Vehicles’ Growing Parts Appetite Boosts ICE Vehicle Aftermarket Growth

Luckily for aftermarket growth, light vehicles’ average annual product use in the U.S. has increased significantly over recent years, as the growth of the VIO (vehicles in operation) sputtered and COVID-19 slashed a double-digit decline into aftermarket product 2020 sales.

In 2021, the annual product use per vehicle surged, powering a strong rebound from the aftermarket plunge of the previous year. Preliminary analysis by Lang Marketing indicates that product use per vehicle increased again last year, reaching a record-high level. 

Shifting Annual Product Use

The annual product use of cars and light trucks has been shifting for many years. During 2009, the typical light vehicle on U.S. roads used just over $355 of aftermarket products at user-price, much less than in 2000.

This reflected the historic impact of the 2008 Great Recession on miles driven and vehicle repair, which plunged at rates not seen in decades.

Rebound in Product Use Per Vehicle

Following the 2008 Great Recession, aftermarket product use per vehicle began to climb slowly at first, but steadily built momentum. The product volume per car and light truck averaged $368 during 2010, at user-price, up from $355 the previous year.

By 2016, the average light vehicle in the U.S. consumed $408 of products at user-price, about 15 percent over 2009.

Changes in Product Use Per Vehicle

Aftermarket product volume per vehicle plateaued from 2016 through 2018, followed by a 2019 surge. However, things changed abruptly the following year.

COVID-19 caused a double-digit decline in aftermarket product sales during 2020 as Americans significantly cut back on driving and vehicle repair.

VIO growth virtually ceased for the year, and aftermarket product use per vehicle plunged nearly 10 percent.

Product Use Rebound

Aftermarket product volume per vehicle rebounded sharply in 2021, matching the 2019 pre-COVID levels. Preliminary findings by Lang Marketing indicate that product use per vehicle recorded a gain in 2024, producing an aftermarket product volume increase that significantly topped the annual pace of VIO growth.

Factors Boosting Aftermarket Product Use and Cost

Four factors are boosting annual aftermarket product use per light vehicle: higher vehicle age, mileage redistribution by vehicle age, light truck growth and more foreign nameplates on the road.

More Miles by Older Age Groups

Not all miles generate the same aftermarket product volume. Older cars and light trucks average more product use per mile than newer models.

The steady increase in vehicle age and the growing number of cars and light trucks in older age categories across the U.S. have helped boost the annual product use per vehicle.

Mileage Shift to Older Vehicles

Vehicles under four years old average approximately 35 percent more annual miles than older cars and light trucks. When new vehicle sales fall, mileage shifts from newer to older cars and light trucks, which use more products per mile. This increases the annual product use per vehicle.

Between 2020 and 2024, annual new vehicle sales have averaged about two million units below the record-high sales volume levels from 2015 through 2019. This reduction in new vehicle sales has redistributed heavy driving across older age categories of cars and light trucks.

Light Trucks and Product Use

Light trucks average greater annual aftermarket product volume than cars, controlling the age of vehicles.

Heavy accessory purchases significantly contribute to light truck product use. In addition, light trucks tend to use more expensive aftermarket components than passenger cars, e.g., drivetrain components associated with four-wheel drive and off-road use, along with many other parts with similar price differences. This increases the average cost of products used per vehicle.

The growing light truck share of new vehicles and the nation’s VIO have helped boost the average vehicle’s aftermarket product use.

Foreign Nameplates and Product Volume

Foreign nameplates generally average higher aftermarket product volume than domestic nameplates.

This is caused by their greater percentage of DIFM than DIY repair, and concentration in the vehicle-repair sweet-spot. The higher average prices of aftermarket products for foreign nameplates compared to domestic cars and light trucks also increases the average cost.

The steady increase of foreign nameplates as a share of new vehicle sales and the nation’s VIO will help to boost aftermarket product use and cost per vehicle in the coming years.

Next Five Years

Lang Marketing projects that the nation’s changing VIO in terms of vehicle age, mileage shifts to older vehicles, and the growing numbers of light trucks and foreign nameplates on U.S. roads will help increase the average product use and cost per vehicle over the next five years.

This will boost aftermarket volume growth even if the VIO expansion remains lackluster, a likely outcome of the current anemic level of new vehicle sales, which is expected to continue for some time.

ICE Aftermarket Volume Will Benefit

Each of the four factors examined above is boosting aftermarket product use of ICE vehicles (including hybrids), which constitute virtually all the nation’s older vehicles (especially those topping four years), light trucks, and foreign nameplates. 

Accordingly, the ICE aftermarket will greatly benefit from the increasing average annual use of repair and maintenance products by the nation’s cars and light trucks. This will continue for the next five years and beyond.

Six Major Takeaways

•  Aftermarket product use per light vehicle has varied significantly in the U.S. over the past two decades. Following the 2008 Great Recession (which caused a downturn in product volume per vehicle), aftermarket spending per vehicle began an upswing. By 2016, the average light vehicle in the U.S. used over $400 in products at user-price, topping 2009 by more than 15 percent.

•  COVID-19 created a double-digit decline in 2020 aftermarket product sales, and aftermarket product use per vehicle plunged by nearly 10 percent. Aftermarket product volume rebounded sharply in 2021, matching 2019 pre-COVID levels. Preliminary analysis by Lang Marketing indicates that aftermarket product use per light vehicle growth continued through last year.

•  Four factors increased the annual product use of light vehicles: vehicle age, yearly mileage distribution by age, light truck growth and foreign nameplate growth.

•  Lang Marketing predicts that increasing vehicle age, mileage shifts to older vehicles, and the growing number of light trucks and foreign nameplates on U.S. roads will continue to increase the average product use per vehicle over the next five years.

•  Each of the four factors examined in this report is boosting the average annual use of aftermarket products by ICE vehicles. ICE vehicles, including hybrids, constitute virtually all of the nation’s older vehicles (especially those over four years old), light trucks and foreign nameplates.

•  See the all-new 2026 Lang Aftermarket Annual, which is now available electronically, for a 10-year analysis (2014 to 2024) of annual aftermarket product use per vehicle in the U.S. For the next five years, and beyond.

Want more? Check out the July 2025 issue of AASP-MN News!