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AUTOMOTIVE DATA

VEHICLES in USA

The average age of cars and light trucks currently in operation in the U.S. has increased to 11.4 years, according to Polk, a leading global automotive market intelligence firm.
Passenger cars showed a modest increase in age since 2010, from 11 years to just 11.4 years at the end of June 2012 (see table). Light trucks (including pickups and SUVs) show a more sizeable gain in the same timeframe, from 10.1 years to 11.3 years. Overall, average vehicle age has been increasing quickly over the past six years.
Polk reports average age based on an analysis of national vehicle registration data.


Sales Declines in 2008-09 Continue to Impact Age of Fleet

The slowdown of the aging of passenger cars directly correlates to the low sales volumes and the mix of car and truck sales in the U.S. market in 2008 and 2009, a time in which more trucks than cars were registered.
While more trucks were sold over the same timeframe, they showed a faster aging rate. Polk expects this trend may change in the coming years as CUV and small SUV populations in the U.S. market have risen in 2010 and 2011 due to their continued success in the market.
Additionally, the rebound in new vehicle sales in 2011 and for the next couple of years will most likely slow down the aging rate seen in the market over the past three years, according to Polk.


Year-over-year Light Vehicle Population Declines Come to an End

2011 marked the end of the U.S. vehicle population decline that has occurred annually since 2008. According to Polk, the total vehicles in operation (VIO) in December 2012 was just under 251.5 million.

This is now the new record high, the previous highest VIO on record was achieved in July 2008, when more than 242 million passenger cars and light trucks were on America's roads.


