Digital Auto Care Factbook & Lang Annual 2019 - 60

U.S. New Motor Vehicle Registrations
The auto industry's record vehicle sales appears to be ending, as Americans last year purchased fewer vehicles than in the previous
year. U.S. new vehicle registrations decreased 1.5 percent to 17.6 million in 2017. This is the first year-over-year decrease since 2009
when the number of registered vehicles declined by 21.9 percent.
Demand for light trucks was higher than passenger cars last year. Cheaper gasoline led to an increase in the sale of light trucks,
compared to passenger cars. Light trucks grew 3.6 percent in 2017, achieving a record number in new registrations and representing
64.4 percent of total light vehicle sales. Meanwhile, new passenger car registrations decreased 9.9 percent while import vehicles
continue to dominate this category with 73.8 percent of total sales.
Combined registrations of new medium (GVW 4-6) and heavy-duty (GVW 7-8) trucks increased 2.7 percent to 449,000 units in 2017.
Driving this increase was the year-over-year increase in medium duty trucks with 3.9 percent while heavy-duty truck registrations
increased only 1.9 percent.

U.S. New Vehicle Registrations, 2007-2017
(In Thousands)
U.S.
Motor Vehicle Registrations, 2007-2017 (In Thousands)

Cars

Report
Year

Total Light
Vehicles

Light Trucks (GVW 1-3)
Light Truck
% of
Total Light
Vehicles

Total
Light
Vehicles

Medium & Heavy Duty Trucks

Total Vehicles

Medium
Heavy
Duty
Duty
Medium
Trucks
Trucks & Heavy
All
GVW (4-6) GVW (7-8) Trucks Vehicles

%
Change
from
Previous
Year

Total

%
Import

Domestic

Import

Total

%
Import

2007

2,751

4,788

7,539

63.5%

5,412

3,072

8,484

36.2%

53.0%

16,023

181

246

427

16,451

na

2008

2,327

4,473

6,800

65.8%

3,955

2,462

6,418

38.4%

48.6%

13,218

132

192

324

13,541

-17.7%

2009

1,674

3,661

5,336

68.6%

2,877

2,138

5,015

42.6%

48.5%

10,351

78

146

224

10,575

-21.9%

2010

1,800

3,751

5,551

68.1%

3,371

2,559

5,930

42.3%

50.8%

11,480

82

162

244

11,724

10.9%

2011

1,991

3,998

5,989

66.8%

3,899

2,768

6,668

41.5%

52.7%

12,657

103

218

321

12,978

10.7%

2012

2,230

4,872

7,102

68.6%

4,105

3,106

7,212

43.1%

50.4%

14,314

120

251

371

14,685

13.2%

Domestic Import

2013

2,411

5,025

7,436

67.6%

4,503

3,443

7,947

43.3%

51.7%

15,383

135

244

379

15,762

7.3%

2014

2,348

5,206

7,554

68.9%

4,983

3,793

8,777

43.2%

53.7%

16,331

146

287

433

16,764

6.4%
5.4%

2015

2,207

5,142

7,349

70.0%

5,532

4,318

9,850

43.8%

57.3%

17,199

155

322

477

17,676

2016

1,917

4,865

6,782

71.7%

5,866

4,773

10,640

44.9%

61.1%

17,422

174

263

437

17,859

1.0%

2017

1,603

4,505

6,108

73.8%

5,866

5,070

11,027

46.0%

64.4%

17,135

181

268

449

17,584

-1.5%

0.0%

6.2%

3.6%

2.5%

-1.6%

3.9%

1.9%

2.7%

-1.5%

YOY
% Chg.

-16.4%

-7.4% -9.9%

U.S. Motor Vehicle Registrations, 2007-2017 (In Thousands)
20,000
18,000

427

16,000
14,000
12,000

379
324
244
6,418

449

224
5,930

321
7,947
6,668

8,777

9,850

10,640

11,027

7,212

5,015

8,000
6,000
4,000

437

371

8,484

10,000

477
433

7,539

6,800

5,336

5,551

2007

2008

2009

2010

5,989

7,102

7,436

7,554

7,349

6,782

Notes: 	 Historical data have been revised.		
Domestic vehicles refer to those vehicles
manufactured by U.S. companies (GM,
Ford, Chrysler, Tesla) and their sub-brands.
Source:	 Light vehicle registration counts from
IHSMARKIT's NVPP® database as of
December 31, 2017.
	

Medium and heavy duty truck registration
from IHSMARKIT's Trucking Industry
Profile® system as of December 31, 2017.

	

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or in part is prohibited without written
permission of IHSMARKIT, 248-728-7000,
www.IHSMARKIT.com.

6,108

2,000
0

2011

2012

Total Medium & Heavy Trucks

60

2013

2014

Light Trucks

2015

2016

2017

Cars

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Digital Auto Care Factbook & Lang Annual 2019
