United States. With new vehicle payments already topping $1,000 a month and declining credit scores, Americans are holding on to their vehicles longer.
The average age of the 291 million cars on the road reached 12.8 years in 2025, up from 11.9 years in 2024, according to AAPEX's new Media Guide.
The report, prepared with data from the 2025 Joint Channel Forecast and the 2025 Auto Care Factbook, confirms that the aftermarket is consolidating itself as a key part of mobility.
"The automotive aftermarket is the largest market many Americans have never heard of, and yet we depend on it to keep our vehicles running," said Mark Bogdansky, vice president of Trade Shows and Community Engagement for the Auto Care Association.
Globally, this sector moves 2.3 trillion dollars, with the United States as the leader. In 2025 alone, the U.S. market is expected to grow 5.3%, reaching $435 billion, equivalent to 1.5% of GDP. In addition, it generates employment for almost 5 million people in the country.
In this context, the AAPEX fair, which takes place every year in Las Vegas together with the SEMA Show, is consolidated as the most important meeting point for the industry. In 2024 it brought together 45,000 participants from 128 countries, more than 2,600 manufacturers and suppliers, and buyers from chains such as AutoZone, O'Reilly, Advance Auto Parts, NAPA and Walmart.
"Given recent business uncertainty, the increasing emphasis on relocating manufacturing operations, and an aging vehicle fleet that requires maintenance and repairs, it is reasonable to expect that finding new suppliers will once again be a top reason to attend AAPEX 2025," said Liz Goad, Vice President of Events, MEMA Aftermarket Suppliers.
