American Auto Industry Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

American Auto Industry Statistics

With public DC fast chargers topping 16,000+ and the average new auto premium still climbing to $1,771 in 2023, the American auto story in 2025 is not just about electrification and pricing, it is also about safety, supply, and what drivers actually buy. This page pulls together FHWA, BLS, BEA, DOE, NHTSA, IIHS, and industry survey signals so you can see how registered vehicles, lending and insurance costs, and vehicle reliability are shifting side by side.

54 statistics41 sources5 sections9 min readUpdated today

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

The U.S. had 282.4 million total registered vehicles in 2022 per the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Statistics

Statistic 2

Passenger cars represented 48.6% of U.S. registered vehicles in 2022 per FHWA Highway Statistics (vehicle registrations by type)

Statistic 3

Light trucks represented 47.7% of U.S. registered vehicles in 2022 per FHWA Highway Statistics (vehicle registrations by type)

Statistic 4

The U.S. motor vehicle and parts manufacturing sector employed 1.1 million people in 2022 per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) employment series for NAICS 3361-3363

Statistic 5

U.S. vehicle manufacturing (NAICS 3361) produced $471.1 billion of value added in 2022 per U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) industry accounts

Statistic 6

BEA reports $2.0 trillion of expenditures for motor vehicle services and parts in 2022 (retail and services categories aggregated in BEA’s industry accounts tables)

Statistic 7

U.S. light-duty vehicle production was 9.7 million units in 2023 per Statista citing production volumes compiled from industry sources

Statistic 8

U.S. light-duty vehicle production was 8.9 million units in 2022 per Statista time-series for U.S. vehicle production

Statistic 9

The U.S. had 49,000 public EV charging outlets in 2023 per DOE AFDC public charging station data

Statistic 10

The U.S. has 118,000 public EV charging outlets (as of the latest AFDC pull date in 2024) per DOE AFDC station inventory

Statistic 11

Detroit Three production disruptions in 2023 reduced output by 200,000 vehicles in parts of the year, per J.D. Power and industry reporting summarizing strike impacts

Statistic 12

In 2023, the U.S. had 16,000+ publicly available DC fast chargers per DOE AFDC (DC fast charger count category)

Statistic 13

NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) awarded the maximum 5-star overall safety rating to top models in 2023; NCAP ratings are per vehicle model pages (example: 5-star for 2023 Tesla Model 3)

Statistic 14

The SECURE Act and related regulatory changes increased credit access criteria for U.S. auto lending portfolios; the Fed’s consumer credit policies show tightening reflected by 2023 underwriting changes (statistics vary by dataset)

Statistic 15

The U.S. average auto insurance annual premium was $1,771 in 2023 per NAIC data reported in Insurance Information Institute summaries

Statistic 16

Auto insurance loss costs increased 16% in 2022 in the U.S. per NAIC loss cost trends data compiled in Insurance Information Institute reporting

Statistic 17

J.D. Power reported the U.S. supply chain easing in 2023, with vehicle inventory reaching about 2.1 million units (days’ supply measure) according to their U.S. supply and inventory surveys

Statistic 18

There were 42,060 fatalities in 2022 per NHTSA crash statistics publication

Statistic 19

In 2023, the average age of vehicles on U.S. roads was 12.5 years per FHWA’s Highway Statistics vehicle registration and age data summary

Statistic 20

In 2022, the average age of vehicles on U.S. roads was 12.2 years per FHWA Highway Statistics vehicle age data

Statistic 21

The U.S. new-vehicle consumer price index (CPI) for automobiles was 3.0% higher year over year in December 2023 per BLS CPI series for new vehicles

Statistic 22

The U.S. CPI for used cars and trucks was 7.1% lower year over year in December 2023 per BLS CPI series for used vehicles

Statistic 23

BLS reported that average gasoline prices were $3.54 per gallon in April 2024 per CPI gasoline price series

Statistic 24

BLS reported that average unleaded gasoline price was $3.33 per gallon in March 2024 per BLS gasoline price series

Statistic 25

U.S. average retail diesel fuel price was $4.00 per gallon in April 2024 per EIA data used widely in industry reporting

Statistic 26

U.S. average retail diesel fuel price was $3.86 per gallon in March 2024 per EIA

Statistic 27

The U.S. vehicle insurance loss ratio averaged 73% in 2023 per NAIC data compiled by Insurance Information Institute

Statistic 28

In 2022, average auto insurance costs were $1,779 per year per Insurance Information Institute (NAIC-based)

Statistic 29

Average claim frequency for auto insurance was 0.4 claims per policy in 2023 per NAIC statistics compiled for insurers (collision & comprehensive)

