2027 cars are rolling in slower than usual. That's good news for 2026 buyers.

At the end of August, just 12.4% of new-vehicle inventory in the United States was 2027 model-year, according to CarGurus data shared with Business Insider. That compares with roughly one-quarter of dealership inventory at the same point in each of the past three years. Kevin Roberts, CarGurus' director of economic and market intelligence, said the transition resembles the period from 2020 through 2022 when the industry faced Covid-era assembly-line shutdowns and chip shortages. Analysts say the slower model-year switch could help patient shoppers find a deal on a 2026 model later this fall.

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