U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Vehicle Technologies Office
Fact #614: March 15, 2010
Average Age of Household Vehicles
The average age of household vehicles has increased from 6.6 years in 1977 to 9.2 years in 2009. Pickup trucks have the oldest average age in every year listed. Sport utility vehicles (SUVs), first reported in the 1995 survey, have the youngest average age.
Average Vehicle Age by Vehicle Type 
Supporting Information
Average Vehicle Age by Type of Vehicle
| Vehicle Type |
1977 |
1983 |
1990 |
1995 |
2001 |
2009 |
| Car |
6.4 |
7.2 |
7.6 |
8.2 |
9.0 |
9.3 |
| Van |
5.5 |
8.5 |
5.9 |
6.7 |
7.6 |
8.7 |
| Pickup |
7.3 |
8.5 |
8.4 |
9.7 |
10.1 |
10.9 |
| SUV |
n/a |
n/a |
n/a |
6.7 |
6.5 |
7.3 |
| All household vehicles |
6.6 |
7.6 |
7.7 |
8.3 |
8.9 |
9.2 |
|
n/a = not available.
Sources: U.S. Department of Transportation, 1977, 1983, 1990 and 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Surveys, public use files. 2001 and 2009 National Household Travel Surveys. |
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