(Stacker) – As luxury-brand vehicles continue to swell the market, the average price for a new car in the U.S. has modestly declined, signaling an increased desire for consumer affordability after average vehicle prices hit record highs in 2022.

Only 9 out of 275 new car models had an average transaction price below $25,000 in February 2024, according to Kelley Blue Book.

This is a sharp contrast to three years ago when 29 different vehicles routinely held average transaction prices below that benchmark.

Affordability will be key to first-time buyers as auto loan interest rates and car insurance costs remain high.

Electric vehicles have also continued to gain popularity across the U.S. in 2023. The Tesla Model Y was the bestselling vehicle in seven states last year, while EV sales grew 60% in the United States from 2022.

Meanwhile, full-sized trucks and SUVs continued to dominate as the top-selling vehicles in the majority of the country.

To help analyze the auto market landscape, Cheap Insurance compiled a ranking of the bestselling cars in Arizona using 2023 data from Edmunds based on a national analysis.

Cars were ranked based on the number of new vehicle registrations to individuals in 2023. (Edmunds doesn’t provide this exact metric, but the ranking is based on IHS Markit data collected through 2023.)

The price range reflects the base MSRP for various trim levels, not including options or fees. Combined fuel economy is based on a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving.

Cost-to-drive estimates are based on 15,000 miles per year using each car’s combined miles per gallon and energy estimates of $3.42 per gallon of regular unleaded gas.

For EVs, cost-to-drive estimates are based on 15,000 miles per year as well as the vehicle’s energy consumption and the cost of electricity per kWh.

The U.S. average cost of electricity for February 2024 ($.173 per kWh, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics) was used in these calculations. Data is for 2024 models where available and 2023 models in cases where it was not.

#5. Honda CR-V

• Combined MPG: 30 miles per gallon
• Cost to drive: $139/mo
• Price range: $29,500 – $40,200

#4. Toyota RAV4

• Combined MPG: 30 miles per gallon
• Cost to drive: $140/mo
• Price range: $28,675 – $38,380

#3. Tesla Model Y

• EV range: Data not available
• Cost to drive: Data not available
• Price range: $43,990 – $52,490

#2. Chevrolet Silverado

• Combined MPG: 20 miles per gallon
• Cost to drive: $216/mo
• Price range: $42,500 – $69,900

#1. Ford F-Series

• Combined MPG: 20 miles per gallon
• Cost to drive: $216/mo
• Price range: $43,515 – $77,980

This story features data reporting and writing by Karim Noorani and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

This story originally appeared on Cheap Insurance and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.

Copyright 2024 Stacker via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Arizona Cardinals add a safety from Texas Tech with their first pick on day three in Dadrion Taylor-Demerson.

From Dane Brugler’s “The Beast”:

Outstanding straight-line speed to unlock and go with an invisible jetpack … terrific range to make plays at the numbers after starting center-cut … ball skills are solid and takes advantage of passes thrown right at him (above-average ball production) … plays with widescreen vision and a developed feel for route combinations … makes up for wasted steps with his foot quickness … has tackling toughness and is at his best when he keeps his pads low… Taylor-Demerson lined up as a free safety in defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter’s 3-3-5 scheme, playing to the field side in two-high looks. An All-State running back in high school, he moved to defense for the first time in his life at Texas Tech and developed into a rangy ballhawk, leading the Red Raiders in interceptions each of the last three seasons. With his field speed, Taylor-Demerson (who goes by his nickname “Rabbit”) covers a lot of ground, anticipates routes well and naturally plays the football.

A slightly inexperienced safety who had 33 passes defensed and 10 intercetions his final three seasons at Texas Tech.

Taylor-Demerson is another elite, freak athlete and his time as a running back shows in his physical style of play.

This is an exciting addition to the Arizona Cardinals roster.

Welcome to the desert, Dadrion.

• Scottsdale, Arizona, has become a popular destination for luxury travelers.
• The Phoenician and Hermosa Inn are among Arizona’s top luxury hotel offerings.
• I stayed in both and had two completely different experiences.

Arizona is a hot spot for luxury travelers.

The state is known for its award-winning travel offerings, from high-end resorts and spas to pristine golf courses and awe-inspiring desert landscapes, Condé Nast Traveler reported in 2023.

This is especially true in Scottsdale.

In 2022, the city outside Phoenix hosted roughly 11 million tourists, from day trippers to overnight visitors, who spent a total of $3.2 billion, according to the city’s Tourism and Events department.

I recently visited the Southwest desert town and stayed at two of Arizona’s four-star top hotels — The Phoenician in Scottsdale and the Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, a nearby town known as “the Beverly Hills of Arizona.”

The Phoenician was named “Arizona’s Leading Resort” in the 2023 World Travel Awards. It also received the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Award in 2024 for the 22nd time in a row, according to the hotel’s website.

Meanwhile, the Hermosa Inn is a boutique establishment that Travel + Leisure named the best hotel in Arizona in 2023.

I had top-tier VIP experiences at both establishments, but the vibes at each couldn’t have been more different. Ultimately, I think they were made for two different vacations.