What is the average number of new cars purchased in a lifetime?

Some popular car websites have found that people own around six cars on average throughout their lifetime. We know what you're thinking, six cars?! That's so many! Or some of you may think it's too little of a number.

1. How many vehicles does the average person own?
2. How often does the average person keep a car?
3. How often do people buy brand new cars?

How many vehicles does the average person own?

On average, there are 1.88 vehicles per U.S. household. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the percentage of households without a car or light truck came to around nine percent in 2017, meaning that about 90 percent of households had at least one light vehicle at their disposal in that same year.

How often does the average person keep a car?

On average, according to research from IHS Markit, people are keeping their cars an average of 11.9 years, an entire month longer than in 2020. However, new cars are usually kept for even less time, at six years, because people want the latest features and technology, in addition to the new vehicle.

How often do people buy brand new cars?

In other words, people now expect to be in their car 6, 7, or 8 years after they buy it. (Read More: New Car Buyers Stretching Out Payments.) That's a dramatic change from a well-established rule in the auto industry. For years, automakers counted on Americans to buy, on average, a new car or truck every 3 or 4 years.