YEAR Total Vehicles*
Registered
and in Use
New vehicle
Registrations
Light Vehicles
in Operation **
Vehicles
Scrapped
Annual
Growth
Median Age (years)
Passenger Vehicle
Median Age (years)
Light Trucks
Median Age (years)
Trucks
Scrappage
as % of
New Registrations
Franchised
New-Car
Dealerships
Average
New Car
Retail
1900 8,000 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $1,000
1901 15,000 N/A N/A 87% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $920
1902 23,000 N/A N/A 53% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $840
1903 33,000 N/A N/A 43% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $760
1904 55,000 N/A N/A 66% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $680
1905 79,000 N/A 77,000 N/A 44% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $590
1906 108,000 N/A 106,000 N/A 37% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $500
1907 143,000 N/A 140,000 N/A 32% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $750
1908 198,000 N/A 194,000 N/A 38% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $700
1909 312,000 N/A 306,000 N/A 57% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $850
1910 469,000 N/A 458,000 N/A 50% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $950
1911 640,000 N/A 619,000 N/A 36% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $780
1912 944,000 N/A 902,000 N/A 47% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $690
1913 1,258,000 N/A 1,190,000 N/A 33% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $600
1914 1,763,000 N/A 1,664,000 N/A 40% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $550
1915 2,491,000 N/A 2,332,000 N/A 41% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $490
1916 3,618,000 N/A 3,368,000 N/A 45% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $440
1917 5,119,000 N/A 4,727,000 N/A 41% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $360
1918 6,160,000 N/A 5,555,000 N/A 20% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $360
1919 7,577,000 N/A 6,679,000 N/A 23% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $525
1920 9,239,000 N/A 8,132,000 N/A 22% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $575
1921 10,494,000 N/A 9,212,000 N/A 14% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $440
1922 12,274,000 N/A 10,704,000 N/A 17% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $355
1923 15,102,000 N/A 13,253,000 N/A 23% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $393
1924 17,613,000 N/A 15,436,000 N/A 17% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $375
1925 20,069,000 N/A 17,481,000 N/A 14% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $375
1926 22,200,000 N/A 19,268,000 N/A 11% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $380
1927 23,303,000 N/A 20,193,000 N/A 4.9% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $360
1928 24,689,000 N/A 21,362,000 N/A 5.9% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $385
1929 26,705,000 N/A 23,121,000 N/A 8.1% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $425
1930 26,750,000 N/A 23,035,000 N/A 0.1% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $480
1931 26,094,000 2,231,000 22,396,000 N/A 2.4% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $530
1932 24,391,000 N/A 20,901,000 N/A 6.5% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $570
1933 24,159,000 1,787,000 20,657,000 N/A 0.9% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $605
1934 25,262,000 N/A 21,545,000 N/A 4.5% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $625
1935 26,546,000 3,419,000 22,568,000 N/A 5.0% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $560
1936 28,507,000 N/A 24,183,000 N/A 7.3% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $665
1937 30,059,000 4,153,000 25,467,000 N/A 5.4% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $760