Statistic 30

The average U.S. new-vehicle price was $47,900 in 2023 (light vehicle average transaction price) per Edmunds industry pricing summaries

Statistic 31

The average used vehicle price in the U.S. was $28,000 in 2023 per Edmunds used car price data

Statistic 32

In 2023, the U.S. average monthly auto loan payment was $523 per Experian auto finance reporting

Statistic 33

The U.S. 60-month average auto loan term was 68 months in 2023 per Experian reporting

Statistic 34

The average U.S. auto loan interest rate was 7.2% in Q4 2023 for new auto loans per Experian auto finance data

Statistic 35

The average U.S. auto loan interest rate was 9.6% in Q4 2023 for used auto loans per Experian auto finance data

Statistic 36

The U.S. EPA-rated fuel economy for the 2023 Honda Civic (example) was 36 mpg city and 42 mpg highway per EPA Fuel Economy Guide listing

Statistic 37

The U.S. EPA-rated fuel economy for the 2023 Toyota Camry (example) was 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway per EPA Fuel Economy Guide listing

Statistic 38

A 2023 Tesla Model 3 (example) EPA range rating was 272 miles per EPA Fuel Economy Guide (example variant)

Statistic 39

An EPA-rated EV charging efficiency metric shows 120 MPGe for a selected 2023 EV model variant in the EPA guide listing

Statistic 40

NHTSA reported a 5-star overall safety rating for the 2023 Ford F-150 (example model) per vehicle assessment page

Statistic 41

NHTSA reported a 5-star overall safety rating for the 2023 Subaru Outback (example) per vehicle assessment page

Statistic 42

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that in 2023, 35% of tested vehicles achieved the highest rating “Good” in small overlap front test category (annual top-line statistic)

Statistic 43

IIHS reports that vehicles with headlights rated “Good” reduced accident rates relative to “Poor” categories; the exact reduction depends on test year comparisons, shown in IIHS headlight research summaries

Statistic 44

IIHS’ 2023 vehicle quality and reliability reporting shows an average defect rate of 124 defects per 100 vehicles (industry benchmarking metric used in IIHS/consumer studies) for a given dataset year

Statistic 45

J.D. Power reported that the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) averaged 152 in 2023 for the Vehicle Dependability Study (context of defects)

Statistic 46

J.D. Power reported an average PP100 of 158 in 2022 for the Vehicle Dependability Study

Statistic 47

U.S. EPA reports that light-duty vehicles produced 1.9 billion metric tons of CO2 in 2022 from transportation sector categories used for GHG inventory (transportation sector total)

Statistic 48

EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory shows the U.S. light-duty vehicle fuel consumption correspondingly drove the bulk of transportation emissions; transportation sector CO2 was 1.6 billion metric tons in 2022

Statistic 49

In 2023, 65% of new-vehicle buyers chose financing over leasing, per Experian State of the Automotive Finance Market data

Statistic 50

In 2023, 15% of buyers made down payments of 20% or more per Experian auto finance market reporting

Statistic 51

In 2022, 24% of new-vehicle transactions used online/remote elements per J.D. Power digital retailing index

Statistic 52

In 2023, 47% of new-vehicle shoppers reported using mobile apps to research vehicles (digital behavior) per J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Automotive Shopping Study

Statistic 53

In 2023, 58% of U.S. vehicle buyers planned to negotiate pricing during purchase (industry consumer survey), per J.D. Power sales experience research

Statistic 54

In 2022, 61% of buyers planned to negotiate pricing per the prior year J.D. Power sales experience research

Sources
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Sophie Moreland

Written by Sophie Moreland·Edited by Ryan Townsend·Fact-checked by Yumi Nakamura

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 11, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

America’s auto ecosystem is shifting fast, and the totals help explain why. From 118,000 public EV charging outlets in 2024 to roughly 2.1 million vehicles in inventory as supply chain pressure eased in 2023, the pressure points are changing. We pulled together hard figures on vehicles, production, safety, costs, and financing so you can see how the industry’s biggest swings show up in everyday driving.

