Vehicle ownership is a long-running cost, not a one-time purchase. The figures below give writers, shoppers, and garage owners a concise view of the scale of U.S. driving and the cost assumptions behind a new vehicle. Every number links to its published source.
The newest federal travel figures on this page cover 2024. AAA's vehicle-cost study covers 2025. These dates are shown alongside each statistic so the figures can be used with the right context.
The scale of driving
The U.S. vehicle fleet in 2024
297.5 million
motor vehicles were registered in the United States in 2024.
This total includes passenger vehicles, motorcycles, buses, and trucks.
Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-12024 data, updated February 20263.294 trillion
vehicle-miles were traveled on U.S. roads in 2024.
That is the total distance traveled by all motor vehicles, not the number of miles per driver.
Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-12024 data, updated February 2026271.1 million
registered vehicles were light-duty vehicles in 2024.
The federal definition includes passenger cars, light trucks, vans, and sport utility vehicles.
Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-12024 data, updated February 202611,071 miles
was the average distance traveled per registered motor vehicle in 2024.
The number spans the full registered fleet, including commercial vehicles and motorcycles.
Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-12024 data, updated February 202619.2 mpg
was the average fuel efficiency across all U.S. motor-vehicle travel in 2024.
This fleet-wide figure includes light-duty vehicles, buses, and freight trucks.
Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-12024 data, updated February 2026Ownership costs
What a new vehicle cost to own in 2025
$11,577
was AAA's estimated annual cost to own and operate a new vehicle in 2025.
AAA's estimate covers depreciation, finance charges, fuel, insurance, taxes and fees, and maintenance, repairs, and tires.
AAA, Your Driving CostsSeptember 16, 2025$964.78
was AAA's estimated monthly cost to own and operate a new vehicle in 2025.
This is the monthly equivalent of AAA's annual ownership and operating estimate.
AAA, Your Driving CostsSeptember 16, 202513.0 cents
was AAA's average fuel cost per mile for its 2025 new-vehicle study.
AAA reported this was 12.8% lower than its 2024 estimate, based on the study's standardized vehicle mix.
AAA, Your Driving CostsSeptember 16, 2025$6,402
more per year was AAA's estimated cost for a pickup truck versus a small sedan in 2025.
AAA also found the small sedan's cost per mile was 43.3% lower than the pickup's in that comparison.
AAA, Your Driving CostsSeptember 16, 2025Methodology and sources
How to use these figures
Federal Highway Administration figures describe national travel, registrations, and fuel use. They are not a prescription for an individual driver or vehicle. AAA's cost figures are standardized estimates for selected new vehicles driven 15,000 miles a year over five years, so a specific vehicle, driving pattern, and location can produce a different result.
- Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-1Updated February 2026.
- AAA, Your Driving CostsPublished September 16, 2025.
Cite this page
DualForce tools. “U.S. Vehicle Ownership and Driving Statistics.” Updated September 9, 2026. https://dualforcetools.com/vehicle-ownership-driving-statistics
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