- The average car on American roads is approaching 13 years old
- High prices have us keeping older cars in operation longer
Car commercials tell you the latest vehicles can take over some driving on highways. People around you complain about every car setting hiding behind a touchscreen menu. The news tells you the average car repair is growing more expensive due to advanced sensor technology.
Chances are good, though, that your car doesn’t have much of that stuff.
A report from the analysts at S&P Global Mobility explains, “The average age of vehicles in the U.S. continues to climb, reaching 12.8 years in 2025.”
The number jumped by two months in the past year, the analysts write, because of high prices.
“New and used vehicle prices remain high, further encouraging vehicle owners to keep their cars longer and invest in upkeep rather than replacement.”
Related: Is Now the Time to Buy, Sell, or Trade-in a Car?
America now has 289 million light-duty vehicles — cars, pickup trucks, and SUVs — in operation, 3 million more than a year ago. For the first time since the early 1970s, fewer than 100 million of them are traditional cars.
“Passenger cars now average 14.5 years in service, while light trucks remain younger, showing gradual growth to 11.9 years,” the report says.
“A relatively stable 4.5% scrappage rate means that older vehicles are staying on the road longer, steadily increasing the average age of the fleet,” S&P says.
The national fleet isn’t graying the same everywhere. The report notes, “Northern Plains and Northwestern states, along with Gulf Coast states like Alabama and Mississippi, have a substantially higher average age than the national average; Montana leads the way with an average vehicle age that is more than five times higher than the national average.”