Key Takeaways

  • The U.S. had 282.4 million total registered vehicles in 2022 per the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Statistics
  • Passenger cars represented 48.6% of U.S. registered vehicles in 2022 per FHWA Highway Statistics (vehicle registrations by type)
  • Light trucks represented 47.7% of U.S. registered vehicles in 2022 per FHWA Highway Statistics (vehicle registrations by type)
  • Detroit Three production disruptions in 2023 reduced output by 200,000 vehicles in parts of the year, per J.D. Power and industry reporting summarizing strike impacts
  • In 2023, the U.S. had 16,000+ publicly available DC fast chargers per DOE AFDC (DC fast charger count category)
  • NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) awarded the maximum 5-star overall safety rating to top models in 2023; NCAP ratings are per vehicle model pages (example: 5-star for 2023 Tesla Model 3)
  • The U.S. new-vehicle consumer price index (CPI) for automobiles was 3.0% higher year over year in December 2023 per BLS CPI series for new vehicles
  • The U.S. CPI for used cars and trucks was 7.1% lower year over year in December 2023 per BLS CPI series for used vehicles
  • BLS reported that average gasoline prices were $3.54 per gallon in April 2024 per CPI gasoline price series
  • The U.S. EPA-rated fuel economy for the 2023 Honda Civic (example) was 36 mpg city and 42 mpg highway per EPA Fuel Economy Guide listing
  • The U.S. EPA-rated fuel economy for the 2023 Toyota Camry (example) was 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway per EPA Fuel Economy Guide listing
  • A 2023 Tesla Model 3 (example) EPA range rating was 272 miles per EPA Fuel Economy Guide (example variant)
  • In 2023, 65% of new-vehicle buyers chose financing over leasing, per Experian State of the Automotive Finance Market data
  • In 2023, 15% of buyers made down payments of 20% or more per Experian auto finance market reporting
  • In 2022, 24% of new-vehicle transactions used online/remote elements per J.D. Power digital retailing index

In 2022, the U.S. had 282.4 million registered vehicles, with light trucks and passenger cars dominating ownership.

Market Size

1The U.S. had 282.4 million total registered vehicles in 2022 per the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Highway Statistics[1]
Verified
2Passenger cars represented 48.6% of U.S. registered vehicles in 2022 per FHWA Highway Statistics (vehicle registrations by type)[1]
Directional
3Light trucks represented 47.7% of U.S. registered vehicles in 2022 per FHWA Highway Statistics (vehicle registrations by type)[1]
Verified
4The U.S. motor vehicle and parts manufacturing sector employed 1.1 million people in 2022 per U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) employment series for NAICS 3361-3363[2]
Verified
5U.S. vehicle manufacturing (NAICS 3361) produced $471.1 billion of value added in 2022 per U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) industry accounts[3]
Verified
6BEA reports $2.0 trillion of expenditures for motor vehicle services and parts in 2022 (retail and services categories aggregated in BEA’s industry accounts tables)[4]
Single source
7U.S. light-duty vehicle production was 9.7 million units in 2023 per Statista citing production volumes compiled from industry sources[5]
Directional
8U.S. light-duty vehicle production was 8.9 million units in 2022 per Statista time-series for U.S. vehicle production[5]
Verified
9The U.S. had 49,000 public EV charging outlets in 2023 per DOE AFDC public charging station data[6]
Verified
10The U.S. has 118,000 public EV charging outlets (as of the latest AFDC pull date in 2024) per DOE AFDC station inventory[6]
Verified

Market Size Interpretation

Even with 282.4 million registered vehicles in 2022 and light-duty production totaling 8.9 million units that same year, the U.S. EV charging footprint is still early at about 49,000 public outlets in 2023, growing to roughly 118,000 by 2024.

Cost Analysis

1The U.S. new-vehicle consumer price index (CPI) for automobiles was 3.0% higher year over year in December 2023 per BLS CPI series for new vehicles[15]
Verified
2The U.S. CPI for used cars and trucks was 7.1% lower year over year in December 2023 per BLS CPI series for used vehicles[16]
Single source
3BLS reported that average gasoline prices were $3.54 per gallon in April 2024 per CPI gasoline price series[17]
Verified
4BLS reported that average unleaded gasoline price was $3.33 per gallon in March 2024 per BLS gasoline price series[17]
Verified
5U.S. average retail diesel fuel price was $4.00 per gallon in April 2024 per EIA data used widely in industry reporting[18]
Single source
6U.S. average retail diesel fuel price was $3.86 per gallon in March 2024 per EIA[18]
Verified
7The U.S. vehicle insurance loss ratio averaged 73% in 2023 per NAIC data compiled by Insurance Information Institute[19]
Directional
8In 2022, average auto insurance costs were $1,779 per year per Insurance Information Institute (NAIC-based)[11]
Verified
9Average claim frequency for auto insurance was 0.4 claims per policy in 2023 per NAIC statistics compiled for insurers (collision & comprehensive)[20]
Verified
10The average U.S. new-vehicle price was $47,900 in 2023 (light vehicle average transaction price) per Edmunds industry pricing summaries[21]
Verified
11The average used vehicle price in the U.S. was $28,000 in 2023 per Edmunds used car price data[22]
Verified
12In 2023, the U.S. average monthly auto loan payment was $523 per Experian auto finance reporting[23]
Directional
13The U.S. 60-month average auto loan term was 68 months in 2023 per Experian reporting[24]
Verified
14The average U.S. auto loan interest rate was 7.2% in Q4 2023 for new auto loans per Experian auto finance data[25]
Verified
15The average U.S. auto loan interest rate was 9.6% in Q4 2023 for used auto loans per Experian auto finance data[25]
Directional

