If you spend any amount of time perusing new car prices in the United States, it should be pretty clear that typical prices for economy sedan cars are around $2

If you spend any amount of time perusing new car prices in the United States, it should be pretty clear that typical prices for economy sedan cars are around $22k-$30k, with $30k and more typically being the higher tier trims of economy sedan car models. So $40k is clearly not the right comparison. And it should be pretty obvious why that average is misleadingly high: it includes pickup trucks, minivans, vans, SUVs, and sports cars.