1938 29,814,000 N/A 25,250,000 N/A 0.8% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $590
1939 31,010,000 3,245,000 26,226,000 N/A 4.0% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $700
1940 32,453,000 N/A 27,466,000 N/A 4.6% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $850
1941 34,894,000 4,665,000 29,624,000 N/A 7.5% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $850
1942 33,004,000 N/A 27,973,000 N/A 5.4% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $920
1943 30,888,000 N/A 26,009,000 N/A 6.4% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $900
1944 30,479,000 N/A 25,566,000 N/A 1.3% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $950
1945 31,035,000 N/A 25,797,000 N/A 1.8% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $1,020
1946 34,373,000 N/A 28,217,000 N/A 10% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A $1,120
1947 37,841,000 N/A 30,849,000 N/A 10% N/A N/A N/A N/A 45,500 $1,300
1948 41,086,000 N/A 33,355,000 N/A 8.5% N/A N/A N/A N/A 46,000 $1,420
1949 44,690,000 N/A 36,458,000 N/A 8.7% N/A N/A N/A N/A 49,200 $1,420
1950 49,162,000 N/A 40,339,000 N/A 10% N/A N/A N/A N/A 47,000 $1,480
1951 51,913,000 6,275,000 42,688,000 N/A 5.6% N/A N/A N/A N/A 47,500 $1,500
1952 53,262,000 N/A 43,823,000 N/A 2.6% N/A N/A N/A N/A 46,000 $1,700
1953 56,217,000 6,773,000 46,429,000 N/A 5.5% N/A N/A N/A N/A 45,200 $1,700
1954 58,505,000 N/A 48,468,000 N/A 4.0% N/A N/A N/A N/A 41,900 $1,700
1955 62,689,000 8,481,000 52,145,000 N/A 7.1% N/A N/A N/A N/A 40,400 $1,900
1956 65,148,000 N/A 54,211,000 N/A 3.9% N/A N/A N/A N/A 41,000 $2,050
1957 67,125,000 6,927,000 55,918,000 N/A 3.0% N/A N/A N/A N/A 40,000 $2,120
1958 68,297,000 N/A 56,891,000 N/A 1.7% N/A N/A N/A N/A 37,300 $2,310
1959 71,354,000 7,065,000 59,454,000 N/A 4.4% N/A N/A N/A N/A 36,400 $2,480
1960 73,858,000 N/A 61,671,000 N/A 3.5% N/A N/A N/A N/A 35,000 $2,600
1961 75,961,000 6,872,000 63,421,000 N/A 2.8% N/A N/A N/A N/A 34,500 $2,850
1962 79,150,000 N/A 66,085,000 N/A 4.2% N/A N/A N/A N/A 34,200 $3,125
1963 82,697,000 8,990,000 69,038,000 N/A 4.4% N/A N/A N/A N/A 33,700 $3,233
1964 86,313,000 9,494,000 71,995,000 N/A 4.3% N/A N/A N/A N/A 33,500 $3,500
1965 90,358,000 10,885,000 75,258,000 N/A 4.6% N/A N/A N/A N/A 33,700 $2,650
1966 93,950,000 10,664,000 78,125,000 N/A 3.9% N/A N/A N/A N/A 32,900 $2,650
1967 96,906,000 9,882,000 80,399,000 N/A 3.1% N/A N/A N/A N/A 32,000 $2,750
1968 100,898,000 11,487,000 83,605,000 N/A 4.1% N/A N/A N/A N/A 31,100 $2,822
1969 105,096,000 11,552,000 86,858,000 N/A 4.1% N/A N/A N/A N/A 31,000 $3,270
1970 108,418,000 10,211,000 89,244,000 N/A 3.1% N/A N/A N/A N/A 30,800 $3,350
1971 112,986,000 12,338,000 92,718,000 N/A 4.2% N/A N/A N/A N/A 30,300 $3,470
1972 118,797,000 13,569,000 97,082,000 N/A 5.1% N/A N/A N/A N/A 30,100 $3,520
1973 125,654,000 14,572,000 101,985,000 N/A 5.7% N/A N/A N/A N/A 30,100 $3,650
1974 129,934,000 11,541,000 104,856,000 N/A 3.4% N/A N/A N/A N/A 30,000 $3,750
1975 132,949,000 11,103,000 106,706,000 N/A 2.3% N/A N/A N/A N/A 29,600 $4,250
1976 138,543,000 13,291,000 110,189,000 N/A 4.2% N/A N/A N/A N/A 29,300 $5,010
1977 142,093,000 14,859,000 112,288,000 N/A 2.5% N/A N/A N/A N/A 29,100 $5,750
1978 148,415,000 15,423,000 116,573,000 N/A 4.4% N/A N/A N/A N/A 29,000 $6,300
1979 151,869,000 14,153,000 118,429,000 N/A 2.3% N/A N/A N/A N/A 28,500 $6,830
1980 155,796,000 11,443,613 121,601,000 N/A 2.6% N/A N/A N/A N/A 27,900 $7,200
1981 158,286,000 10,777,980 123,098,000 N/A 1.9% N/A N/A N/A N/A 26,350 $7,500
1982 159,643,000 10,538,362 123,702,000 N/A 0.8% N/A N/A N/A N/A 25,700 $7,983
1983 163,749,000 12,311,516 126,444,000 N/A 2.5% N/A N/A N/A N/A 24,725 $7,572
1984 166,249,000 14,483,141 128,158,000 N/A 1.5% N/A N/A N/A N/A 24,725 $8,495
1985 171,689,000 15,725,291 127,885,000 N/A 3.2% N/A N/A N/A N/A 24,725 $9,005
