Domestic Cars Reach Record-High Age

August 1, 2018—Domestic nameplate cars in the U.S. reached a 14.4 year average age at the beginning of January 2018, marking the 27th consecutive annual record-high age for domestic cars across the U.S, according to a recent Lang Aftermarket iReport.

Domestic nameplate cars averaged 12.2 years at the beginning of 2008, increasing to 12.8 years by 2011. At the beginning of 2014, domestic nameplate cars averaged 13.5 years, and added another 0.5 years in average age over the next 24 months.

Two factors are driving the average age growth of domestic nameplate cars: lower new car sales in the U.S., and the expanding share of car sales captured by foreign nameplates (Imports and Transplants). During 2007, domestic nameplate cars accounted for nearly 20 percent of new vehicles sold in the U.S. By 2017, their sales share had fallen to 9 percent.

The diminishing number of domestic nameplate cars entering service during the past ten years has boosted the average age of those remaining on the road.

Lang Marketing projects the average age of domestic nameplate cars in the U.S. will top 14.6 years by 2020.