U.S. Vehicle Age Rises Again to 12.8 Years in 2025, According to S&P Global Mobility

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., May 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The average age of U.S. light vehicles rose to 12.8 years, an increase of two months for the second consecutive year in 2024, according to new analysis from S&P Global Mobility.

Vehicle registrations surpassed 16 million in 2024 for the first time since 2019, but it was not enough to offset the growing volume of aged vehicles as vehicles in operation grew to 289 million with a steady 4.5% scrappage rate. Passenger cars dropped below 100 million for the first time since the 1970s according to S&P Global Mobility's research.

"Passenger cars are continuing a steady decline toward equilibrium as consumer preference shifts to light trucks," said Todd Campau, Aftermarket Practice Lead at S&P Global Mobility. "The vehicle fleet continues to demonstrate impressive resilience even as it faces stress from high new and used prices and economic uncertainty."

The average age for passenger cars climbed to 14.5 years, while light trucks average is showing very gradual growth to 11.9 years.

Regional Variations in Vehicle Age

Northern Plains, Northwest, and Southern states like Mississippi and Alabama are seeing higher-than-average vehicle ages, with Montana leading by over five years. Some states, including Mississippi and North Dakota as well as the District of Columbia, are seeing acceleration in vehicle age, while Colorado and Hawaii are aging far more slowly.

"The macro trend for average age may not correlate with what consumers see in their community, as aging rates can vary significantly from region to region," said Campau.

Alternative Propulsion and Aftermarket Opportunities

For the first time in several years there is upward pressure on the average age metric for Battery Electric Vehicles as their sales growth slows. Average age for BEVs still remains low, at 3.7 years, with growth in line with the overall market in 2024. As consumers have warmed to hybrid options, Plug-In Hybrids' aging has stayed flat at 4.9 years, and traditional Hybrids have reduced in average age from 6.9 to 6.4 in the past year. According to Campau, "Consumer preference currently is favoring hybrid and plugin hybrid options over fully battery electric vehicles to a large extent, driving average age to flat or even negative for those propulsion types. Alternative propulsion average age will continue to depend heavily on consumer sentiment for the next several years as they continue to build overall share in the vehicle fleet."

As the cost of both new and used vehicles continue to be elevated, and the vehicle fleet growing to 289M, up 3M since 2024, aftermarket opportunities are expected to continue to grow. With the heavy vehicle registration years of 2015 – 2019 moving into the aftermarket space, there will be stronger opportunity for maintenance and repair as these vehicles roll off warranty.

For more insights on S&P Global Mobility's data, please contact Todd Campau at [email protected].

About S&P Global Mobility
At S&P Global Mobility, we provide invaluable insights derived from unmatched automotive data, enabling our customers to anticipate change and make decisions with conviction. Our expertise helps them optimize their businesses, reach the right consumers, and shape the future of mobility.

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SOURCE S&P Global Mobility