Automotive statistics 2025 and predictions for 2026

 

Car ownership in 2026 will look different than it does today. More electric cars. More software. And probably even less certainty in the used market. 

 

This article breaks down the most important automotive statistics from 2025 and explains what they signal for 2026 – across sales, EVs, used cars, maintenance, software, autonomy, and ownership behavior.  

 

 

How the automotive market is doing compared to last year can tell a lot about where it’s going next. Global demand didn’t collapse in 2025, but it didn’t grow evenly either.

 

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), worldwide car registrations rose 5% in the first half of 2025, reaching 37.4 million units. 

 

These were the regions with highest growth: 

 

Europe lagged behind in this case. Overall registrations fell 2.4%, and the EU market slipped 1.9%, even though Türkiye, the EFTA countries, and the UK helped soften the decline. Meanwhile, in the US, there was a slight growth of 2.5%. 

 

Looking at the car brands by unit sales, Visual Capitalist’s 2025 analysis found these as top ones: 

 

However, it’s important to note the rise of Chinese manufacturers, especially in light of the EV boom. They’re expanding fast – both at home and abroad. In fact, BYD recorded the fastest year-over-year growth among major automakers (+30%). 

 

Here’s where the numbers accelerate and prove how EVs are taking over the world. 

 

Last year, the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicted global electric car sales to surpass 20 million in 2025, accounting for over 25% of all cars sold worldwide. In just the first three months of 2025, global EV sales jumped 35% year-on-year. 

 

While the annual results are yet to be concluded, China, Europe, and the United States remain the core EV markets. 

 

 

 

Range anxiety seems to be fading. 

 

Motorwatt points out that the average EV range has climbed past 300 miles (483 km), up significantly from around 250 miles (402 km) just two years ago. SMMT’s latest data confirms this – the average range of a new electric car on sale in the UK today is almost 300 miles too. 

 

Even though the average EV range is now solid for everyday driving, cars like the Lucid Air prove 400+ miles (644+ km) is already possible. In 2026, more brands will likely catch up mainly through better efficiency (aero, weight, power electronics, thermal management), not just bigger batteries, bringing mainstream models closer to those long-range benchmarks. 

 

 

Infrastructure is improving, but unevenly across regions.

  

 

 

 

 

By 2026, policy frameworks are doing more of the heavy lifting than direct purchase subsidies, with most regions shifting from encouraging adoption to enforcing it.  

 

Here’s how these changes look across the world: 

 

 

 

The used market remains massive, but the used car prices aren’t coming down. 

 

 

Mileage rollbacks are still a problem in 2025 and will be in 2026 if nothing changes. 

 

Private-sector data suggests the problem remains widespread and has been rising in recent years:

 

 

In Europe, the scale is even broader. 

 

However, odometer fraud still seems to be a criminal offence in only six EU Member States, meaning people still have to protect themselves using their own means. 

 

In 2025, the most reliable ways to spot odometer fraud include checking digital service records, connected-car data, and mileage stored inside the car itself.  

 

One of the easiest options is OBDeleven’s Mileage check, which reads mileage from multiple control units and flags inconsistencies – helping you spot rollback risks before you buy right in the app. 

 

Buyers still want nearly new cars. They just can’t find enough of them. 

 

In Europe, demand skews older. A chart from Indicata’s 2025 report shows that in January, three to four-year-old cars made up 24.34% of used sales, while five-plus-year-old cars made up 42.12%. 

 

For 2026, this points to longer ownership cycles on both sides of the Atlantic. 

 

 

Keeping cars longer costs more money in 2025. 

 

 

The global on-board diagnostics aftermarket was valued at USD 3.1 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow at 23.7% annually through 2034 (Global Market Insights). 

 

 

 

 

Cars are increasingly becoming software platforms, with manufacturers using over-the-air (OTA) updates to fix issues and roll out improvements and new features.  

 

 

 

Adoption of projection platforms is also already mainstream and shows no signs of stopping in 2026. 

 

 

 

People are still reluctant towards autonomous driving. AAA’s 2025 survey found only 13% of US drivers trust riding in a self-driving vehicle, while about 60% still feel afraid.

 

Meanwhile, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as lane departure warning and pedestrian detection, are becoming the new normal. Demand for it is strong: AutoPacific reports 43% of new-vehicle buyers rank hands-free highway driving as a top desired feature. 

 

Regulation is pushing adoption, especially in the EU, while US regulators continue scrutinizing hands-free systems.  

 

For 2026, we may expect more hands-free highway driving (Level 2+) across more trims and brands, while true eyes-off (Level 3) is likely to remain limited and controversial. 

 

 

Cars are staying on the road longer. 

 

 

Car ownership is no longer just about driving. It’s about software, apps and unlocking features through subscriptions. And getting over-the-air (OTA) updates without visiting a workshop. 

 

But not everyone’s cheering for the car as a service shift and most likely won’t in 2026. 

 

Here’s the deal: Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) often soften the blow with a free trial. But once it ends, many drivers don’t convert. 

 

In 2025, tighter emissions enforcement was actively spreading. 

 

 

But buyers aren’t universally on board with the pace. 50% of global buyers said they still plan to choose an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle within the next 24 months, up 13 points from 2024, per EY’s 2025 Mobility Consumer Index coverage.