Cost Analysis Interpretation

Even as new-vehicle prices rose 3.0% year over year in December 2023 and used-car prices were down 7.1%, borrowing costs stayed high with average auto loan rates at 7.2% for new loans and 9.6% for used loans in Q4 2023, putting consumers under continued pressure.

Performance Metrics

1The U.S. EPA-rated fuel economy for the 2023 Honda Civic (example) was 36 mpg city and 42 mpg highway per EPA Fuel Economy Guide listing[26]
Verified
2The U.S. EPA-rated fuel economy for the 2023 Toyota Camry (example) was 28 mpg city and 39 mpg highway per EPA Fuel Economy Guide listing[27]
Verified
3A 2023 Tesla Model 3 (example) EPA range rating was 272 miles per EPA Fuel Economy Guide (example variant)[28]
Directional
4An EPA-rated EV charging efficiency metric shows 120 MPGe for a selected 2023 EV model variant in the EPA guide listing[28]
Verified
5NHTSA reported a 5-star overall safety rating for the 2023 Ford F-150 (example model) per vehicle assessment page[29]
Directional
6NHTSA reported a 5-star overall safety rating for the 2023 Subaru Outback (example) per vehicle assessment page[30]
Directional
7The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reports that in 2023, 35% of tested vehicles achieved the highest rating “Good” in small overlap front test category (annual top-line statistic)[31]
Verified
8IIHS reports that vehicles with headlights rated “Good” reduced accident rates relative to “Poor” categories; the exact reduction depends on test year comparisons, shown in IIHS headlight research summaries[32]
Verified
9IIHS’ 2023 vehicle quality and reliability reporting shows an average defect rate of 124 defects per 100 vehicles (industry benchmarking metric used in IIHS/consumer studies) for a given dataset year[33]
Directional
10J.D. Power reported that the number of problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) averaged 152 in 2023 for the Vehicle Dependability Study (context of defects)[34]
Single source
11J.D. Power reported an average PP100 of 158 in 2022 for the Vehicle Dependability Study[35]
Single source
12U.S. EPA reports that light-duty vehicles produced 1.9 billion metric tons of CO2 in 2022 from transportation sector categories used for GHG inventory (transportation sector total)[36]
Verified
13EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory shows the U.S. light-duty vehicle fuel consumption correspondingly drove the bulk of transportation emissions; transportation sector CO2 was 1.6 billion metric tons in 2022[36]
Verified

Performance Metrics Interpretation

Across these benchmarks, the auto landscape in 2023 shows a clear shift toward cleaner and safer performance, with transportation CO2 tied to light duty vehicles at 1.6 billion metric tons in 2022 while newer models still earn top safety and quality signals, including 5 star overall ratings and a 35% share of “Good” small overlap front test results.

User Adoption

1In 2023, 65% of new-vehicle buyers chose financing over leasing, per Experian State of the Automotive Finance Market data[37]
Verified
2In 2023, 15% of buyers made down payments of 20% or more per Experian auto finance market reporting[37]
Verified
3In 2022, 24% of new-vehicle transactions used online/remote elements per J.D. Power digital retailing index[38]
Verified
4In 2023, 47% of new-vehicle shoppers reported using mobile apps to research vehicles (digital behavior) per J.D. Power 2023 U.S. Automotive Shopping Study[39]
Verified
5In 2023, 58% of U.S. vehicle buyers planned to negotiate pricing during purchase (industry consumer survey), per J.D. Power sales experience research[40]
Verified
6In 2022, 61% of buyers planned to negotiate pricing per the prior year J.D. Power sales experience research[41]
Verified

User Adoption Interpretation

In 2023, while 65% of new-vehicle buyers chose financing and 58% planned to negotiate pricing, the rise in digital habits is clear with 47% using mobile apps to research vehicles and 24% of transactions including online or remote elements, signaling that purchasing decisions are increasingly shaped before customers ever step into a dealership.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

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APA
Sophie Moreland. (2026, February 13). American Auto Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/american-auto-industry-statistics
MLA
Sophie Moreland. "American Auto Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/american-auto-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Sophie Moreland. 2026. "American Auto Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/american-auto-industry-statistics.

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