1986 175,700,000 16,323,021 130,004,000 N/A 2.3% N/A N/A N/A N/A 24,825 $9,255
1987 178,910,000 15,192,946 131,482,000 N/A 1.8% N/A N/A N/A N/A 25,150 $10,305
1988 184,393,000 15,791,544 133,836,000 N/A 3.0% N/A N/A N/A N/A 25,025 $10,400
1989 187,356,000 14,845,261 134,559,000 N/A 1.6% N/A N/A N/A N/A 25,000 $15,350
1990 188,798,000 14,149,378 133,700,000 N/A 0.7% N/A N/A N/A N/A 24,825 $15,400
1991 181,505,929 13,056,604 128,300,000 10,849,877 3.8% 7.1 7.1 7.5 83.1% 24,200 $16,050
1992 181,519,150 12,794,078 126,581,000 12,780,857 0.01% 7.2 7.1 7.5 99.9% 23,500 $17,100
1993 186,315,464 13,209,549 127,327,000 8,413,235 2.64% 7.2 7.1 7.5 63.7% 22,950 $18,200
1994 188,713,997 14,767,042 127,883,000 12,368,509 1.29% 7.5 7.2 7.5 83.8% 22,850 $19,200
1995 193,440,393 15,058,699 128,387,000 10,332,303 2.50% 8.4 8.3 7.6 68.6% 22,800 $20,450
1996 198,293,459 15,663,707 129,728,000 10,810,641 2.51% 8.5 8.3 7.7 69.0% 22,750 $21,900
1997 201,070,397 15,285,529 129,749,000 12,508,591 1.40% 8.7 8.5 7.8 81.8% 22,700 $22,650
1998 205,042,639 15,637,540 131,839,000 11,665,298 1.98% 8.9 8.5 7.5 74.6% 22,600 $23,600
1999 209,509,161 16,130,124 N/A 11,663,602 2.18% 9.1 8.5 7.1 72.3% 22,400 $24,450
2000 213,299,313 18,088,911 205,279,196 14,298,759 1.81% 9.1 8.4 6.9 79.0% 22,250 $24,900
2001 216,682,936 17,505,343 209,199,497 14,121,720 1.59% 9.3 8.4 6.9 80.7% 22,150 $25,800
2002 221,027,121 17,639,934 213,540,009 13,295,749 2.00% 9.8 9.4 6.9 75.4% 21,800 $26,150
2003 225,882,103 16,939,662 218,375,207 12,084,680 2.20% 9.9 9.5 6.8 71.3% 21,725 $27,550
2004 232,167,136 17,419,471 224,982,194 11,134,438 2.78% 10.0 9.5 63.9% 21,650 $28,050
2005 239,384,168 17,287,680 231,986,557 10,070,648 3.11% 10.1 9.5 58.3% 21,640 $28,400
2006 244,642,610 17,332,357 237,084,889 12,073,915 2.20% 10.2 9.5 69.7% 21,495 $28,450
2007 248,700,997 16,765,603 240,912,739 12,707,216 1.66% 10.3 9.6 75.8% 21,200 $28,800
2008 249,812,723 15,127,946 242,081,704 14,016,220 0.45% 10.4 9.8 92.7% 20,770 $28,350
2009 248,972,046 9,589,747 241,509,108 10,430,424 0.34% 10.5 10.1 108.8% 20,010 $28,966
2010 248,231,351 10,570,877 240,012,476 10,628,811 0.30% 10.8 10.5 100.5% 18,460 $29,793
2011 248,931,633 12,698,406 240,504,646 11,998,124 0.28% 11.1 10.8 94.5% 17,700 $30,659
2012 251,497,087 14,785,936 248,963,800 11,781,221 1.03% 11.3 11.1 82.3% 17,540 $30,910
2013 252,714,696 15,524,800 248,849,446 11,629,077 1.50% 11.4 11.4 75.6% 17,635 $31,762
2014 258,026,929 16,531,070 252,600,947 11,046,823 1.51% 11.4 11.4 67.5% 17,953 $32,618
2015 263,326,929 17,386,047 257,900,000 12,086,994 2.10% 11.5 11.4 69.5% 16,505 $33,419
2016 264,000,000 17,465,020 260,100,000 11,265,020 2.40% 11.6 11.6 64.5% 16,708 $34,449
2017 272,480,900 17,134,733 8,653,833 3.20% 11.7 11.7 50.5% 18,213 $34,670
2018 276,100,000 17,215,163 13,515,633 1.33% 11.7 11.7 78.5% 16,753 $35,608
2019 281,300,000 17,108,156 11.8 11.8 16,682 $36,824
2020 15,300,000 11.9 16,695 $37,724
2021 15,700,000
2022 16,500,000
YEAR Total Vehicles*
Registered
and in Use
New vehicle
Registrations
Light Vehicles
in Operation **
Vehicles
Scrapped
Annual
Growth
Median Age (years)
Passenger Vehicle
Median Age (years)
Light Trucks
Median Age (years)
Trucks
Scrappage
as % of
New Registrations
Franchised
New-Car
Dealerships
Average
New Car
Retail

Note:

Data in italics are estimates
Data with asterisk (*) and in italics are estimates
N/A = Not Available


Beginning 1985, personal passenger vans, passenger minivans and utility-type vehicles were no longer included in automobiles but were counted as trucks.
Since 2000, all personal use vehicles are counted as automobiles.


Heading Legend:
     * = Total of all vehicles Registered in USA (Includes Motorcycles, Busses and Heavy Trucks [Class 4 to 8])
   ** = Total of Light Vehicles (Cars, SUV, CUV, Light Trucks [Class 1 to 3]) in Operation



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