For most San Bernardino shoppers, a current 2026 model is the stronger buy when the incoming 2027 version carries only minor updates, because outgoing model years usually come with better selection of remaining stock and the manufacturer support that tends to concentrate on units already on the ground. Waiting for a 2027 makes more sense when the nameplate is getting a real redesign, a new powertrain, or a safety or technology feature you actually want. The changeover window is the one stretch of the year you can compare them honestly instead of guessing. You can see what is on the lot right now in the new inventory at Moss Bros. Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram San Bernardino.
What actually changes from one model year to the next
A new model year is not automatically a new vehicle. Most of the time, the changeover brings one or more of the following: a trim shuffle, where equipment moves between trim levels or a package becomes a standalone trim; new paint colors and interior combinations; a technology refresh, usually infotainment or driver assistance; and a revised price sheet. Those are meaningful, but they are not transformative.
Every few years, a nameplate gets a genuine redesign instead: new platform, new sheet metal, new interior, sometimes a new powertrain lineup. That is the changeover worth waiting for, and it is the one that changes the math on trade-in value down the road.
The practical move is to check what is changing on the specific model you want, not on the lineup in general. One Jeep or Ram nameplate can be untouched for a model year while another gets a full redesign in the same season. Our model research pages are a good starting point for comparing configurations before you drive anything.
Every few years, a nameplate gets a genuine redesign instead: new platform, new sheet metal, new interior, sometimes a new powertrain lineup. That is the changeover worth waiting for, and it is the one that changes the math on trade-in value down the road.
The practical move is to check what is changing on the specific model you want, not on the lineup in general. One Jeep or Ram nameplate can be untouched for a model year while another gets a full redesign in the same season. Our model research pages are a good starting point for comparing configurations before you drive anything.
Why the previous model year gets attention in the Inland Empire
When the next model year begins shipping, the outgoing year becomes the inventory a dealership is actively working to move. That is not a knock on the vehicle. A 2026 truck built in the spring is the same truck it was in the spring, with the same factory warranty coverage and the same service schedule it always had.
What changes is the posture around it. Manufacturer programs tend to focus on the model year that is winding down, and the remaining units are finite, which means the specific cab configuration, drivetrain, or color you want can disappear without warning. Ask our team which previous model year units are still on the ground, and check the manufacturer incentives page for current program details on Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles, which is where the real numbers live and where they stay current.
What changes is the posture around it. Manufacturer programs tend to focus on the model year that is winding down, and the remaining units are finite, which means the specific cab configuration, drivetrain, or color you want can disappear without warning. Ask our team which previous model year units are still on the ground, and check the manufacturer incentives page for current program details on Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles, which is where the real numbers live and where they stay current.
When buying a 2026 model is the smarter call
Buy the 2026 if any of these describe you:
The update is cosmetic. If the incoming year adds a color and reshuffles a package, you are paying a premium for a badge.
You need the vehicle now. Commuting on Interstate 215 in a vehicle that is costing you money in repairs is more expensive than any changeover timing strategy.
You want a specific configuration. Outgoing inventory is real and physical. You can walk it, sit in it, and drive it today instead of ordering into a build queue.
You are financing and want a shorter path to equity. A stronger up front position on an outgoing model year can offset the resale gap the model year number creates later.
If that is you, the featured new vehicles page shows what is currently posted, and you can start the paperwork side early with our finance team. All financing is subject to credit approval.
If that is you, the featured new vehicles page shows what is currently posted, and you can start the paperwork side early with our finance team. All financing is subject to credit approval.
When waiting for a 2027 model makes more sense
Hold out for the newer model year when the change is substantive rather than cosmetic. A full redesign, a new engine or hybrid option, a meaningful jump in towing capability, or a driver assistance suite you have specifically decided you want are all legitimate reasons to wait a few months.
Waiting also makes sense if you plan to keep the vehicle for a long time. Over eight or ten years of ownership, being one model year newer matters less than being on the newer generation, especially for technology and safety hardware that cannot be retrofitted.
The practical downside of waiting is selection and timing. Early allocation of a redesigned model tends to arrive in limited trims and limited colors, and arrival dates vary by brand and by model, with no single industry date that applies across the lineup. Ask us about the specific nameplate you are tracking, since we can tell you what is allocated and roughly when it lands. If you know precisely what you want and are willing to wait for it, a custom order is often the cleaner route than hunting for the right unit in early stock.
Waiting also makes sense if you plan to keep the vehicle for a long time. Over eight or ten years of ownership, being one model year newer matters less than being on the newer generation, especially for technology and safety hardware that cannot be retrofitted.
The practical downside of waiting is selection and timing. Early allocation of a redesigned model tends to arrive in limited trims and limited colors, and arrival dates vary by brand and by model, with no single industry date that applies across the lineup. Ask us about the specific nameplate you are tracking, since we can tell you what is allocated and roughly when it lands. If you know precisely what you want and are willing to wait for it, a custom order is often the cleaner route than hunting for the right unit in early stock.
