Vehicle Average Age Hits Record High, With Big Aftermarket Impact

On January 1, 2025, light vehicles on U.S. roads reached a record-high average age. However, that was nothing new. Each year, for more than two decades, the average age of light vehicles in the U.S. has either increased or stayed at a record-high level. In that time, not once has the average vehicle’s age declined in the U.S.

The long-term surge in vehicle average age has been widely reported, but little attention has been given to the significant differences in the average ages of major types of vehicles and the aftermarket impact of these age differences. Only the 2026 Lang Aftermarket Annual presents the breakdown of the average ages of the four key segments of the vehicle population, along with a 10-year history. 

Record-Breaking Average Age

The average age of cars and light trucks reached 12.8 years at the beginning of 2025, marking the oldest mix of light vehicles ever on U.S. roads.

The overall average age of vehicles is significant. Nevertheless, it does not reveal the dramatic differences in the average ages and rates of age growth among the four major types of vehicles: cars, light trucks, and domestic and foreign nameplates.

Cars Versus Light Trucks

Cars have accounted for a diminishing share of new vehicle sales in the U.S. over the past two decades. Accordingly, the average age of passenger cars has soared faster than that of light trucks, especially among domestic nameplates.

Passenger cars, especially domestic nameplates, represent a larger share of older vehicles in the nation’s VIO than younger ones. The opposite is true of light trucks, which have dominated new vehicle sales in the past few decades.

Foreign & Domestic Nameplates’ Ages Differ

Domestic nameplates on U.S. roads have a significantly higher average age than foreign nameplates.

This reflects the decreasing share of new sales generated by domestic nameplates over the past two decades, as well as their growing share of older cars in operation.

At the beginning of 2025, domestic nameplates averaged approximately 3.0 years older than foreign nameplates. Additionally, domestic nameplates accounted for a significantly larger share of older vehicles, particularly those over 15 years old, compared to foreign nameplates.

Average Age Projections

Lang Marketing projects that the average age of light vehicles on U.S. roads will continue to increase, as annual new light vehicle sales struggle to match the record-high sales between 2015 and 2019. Meanwhile, advanced materials and manufacturing techniques have significantly extended the life span of vehicles.

The difference in average age is expected to continue increasing between cars and light trucks. The same will occur between domestic and foreign nameplate light vehicles.

Finally, Lang Marketing expects that domestic cars will remain significantly older on average than domestic light trucks, and that the age difference between them will continue to increase from 2025 to 2028.

Impact of Soaring Vehicle Average Age

The aging vehicle population, along with the differing rates at which the ages of major vehicle types are changing, is affecting the usage rates of many product brands and reshaping aftermarket distribution patterns.

Impact Brands

The aging vehicle population and the rapidly growing number of cars and light trucks at least 15 years old are restructuring the mix of aftermarket products sold.

“Value Products,” which provide reasonable quality at moderate prices, are gaining DIFM and DIY volume share as consumers opt for lower-priced products to repair older vehicles.

Due to the differing ages of major vehicle types, Value Brand usage is growing fastest among cars, particularly domestic nameplate passenger cars. It is generally more prevalent among domestic nameplates than foreign nameplates.

Aftermarket Brands Versus OE Brands

The increasing age of the vehicle population is generally positive for aftermarket (non-OE) brands. They are less expensive than OE brands, and owners of older vehicles are often price-sensitive regarding vehicle repair costs.

In contrast, OE brands are widely preferred by owners of foreign nameplates, which have significantly lower average ages than domestic nameplates.

Where Auto Parts Are Sold & Installed

Consumers with older vehicles are more likely to have them repaired at Independent (non-Dealer) outlets than Dealer service bays. This is positive for independent aftermarket growth, as evidenced by both increased repair outlet strength and aftermarket brand share.

In response to this trend, many Dealers are marketing their service bays to all makes and all age groups of vehicles. To appeal to owners of older vehicles and nameplates that they do not sell new, many Dealers are offering a wider range of product brands (beyond OE brands) and adjusting labor rates for older vehicles to be more price-competitive with independent repair outlets.

How Products & Brands Are Distributed

The greater use of aftermarket brands in the repair of older vehicles is influencing how products are distributed. Aftermarket (non-Dealer) product brands are most frequently distributed by three channels: Integrated, Traditional, and Import. This has helped boost the product volume and share of these channels in the light vehicle aftermarket.

Future Developments

The increasing average age of vehicles, combined with the increase in the number of older cars and light trucks, will generally lead to a rise in aftermarket product volume.

This trend is being boosted by the reduction in new vehicle sales since 2020, which has shifted annual miles driven from newer to older cars and light trucks. Older vehicles have higher rates of aftermarket product use per mile than newer models.

Six Major Takeaways

•  Light vehicles on U.S. roads reached a record-high average age of 12.8 years on January 1, 2025. As the average age of cars and light trucks has increased, there have been significant changes in the average ages and rates of age growth of the four major vehicle types: cars, light trucks, domestic nameplates and foreign nameplates.

•  Value Brands are growing in use among passenger cars, particularly domestic nameplates, domestic nameplates in general and among older foreign nameplates.

•  The increasing age of vehicles is generally positive for aftermarket (non-OE) brands. OE brands are finding greater acceptance among owners of foreign nameplates, which are significantly lower in average age than domestic cars and light trucks.

•  The increasing age of vehicles is positive for Independent (non-Dealer) outlets, which traditionally have been most successful in competing for the repair of light vehicles over five years old. This shift in the age profile of the nation’s VIO has also prompted many Dealers to market their service bays to older cars and light trucks.

•  Aftermarket (non-Dealer) brands benefit from the growth of older vehicles. They are frequently supplied to repair outlets and DIYers by three channels: Integrated, Traditional and Import. This is shifting the product share strength among the five primary distribution channels that supply the light vehicle aftermarket.

•  The increasing average age of vehicles and the age growth differences between cars, light trucks, domestic nameplates, and foreign nameplates will have significant implications for aftermarket product volume from 2025 to 2028. See the just-released 2026 Lang Aftermarket Annual for a 10-year history of the average ages and the rates of age growth of the four major types of vehicles. The Table of Contents can be found here: bit.ly/4luH7CN. The 2026 Lang Aftermarket Annual order form can be found here: bit.ly/4nUbnZk.

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