortunately, even those who are only able to shop for older and higher-mileage rides can take solace in the fact that today's vehicles are engineered to last longer than ever. Where models driven for 100,000 miles would have been considered junkyard fodder back in the 1960s and '70s, contemporary models can run for 200,000 or more miles if properly maintained.AdvertisementAdvertisementAt that, experts urge used-car shoppers in any price range to obtain a trusted mechanic's inspection before buying to assess its current condition and suggest what repairs might be necessary in the not-too-distant future.It's also prudent to obtain a vehicle history report from companies like Carfax and Experian's AutoCheck to track maintenance and repair-shop visits, look for open recalls, verify the odometer reading and chain of ownership and – importantly – to see if it's gotten into a serious wreck along the way and is being sold with a salvage title.This article was originally published on Forbes.com