In case you are thinking of entering the automobile industry, as a dealer or a distributor of automobiles, this is a must-read post. In this post, we share some stats on how many cars there are in the U.S. to give you a better understanding of the auto industry and the market’s trends. You may use these statistics and facts to power up your game and strategize for success.

Fascinating Facts about Cars in the U.S. 

  • In 2018, the total number of cars in the US, including other vehicles, stood at 272.48 million vehicles.
  • In the first quarter of 2019, there were 276 million vehicles on the road throughout the United States.
  • 90 % of households have at least one vehicle at their disposal.
  • 64 % of US adults drive regularly.
  • There are 1 million electric vehicles in the country.
  • The revenue in the luxury car market segment accounts for $10,657 million in 2020.
  • Every year, nearly 39.4 million used cars are sold in the US.
  • The size of the second-hand car sales market in the US is more than twice the size of the new car segment.

How Many Cars in the US

Knowing how many cars there are in the US and the rates of market growth can help new entrants improve their strategies for success. Read the post below to get some facts that will help you compete on the automobile market. 

So, how many cars are there in the U.S.?

1. In 2018, the total number of cars in the US, including other vehicles, stood at 272.48 million vehicles

Statista
That is a huge number. No wonder the US is among the countries with the largest automobile markets in the world, only second to China. Although it’s difficult to ascertain how many registered cars there are in the US as the latest figures are unavailable, the figure above gives some idea. It includes cars, motorcycles, buses, trucks and other vehicles.

2. The number of passenger cars sold in the U.S. was over 4.7 million units in 2019

Statista
If you want to know how many cars are sold each year in America, then the above number answers your question.

3. In the beginning of 2019, there were 276 million cars on the road throughout the United States of America

Statista
If you’ve ever wondered “how many cars are on the road in the US”, here is the answer. It is indicative of a growing automobile market and potential vehicle buyers.

4. The average number of cars per household is 1.24

Bureau of Transportation Statistics
This means that the majority of the households in the U.S. own at least one car.

5. 90 % of households have at least one vehicle at their disposal

Statista
This clarifies the answer to our question: what percentage of Americans own cars?

6. 64 % of U.S. adults drive regularly

Gallup.com
Among the most frequent drivers are men, adults with household incomes of $90,000/year, college graduates and parents of children (under 18) aged between 30 and 49. Now you can easily imagine the number of cars driven every day in the US.

Types of Cars

Now let’s take a closer look at the different types of cars driven by the people in the US. One of the most common questions in this regard is, “how many electric cars are there in the USA?”

7. There are 1 million electric vehicles in the country

Scientific American
This is a growing market in the U.S. where a million mark is definitely a milestone for the EV industry. Not only will these vehicles help reduce the transportation oil use of the nation, but they’ll also help curb dependence on foreign oil and decarbonize the transportation sector.

8. Crossovers are the favorite type of car in the U.S.

Statista
This becomes evident from the fact that Crossovers account for 40 % of the automobile sales statistics in the U.S. Among the most popular Crossover models are Honda’s CR-V, Toyota’s RAV4 and Nissan’s Rogue.

9. In 2020, the revenue in the market segment for luxury cars amounts to $10,657 million

Statista
This is just the beginning of the year and we are yet to see soaring revenues in this market by the end of 2020. In 2018, Tesla Model 3 was the best selling luxury car in the U.S..

10. Although Sedans have been less popular among buyers, Toyota Camry remained the best selling Sedan in the U.S. in 2018

Business Insider
Ever since 2018, consumers have been moving away from the family Sedan. In the first 6 months, vehicle sales dropped to 11.2 %.

11. 2020 Volkswagen GTI is the most well-rounded hatchback car

Cars.US News
From comfortable seats to playful handling, with ample space for passengers and cargo, no wonder Volkswagen GTI claims the top spot in the hatchbacks car ranking.

12. The two most popular SUVs, in terms of sales in the U.S. in 2019, were Nissan Rogue and Chevrolet Equinox

Santander Consumer USA
98,814 Nissan Rogue cars were sold in 2019, followed by 88,500 Chevrolet Equinoxes.

Second-Hand Car Sales in the US 

Here’s an overview of the used car market vs. the new car segment. 

13. Every year, nearly 39.4 million used cars are sold in the U.S.

McKinsey & Company
This is indeed a significant number, especially when compared to the sales of the new car market segment. In 2018, the new car market sales were 17.3 million.

14. The second-hand car sales market size is more than twice the size of the new car segment

McKinsey & Company
This is quite clear from the fact related to car sales. Besides this, the second-hand car market continues to outpace the growth of the new car market segment and is predicted to increase faster in sales in the next five years. So, this is definitely a market segment to watch out for.

Car Sales Statistics and Trends

If you are wondering about the total number of car sales last year, then this section is a good read for you as I reveal some past and future car sales statistics and trends.

15. Auto manufacturers sold more than 17 million vehicles in the U.S. for a fifth consecutive year in 2019

CNBC
Wondering how many cars were sold in 2019? 17 million! Some of the contributing factors that helped increase this ratio included easy credit availability, healthy consumer sentiment, and low unemployment rate.

16. For car sales 2020, analysts predict them to be the same as 2019

CNBC
Analysts believe that there will be no drastic changes in the US car sales statistics, thus, the total amount is expected to be roughly 16.7 to 17.1 million vehicles.

17. There was no growth in car sales in the US in 2019

MarkLines
Although the figures exceeded 17 million vehicles for the fifth year in 2019, sales were down by 1.3 % from the 2018 year-end total. In 2019, car sales were 17,047,725 million, while in 2018, they were 17,274,243.

18. 13 % of the drivers in the U.S. do not have insurance

Aronberg Aronberg & Green
So, how many cars are uninsured? This is despite the fact that car insurance is a requirement for vehicle registration in almost all states. Knowing this, it is surprising how many cars are uninsured, in spite of the requirements.

Number of Cars by Brands

It’s now time to look at the popularity of different car brands in the US. Shall we get started?

19. The best selling car of 2019 was Toyota Camry

Good Car Bad Car
Although Toyota Camry was the most common car in America, scoring the highest in the list of the number of cars by brand, the Ford F-Series trucks were the market leaders among all types of motor vehicles sold in the U.S. Ford F-Series was the top-selling vehicle for 45 years in the U.S., and in the most recent years, it has become the second best selling vehicle in the world.

20. The most popular car brands in America are Ford, Toyota, Honda, and Chevrolet

Insurify
These brands continue to be the favorites of vehicle drivers countrywide. They have a broad appeal and enjoy a huge market share.

21. The total number of Ford cars sold in 2019 in the United States was 2.4 million

Car Sales Base
Chevrolet is the biggest car brand of General Motors with a market share of 11.46 %.

Bottom Line

Now that you have a good understanding of how many cars in the U.S. are being used and how the market is shaping, you can use these statistics to your advantage to succeed and grow in your business.

Sources 

  1. Statista 
  2. Statista
  3. Statista 
  4. Bureau of Transportation Statistics 
  5. Gallup.com
  6. Scientific American 
  7. Statista
  8. Business Insider
  9. Cars. US News 
  10. Santander Consumer USA 
  11. McKinsey & Company
  12. CNBC
  13. Marklines
  14. Aronberg Aronberg & Green
  15. Good Car Bad Car
  16. Insurify 
  17. Statista
  18. Car Sales Base

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