Depreciation, trade-in value, and the model year on the title
Here is the honest tradeoff. A vehicle carries its model year for its entire life, and a 2026 will always show as one year older than an otherwise identical 2027 when you go to trade or sell. That gap is usually widest in the first couple of years and narrows as the vehicle ages.
The offset is what you paid going in. Buying at the changeover often means a lower starting point, and a lower starting point is what actually determines whether you are upside down later. If you tend to keep vehicles five years or more, the model year number on the registration matters far less than the price you paid and how well you maintained it.
Before you decide either way, it helps to know what your current vehicle is worth. You can get a number on your trade using our Kelley Blue Book trade-in tool, and if the payment picture is what is really driving the decision, the Finance Knowledge Center walks through terms, rates, and what to bring.
The offset is what you paid going in. Buying at the changeover often means a lower starting point, and a lower starting point is what actually determines whether you are upside down later. If you tend to keep vehicles five years or more, the model year number on the registration matters far less than the price you paid and how well you maintained it.
Before you decide either way, it helps to know what your current vehicle is worth. You can get a number on your trade using our Kelley Blue Book trade-in tool, and if the payment picture is what is really driving the decision, the Finance Knowledge Center walks through terms, rates, and what to bring.
A third option worth pricing out
The 2026 versus 2027 question assumes a new vehicle. For plenty of Inland Empire drivers, a low mileage Certified Pre-Owned vehicle or a well kept pre-owned vehicle lands in the same monthly range with more equipment for the money. A vehicle that is two or three model years old has already taken its steepest depreciation, and the changeover is exactly when trade-ins flow in, so selection is unusually good in the fall.
How to compare them without guessing
The fastest way to settle this is to drive the outgoing model with your own commute in mind, then compare it against what is genuinely changing on the incoming one. Bring your real use case: the trailer, the car seats, the tools, the parking situation at work. Specifications on a page do not tell you whether the second row works for your family.
You can schedule a test drive ahead of time, or reach the team with the specific model and configuration you are tracking. If getting in is the hard part, Moss Drives brings the test drive to you. We are at 1100 South E Street in San Bernardino, and directions and hours are posted online.
You can schedule a test drive ahead of time, or reach the team with the specific model and configuration you are tracking. If getting in is the hard part, Moss Drives brings the test drive to you. We are at 1100 South E Street in San Bernardino, and directions and hours are posted online.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 2026 model still considered new once 2027 vehicles arrive?
Yes. A vehicle that has not been titled or registered is a new vehicle regardless of its model year, and it carries the same factory warranty coverage it started with. The model year affects how it is priced and how it appraises later, not its status as new. Remaining previous model year units are listed with the rest of the new inventory.
Yes. A vehicle that has not been titled or registered is a new vehicle regardless of its model year, and it carries the same factory warranty coverage it started with. The model year affects how it is priced and how it appraises later, not its status as new. Remaining previous model year units are listed with the rest of the new inventory.
When do next model year vehicles usually show up at dealerships?
It varies by brand and by model, which is why there is no single date. Some nameplates change over in late summer, others arrive well into the following calendar year, and redesigned models often trail the ones carried over with minor updates. Ask about the specific model you are tracking rather than the lineup as a whole.
It varies by brand and by model, which is why there is no single date. Some nameplates change over in late summer, others arrive well into the following calendar year, and redesigned models often trail the ones carried over with minor updates. Ask about the specific model you are tracking rather than the lineup as a whole.
Will a previous model year vehicle be worth less when I trade it in?
Usually yes, by some amount, because it will always show one model year older than the version that replaced it. What matters more is what you paid at purchase, how many miles you put on it, and how it was maintained. A lower starting price at the changeover can offset most or all of that gap over a typical ownership period.
Usually yes, by some amount, because it will always show one model year older than the version that replaced it. What matters more is what you paid at purchase, how many miles you put on it, and how it was maintained. A lower starting price at the changeover can offset most or all of that gap over a typical ownership period.
Can I order a vehicle built the way I want instead of buying from stock?
Yes. If the exact trim, drivetrain, and color combination you want is not on the lot, a custom order lets you build to your specification and wait for delivery. It is a good fit when you are already leaning toward the newer model year and are not in a hurry.
Yes. If the exact trim, drivetrain, and color combination you want is not on the lot, a custom order lets you build to your specification and wait for delivery. It is a good fit when you are already leaning toward the newer model year and are not in a hurry.
The bottom line for San Bernardino drivers
There is no universal right answer, only the right answer for the model you want and the timeline you are on. If the update is minor and the configuration you want is sitting on the lot, buying now is the practical choice. If the redesign is real and you can wait, wait. Either way, the changeover is the only window where you can see both sides clearly.
Browse the current inventory at Moss Bros. Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram San Bernardino to see what is available right now.
Browse the current inventory at Moss Bros. Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram San Bernardino to see what is available right now.