With light vehicles at a record-high age, there are great differences in the average ages and rates of age growth between cars, light trucks, and domestic and foreign nameplates
Fort Wayne, Ind.—Cars and light trucks are at a record-high average age. At the beginning of 2026, light vehicles on U.S. roads averaged 13.0 years. While the increase in the average age of vehicles over recent years has been widely reported, little attention has been paid to the significant differences in the average ages of major vehicle categories, states the latest Lang Aftermarket iReport.
These vehicle age differences have important consequences across many key aftermarket sectors. With light vehicles at a record-high age in the U.S., there are great differences in the average ages and rates of age growth between cars, light trucks, domestic nameplates, and foreign nameplates.
The following are highlights from Lang’s report.
Record-High Vehicle Average Age
The record-high average age of 13.0 years for cars and light trucks at the beginning of 2026 reflects the oldest mix of light vehicles on U.S. roads.
The average age of all vehicles is important. Still, it does not reveal significant differences in average ages and rates of age growth across four major categories of vehicles: cars, light trucks, domestic nameplates and foreign nameplates.
Ages of Cars and Light Trucks
Cars have seen their share of new vehicle sales in the U.S. decrease over the past several decades. Accordingly, the average age of passenger cars has increased much faster than that of light trucks, especially among domestic nameplates. For example, domestic nameplate cars are, on average, nearly 4 years older than foreign nameplate cars.
This means that passenger cars, especially domestic nameplates, represent a large and growing share of older vehicles. The opposite is true of light trucks, which have dominated new-vehicle sales across the U.S. over the past few decades.
Ages of Foreign and Domestic Nameplates
Domestic nameplates are significantly higher in average age than foreign nameplates on U.S. roads.
This reflects the declining share of new sales for domestic nameplates over the past two decades and their expanding share of older vehicles in operation.
At the beginning of 2026, domestic nameplates averaged over three years older than foreign nameplates. Accordingly, domestic nameplates represented a much larger share of older vehicles, especially those at least 15 years old, than foreign nameplates.
Average Age by Vehicle Category
Lang Marketing projects that the average age of light vehicles on U.S. roads will increase, as annual new light vehicle sales continue at a slower pace than the record-high annual sales from 2015 to 2019.
Lang Marketing also expects cars to remain significantly older than light trucks, especially among domestic nameplates, and that their age difference will widen from 2026 to 2028.
Impact of Increasing Vehicle Average Age
The aging vehicle population and the differing rates at which the ages of major vehicle categories are increasing are primary factors driving changes across a wide range of key aftermarket issues: the aftermarket product mix, the volume of aftermarket brands versus OE brands, where auto parts are sold and installed, and how products are distributed, among many other issues.
Product Impact
The aging vehicle population and the rapidly growing number of vehicles at least 15 years old are reshaping the mix of aftermarket products sold.
“Value Products,” which provide reasonable quality at moderate prices, are gaining DIFM and DIY volume share as consumers seek out lower-priced products to repair older vehicles.
Due to the differing ages of major vehicle categories, Value Product usage is growing fastest among cars, particularly domestic nameplate cars, and faster among domestic than foreign nameplates.
Aftermarket Brand Use Versus OE Brand
The increasing age of the vehicle population is generally positive for aftermarket (non-OE) brands. They are not as expensive as OE brands, and owners of older vehicles are becoming increasingly price-sensitive about vehicle repair costs.
In contrast, owners are more likely to accept OE brands for foreign nameplates, which, on average, are significantly newer than domestic nameplates.
Where Auto Parts Are Sold and Installed
Consumers are more likely to have older vehicles repaired at independent (non-dealer) outlets than in dealer service bays. This helps to boost the market strength of Independent repair outlets and non-OE brand share.
Recognizing this DIFM shift, many dealers are marketing their service bays to all makes and all vehicle age groups. 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 often adjusting labor rates for older vehicles to be more price competitive with independent repair outlets.
Product Distribution
The greater use of aftermarket brands in repairing 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 rising average age of vehicles and the growth of older cars and light trucks will generally increase aftermarket product volume.
A strong contributing factor is the reduction of new vehicle sales since 2020, which has shifted annual miles driven from newer to older cars and light trucks, which have higher rates of aftermarket product use per mile than newer models.
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