It’s not your imagination: sedans are vanishing from America’s roads like cassette tapes from gloveboxes. Per S&P Global Mobility, the number of passenger cars in the U.S. has fallen below 100 million for the first time in 50 years. Back then, gas was under a dollar a gallon, and seatbelts were optional. Oh, and the Pinto was still a thing.

Now, passenger cars make up just 20% of the US vehicle market

Light trucks (meaning pickups, SUVs, and minivans) have taken over. This shift is helping reshape the entire national fleet, and it’s not just about style or utility. It’s also about economics, durability, and the ripple effects of a market still recovering from supply chain whiplash.

The average vehicle on US roads is now 12.8 years old. That’s a record, and it marks the second straight year the number has climbed by two months. Even though over 16 million new cars hit the roads in 2024, older ones are sticking around. S&P Global Mobility says the scrappage rate held steady at 4.5%, meaning owners are choosing to repair instead of replace. Price tags on both new and used vehicles continue to encourage that behavior.

Regionally, vehicle age varies

Northern Plains and Gulf Coast states like Montana, Alabama, and Mississippi are leading the pack with the oldest vehicles. On the flip side, Hawaii and Colorado have seen vehicle aging slow compared to the rest of the country.

Powertrain also plays a role

Battery electric vehicles are still the babies of the bunch at 3.7 years on average. But their age is starting to creep up as growth in sales slows. Plug-in hybrids are holding steady at 4.9 years, while traditional hybrids are aging in reverse, dipping to 6.4 years.

For drivers, this all adds up to a new era of car ownership

Instead of trading in every few years, more Americans are keeping their cars for the long haul. That means more time spent on maintenance, smarter budgeting, and maybe even a little more attachment to the vehicle in the driveway. After all, when you’ve been through inflation, job changes, and three sets of car seats (or three sets of tires) together, that’s not just an A-to-B tool anymore, is it? It’s basically part of the family.