S&P Global Mobility Analysis: U.S. Vehicle Age Reaches 12.8 Years

The average vehicle age in the U.S. has increased again to 12.8 years, according to new analysis from S&P Global Mobility.

This is the second consecutive year that the average vehicle age has experienced a two-month increase. Despite a spike in new vehicle registrations in 2024, there has also been a consistent 4.5% scrappage rate, meaning that older vehicles are staying on the road longer.

One factor impacting these results includes consumer shift from passenger cars to light trucks, with passenger cars averaging 14.5 years in service and light trucks averaging 11.9 years.

Additionally, states in the Northern Plains and Northwest, as well as Gulf Coast states like Alabama and Mississippi, had much higher average vehicle ages. Montana topped the list, having an average age over five times higher than the national average.

Colorado and Hawaii, on the other hand, have had a slower increase over the past five years. Eight states, led by Mississippi, North Dakota, and Washington, DC, saw average age trends progressing faster than the national rate over the same timeframe.

For the first time in several years, S&P found upward pressure on the average age metric for battery electric vehicles, with their rate of sales growth slowing. The average age now sits at 3.7 years. The average age has become moderate for both plug-in hybrids—which have stayed flat at 4.9 years—and traditional hybrids, which fell from 6.9 to 6.4 in the past year.

With an increased average vehicle age meaning that more 2015-2019 model years will enter the six- to 14-year window, the aftermarket sector is expected to see more demand for maintenance, repairs, and parts replacements.