Average Age of U.S. Passenger Vehicles: 11.4 Years

The average age of cars and light-trucks on the road in America has been rising for years. But a flood of post-recession sales has halted the aging process at least until 2016, according to IHS Automotive Inc.

The market research group also says 2014 marks the first year in at least two decades when the average light truck was as old as the average car: 11.4 years.

An expected slowing in sales growth will cause the fleet average age to begin rising again after next year, reaching 11.5 years by 2017 and 11.7 years by 2019, the analysis predicts.

The firm notes that only 11.5 million vehicles were scrapped last year from a record 14 million in 2012. Meanwhile, new-vehicle registrations outpaced scrappage by more than 24% for the first time in a decade.

The number of passenger vehicles currently on the road in the U.S. grew nearly 2% last year to a record 252.7 million, according to the analysis.

IHS expects the volume of vehicles less than 6 years old will jump 32% in the next five years. Over the same period, vehicles between 6 and 11 years old will drop 21% but those that are at least 12 years old will increase 15%.