The average age of cars and light trucks operating in the U.S. has increased to 10.8 years, according to automotive market researcher Polk.
Cars showed a modest age increase from 2010, rising from 11 years to 11.1 years at the end of June 2011. Pickups and SUVs had a greater gain, from 10.1 years to 10.4 years.
Overall, average vehicle age has been increasing quickly over the past five years. Polk reports average age based on an analysis of national vehicle registration data.
According to Polk, the slowdown in age growth of cars directly correlates to the low sales volumes and the mix of car and truck sales in the U.S. market in 2008 and 2009, a time in which more trucks than cars were registered.
“While more trucks were sold over the same timeframe, they showed a faster aging rate,” Polk said.
Polk said it expects the trend may change in the coming years as CUV and small SUV populations in the U.S. market rose in both 2010 and 2011. Additionally, the rebound in new vehicle sales in 2011 and for the next couple of years will most likely slow down the aging rate seen in the market over the past three years, according to Polk.
2011 also marked the end of the U.S. vehicle population decline that has occurred annually since 2008. According to Polk, the total vehicles in operation in July 2011 was just over 240.5 million, an increase of 500,000 units over July 2010, and nearly equal to 2009 results.
The highest level of vehicles in operation came in July 2008, when more than 242 million passenger cars and light trucks were on America's roads.