Key facts
- US households spent an estimated $657.5 billion on other vehicle expenses (insurance, repairs, leases, finance charges) in 2025.
- Motor vehicle and parts dealers sold $1,251.1 billion in January to September 2026, up 2% on a year earlier.
- In car washes and auto detailing, the main occupation (hand laborers and material movers) earns a median $37,680 a year (May 2024), with employment projected to grow 4% by 2034.
- In India, households spend an estimated ₹66,816 crore a year on auto-rickshaw and e-rickshaw fares.
- India has about 11.9 lakh small businesses in motor vehicle and two-wheeler repair.
These automotive industry statistics bring together official data on vehicle sales, what households spend to own and run vehicles, jobs and pay, and India’s vehicle repair businesses. Every figure links to its source page on Advanton, with the original agency release.
Published November 2026. Sources: the US Census Bureau, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and India’s Ministry of Statistics (MoSPI); the full list is at the end. Market size figures are Advanton estimates from official data; see each source page for the method.
Sales and household spending in the US
Table of Contents
- Motor vehicle and parts dealers had sales of $1,251.1 billion in January to September 2026, up 2% on the same months of 2025 (Census Bureau, not adjusted for prices). Source page
- Gasoline stations had sales of $558.5 billion in January to September 2026, up 17% on the same months of 2025 (Census Bureau, not adjusted for prices). Source page
- In total, US households spent an estimated $657.5 billion on other vehicle expenses (insurance, repairs, leases, finance charges) in 2025 (average spending per household times about 138 million households). Source page
- The average US household spent $5,023 a year on vehicle purchases (net outlay) in 2025, 4.0% more than in 2021 ($4,828). Source page
- The average US household spent $4,765 a year on other vehicle expenses (insurance, repairs, leases, finance charges) in 2025, 34.8% more than in 2021 ($3,534). Source page
- The average US household spent $2,503 a year on gasoline and other fuels in 2025, 7.1% less than in 2023 ($2,694). Source page
Jobs and pay in the US
- Car washes and auto detailing: the main occupation, hand laborers and material movers, earns a median $37,680 a year (May 2024), across 6,950,000 jobs nationally; employment is projected to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034, against 3% for all occupations. Source page
The market in India
- E-rickshaw operators: Indian households spend an estimated ₹66,816 crore a year on auto-rickshaw and e-rickshaw fares. Source page
- Two-wheeler service centres, auto services and tire shops compete for household spending on conveyance: about ₹6,99,378 crore a year in India, a pool shared with other businesses, not the market of any one of them (estimate). Source pages: Two-wheeler service centres · Auto services · Tire shops
- Used car dealers compete for household spending on conveyance and durable goods: about ₹12,81,403 crore a year in India, a pool shared with other businesses, not the market of any one of them (estimate). Source pages: Used car dealers
Small businesses in India
- Motor vehicle and two-wheeler repair: about 11.9 lakh small businesses in India, 59.0% of them in towns and cities; a typical urban one adds about ₹3,69,305 of value a year, a rural one ₹2,29,300 (MoSPI, ASUSE 2023-24). Source page
- Sale of motor vehicles, parts and accessories: about 1.9 lakh small businesses in India, 82.8% of them in towns and cities; a typical urban one adds about ₹9,41,254 of value a year, a rural one ₹6,75,426 (MoSPI, ASUSE 2023-24). Source page
- Motor vehicle parts: about 18,450 small businesses in India, 81.9% of them in towns and cities; a typical urban one adds about ₹15,71,081 of value a year, a rural one ₹9,16,679 (MoSPI, ASUSE 2023-24). Source page
How to cite these statistics
You are welcome to use these figures in articles, reports and client content. Credit the original agency and link to the Advanton page you used, for example: "US households spent an estimated $657.5 billion on other vehicle expenses (insurance, repairs, leases, finance charges) in 2025 (via Advanton)." Each source page has ready-made APA, MLA and Chicago citations, a chart you can embed and the data as a download. See how to cite Advanton and our guide for SEO agencies and content teams.
Read the numbers carefully
- Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation unless stated; compare growth with price rises before calling it real growth (why it matters).
- India’s spending pools are shared: where several kinds of business compete for the same household spending, the pool is not the market of any one of them (why it matters).
- Pay is the median for each industry’s main occupation, from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, not the earnings of business owners.
More industry statistics
- All industry statistics and market size estimates for 200 business types
- Data stories: surprising findings from the same data
Sources
- Advanton estimate from MoSPI HCES 2023-24 (household spending), population projections for 2025 and MoSPI ASUSE 2023-24 (unincorporated enterprises)
- Advanton estimate from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey (average spending per consumer unit × number of consumer units)
- MoSPI, Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) 2023-24, full report, Appendix A Tables 4, 29, 33, 35 and 37 (survey period October 2023 to September 2024)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Expenditures—2025 (news release USDL-26-1619, 29 October 2026), tables 1 to 3; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer expenditures in 2024 (BLS Report 1119, August 2026), tables 1 and 2
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook (pay May 2024, projections 2024-34)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Advance Monthly Sales for Retail and Food Services, September 2026 (release CB26-165, 15 October 2026), tables 1 and 2
Last reviewed November 13, 2026. Startup costs are estimates; check local prices, licensing and tax rules before you commit money.