Experian: 4 out of every 5 vehicles on U.S. roads are model year 2007 or newer

Roughly 4 out of every 5 vehicles on the road are model year 2007 or newer, and more than 9 out of 10 are model year 2002 or newer, according to Experian’s Q2 Automotive Market Trends Report.

The report also found that 8.3% of vehicles on the road, or vehicles in operation (VIO), are older than 25 model years.

The report defines the aftermarket “sweet spot” as six- to 12-model-year-old vehicles that have aged out of general OEM manufacturer warranties for any repairs that likely require more parts replacement and services. It notes that “sizing the sweet spot helps identify overall market potential, and changes can have implications to those that service it.”

Experian found that 34.5% of all U.S. VIO are within the “sweet spot,” MY 2015-2021.

As of June 30, 351.8 million vehicles are on the road across all types and weight classes in the U.S. and Canada. Of those, 299.9 million were light-duty vehicles on U.S. roads, up from 295.3 million in Q2 2025.

Broken down further, 53.6% of the U.S. light-duty VIO were 4-cylinder models, 23.1% were 6-cylinder models, and 11.3% were 8-cylinder models. Most were also all-wheel drive (39.4%), followed by front-wheel drive (27.5%) and four-wheel drive (23.2%). Among utility, light truck, and passenger car, utility was the largest share of the population at 58.7%, followed by light truck at 22.9%.

Nearly 60% of the VIO were imported vehicle brands, and 41.6% were domestic.

Hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) climbed from 5.7 million in Q1 2022 to 13.4 million VIO registrations in Q2 2026, and electric vehicles from 1.1 million to 6.2 million during the same period. That means EVs make up nearly 2.1% of the VIO share, and all types of hybrids have 4.5%, according to the report.

The report states that 72.2% of EV owners who returned to the market in the last 12 months replaced their EV with another EV, a slightly lower rate than in Q1. It states that gas hybrid and PHEV owners have a high propensity to remain loyal to electrification when replacing, at 56% and 57%, respectively, in the last 12 months.

Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles continued to decline in MY 2024-2026, and 18.5% of ICE owners replaced their vehicles with something electrified, according to the report. Another 18.5% replaced their EVs with ICE vehicles, up from Q1. MY 2026 BEVs and standard gas hybrids accounted for around 24% of VIO in Q2.

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Featured image: halbergman/iStock

Graphs republished with permission from Experian