New cars have never been safer smarter or more reliable yet Americans are keeping their old rides longer than ever

Although new cars are better than ever, many Americans are holding onto their old vehicles for longer – and experts say it comes down to two main reasons.

Features, such as Tesla’s Full Self-Driving, Buick’s 1,000 miles of range, and just about every carmaker’s inclusion of new in-cabin technology, mean that these days, cars are more impressive than they’ve ever been.

So, you’d think motorists would be rushing to get their hands on them, right?

But it turns out that more American drivers are opting to keep their old vehicles on the road for longer instead.

DISCOVER SBX CARS – The global premium auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie  

The average age of American cars is on the rise

Despite modern cars improving across almost every metric, from looks to safety, it seems that many American motorists are happy to stick with what they know.

The data came from IHS Market, which found that in 2021, the average age of cars on US roads was 12.1 years. 

In a recently resurfaced report from 2022, CNBC explained that experts believe there are a couple of reasons why. 

Cars are becoming more durable, meaning cars that are more than 10 years old no longer feel 10 years old – just take a look at this 2014 Mercedes-Benz S550. 

This means drivers won’t be forced to get themselves a new car every few years as their old vehicles are still doing fine. 

Alongside that, cars are also more expensive, which means that even those who do want a new set of wheels might find themselves priced out.

Last year, the average price of a new car passed the $50,000 mark for the first time ever.

This means that many motorists are choosing to buy used cars instead.

These two factors combined are thought to be the driving force behind the increased age of the average American car. 

And it seems that trend isn’t going away anytime soon. 

Data from S&P Global Mobility last year found that the average age of US vehicles had crept up again and sat at 12.8 years in 2025. 

Click the star icon next to supercarblondie.com in Google Search to stay ahead of the curve on the latest and greatest supercars, hypercars, and ground-breaking technology

New data also shows a big wealth divide when it comes to buying new cars

In a more recent report published last week, CNBC shared figures from Cox Automotive showing a drop in lower-income motorists purchasing new cars, while the percentage of higher earners buying new cars rose.

Cox Automotive said new-car buyers with incomes of less than $100,000 dropped from 50 percent in 2020 to just 37 percent in 2025. 

However, on the other end of the scale, new-car buyers who earned more than $200,000 rose from 18 percent in 2020 to 29 percent last year. 

Of course, it isn’t much of a surprise that those with more money are happier to splash the cash, but it could be a sign that many big names in the automotive industry should begin to consider making more affordable options if they hope to bring in more sales.

DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie