The typical light vehicle on U.S. roads had approximately 25% more odometer miles than a decade earlier, and the trend shows no signs of slowing
Fort Wayne, Ind.—U.S. drivers are accumulating record-high mileage on their vehicles as the average age of cars and light trucks on the road continues to climb. By 2025, the typical light vehicle on U.S. roads had approximately 25% more odometer miles than a decade earlier, and the trend shows no signs of slowing.
Rising mileage is boosting the aftermarket demand of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles, which account for nearly all vehicles in the U.S. with more than 50,000 miles.
“Higher odometer readings drive aftermarket product sales because high mileage vehicles — virtually all ICE models — consume more replacement parts and products per mile,” stated the latest Lang Aftermarket iReport.
Odometer Miles Boost Aftermarket Volume
Not all vehicle miles generate the same aftermarket product volume. Aftermarket product use per mile varies significantly according to a vehicle’s accumulated mileage (odometer reading).
For example, a vehicle with its odometer at 155,000 miles, when driven 10,000 miles in a year, will generate more and different aftermarket product use than one with 25,000 accumulated miles.
Cars and Light Trucks in Use for Many More Years
Three factors are causing Americans to keep their cars and light trucks longer, thereby increasing their odometer readings.
• New cars and light trucks are reaching prices beyond the means of most Americans, states Lang Marketing in its analysis. In 10 years, the average price of a new vehicle in the U.S. has increased by nearly 60%. This has led to many Americans to forgo buying a new car and keep what they have for longer.
• Cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. have become substantially more durable over the last several decades. Improved manufacturing techniques and longer-lasting components have increased the expected life of vehicles made after the late 1990s by three to five years compared to earlier vehicles.
• Automakers have extended the styling cycles for their cars and light trucks, so consumers are less motivated to purchase a new model because their current ride looks dated. Frequent vehicle restyling was a primary driver of the consumer new-vehicle market just a decade or so ago.
Odometer Mileage Rolls Higher
The average light vehicle in the U.S. at mid-year 2020 had approximately 137,000 miles on its odometer. This increased by more than an estimated 10,000 miles at mid-year 2025.
As a result of this significant increase in odometer mileage over the past five years, the average vehicle in 2025 generated more aftermarket product volume per mile than in 2020.
Car and Light Truck Odometers Levels Differ
The average car in the U.S. in 2025 had approximately 15% more miles on its odometer than five years earlier. The growth in light trucks’ accumulated mileage was less (reflecting their lower average age).
Domestic Nameplate Odometers
Accumulated miles on the average domestic nameplate increased by more than 14,000 between 2020 and 2025. They averaged significantly more accumulated miles per vehicle than foreign models.
Foreign Nameplate Odometers
Foreign nameplates averaged approximately 20% fewer accumulated miles during 2025 than their domestic counterparts.
Domestic Cars Have Higher Odometer Readings
Domestic nameplate cars averaged the highest odometer readings of any light vehicle group in the U.S.
By mid-year 2025, domestic nameplate cars had pushed their average odometer readings past 175,000, more than 25% higher than the average accumulated miles of all other light vehicles.
Higher Odometer Readings in the Future
Odometer readings will continue to increase across the U.S. over the next five years, driven by three factors: lower new vehicle sales compared to the record-high annual sales between 2015 and 2019, the increasing age of vehicles, and the extended life of older cars and light trucks on U.S. roads.
Odometer Readings Are Boosting ICE Aftermarket Growth
With cars and light trucks using more aftermarket products per mile as they age, higher odometer readings will be a significant factor boosting aftermarket product volume over the next five years.
The aftermarket impact of record-high odometer readings will be concentrated on Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars and light trucks, as they account for virtually all vehicles with over 50,000 accumulated miles.
Comments are closed.