For years, car pricing was driven by what sat under the hood or behind the dashboard. New features, upgraded trims, and refreshed designs were the clearest signals of value. But right now, that equation feels different. In today’s market, timing is quietly doing more of the work than features ever could. Buyers are starting to notice that two nearly identical vehicles can be priced very differently—not because one is better equipped, but because one happens to arrive at the right moment.