LAS VEGAS – August 26, 2025 – There are an estimated 1.61 billion vehicles in operation globally. The world’s population uses those vehicles to travel 13.8 trillion miles annually. Every vehicle needs maintenance at some point, and all those vehicles in operation mean the global automotive aftermarket is valued at $2.3 trillion. 

Over the last 40 years, AAPEX has earned a reputation for bringing the global aftermarket together for a few days every year in Las Vegas. Indeed, AAPEX has long been known as a show where business gets done. However, what many Americans don’t realize is just how influential the aftermarket is to the U.S. economy. 

While many associate the automotive aftermarket with service and repair shops, that’s often the last stop along an intricate and lengthy supply chain. That supply chain includes U.S.-based manufacturers, remanufacturers, distributors, retailers, independent repair shops, technology providers and fleet managers. 

The newly published 2025 AAPEX Media Guide illustrates just how dependent America is on the aftermarket. The statistics are sourced from two benchmark industry reports, compiled by AAPEX’s parent organizations – the Auto Care Association and MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers. 

Below are some of those statistics:

1. The U.S. automotive aftermarket is quite large 

The U.S. light car and truck aftermarket is forecasted to grow 5.3% to $435 billion in 2025. That accounts for roughly ~1.5% of 2024 GDP. When medium and heavy-duty trucks are factored in, the size of the market rises to $575.7 billion, or ~2% of 2024 GDP. 

That’s an annual figure, not a one-time investment. By comparison, U.S. corporations have invested $250 billion in artificial intelligence in 2025, according to Stanford.

Notably, the aftermarket is broadly considered “recession resistant” because when it comes to operational or safety-related repairs, there isn’t a lot of room for discretionary spending. 

2. The U.S. automotive aftermarket employs millions

There are an estimated 270,300 independent repair shops in the U.S. These shops employ 967,000 auto technicians – and there’s a pressing talent shortage. While these independent repair facilities account for 70% of the total repair capacity in the U.S., they’re just a fraction of the overall source of aftermarket jobs.  

Collectively, the automotive aftermarket employs 4,905,500 people, or nearly 3% of the overall U.S. workforce, which includes 170,380,000 people. 

3. The U.S. aftermarket supply chain is intricate

There are more than 6,700 automotive aftermarket parts manufacturers in the U.S. Those parts make their way through the supply chain through distributors or 283,700 retailers to either repair shops or vehicle owners. 

The modern vehicle has an astonishing ~30,000 parts and there is a wide variety of models. Yet we can get vehicle repairs done – in and out of the shop – in an afternoon. Try doing that with a washing machine, refrigerator, or stove, which are big-ticket purchases we also rely on daily.  

4. The U.S is dependent on the aftermarket 

There are 291 million cars and light trucks in the U.S. That’s nearly one vehicle for every person living in this country. What’s more, the number of vehicles-in-operation (VIO) is forecasted to grow by another 10 million in 2025.

Last year, Americans drove their vehicles 3.5 trillion miles. It’s how we get to school, travel to appointments, drop the kids off at practice, and of course, get to work. Of U.S. citizens who leave the house for work, 93% commute in one of these vehicles. 

5. U.S. vehicles are getting older  

Americans are hanging on to their existing vehicles longer. We know this because the average age of U.S. vehicles, including light trucks, rose to 12.8 years in 2025. 

When considered separately, the average age for passenger cars climbed to 14.5 years, while light trucks experienced more gradual growth to 11.9 years.

Interestingly, vehicles aged over 16 account for the largest percentage of the vehicle population at 29.3%.

Simply stated, older vehicles need more work. Our vehicles are getting older and so our dependence on the aftermarket is poised to grow as well.

About the media guide

The 2025 AAPEX Media Guide contains many more statistics and facts about AAPEX and the automotive aftermarket. It is freely available for download.

For reference, the statistics are derived from the following reports:

• 2026 Auto Care Factbook by the Auto Care Association; and
• 2025 Joint Channel Forecast by MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers, the Auto Care Association and S&P Global Mobility. 

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Credentialed media are eligible to receive complimentary passes to AAPEX 2025, which is being held in Las Vegas from November 4-6, 2025. If you are new to AAPEX, start here; if you’ve received a media pass in the past, you can renew here. Questions? Send them to [email protected].

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