U.S. new and used car sales 2010-2024
Sales of used light vehicles in the United States came to around 39.2 million units in 2024. In the same period, approximately 15.8 million new light trucks and automobiles were sold here.
Declining availability of vehicles
In the fourth quarter of 2024, about 292.3 million vehicles were in operation in the United States, an increase of around 1.3 percent year-over-year. The rising demand for vehicles paired with an overall price inflation lead to a rise in new vehicle prices. In contrast, used vehicle prices slightly decreased.
E-commerce: a solution for the bumpy road ahead?
Financial reports have revealed how the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has triggered a shift in vehicle-buying behavior. With many consumer goods and services now bought online due to COVID-19, the automobile industry has also started to digitally integrate its services online to reach consumers with a preference for contactless test driving amid the global crisis. Several dealers and automobile companies had already begun to tap into online car sales before the pandemic, some of them being Carvana and Tesla.
