Introduction to the Automotive Trends Report

Since 1975, the EPA has collected data on every new light-duty vehicle model sold in the United States either from testing performed by the EPA at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan or directly from manufacturers using official EPA test procedures. These data are collected to support several important national programs, including the EPA criteria pollutant standards, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards, and vehicle Fuel Economy and Environment labels. This report contains a uniquely comprehensive analysis of the automotive industry since 1975, based on the EPA’s expansive data set, and provides transparency to the public on data collected by the Agency.

The fuel economy data in this report are estimated real-world data which are measured using a series of standardized laboratory tests that account for the range of operating conditions encountered by an average driver. This data encompasses results from additional testing compared to CAFE data and should not be compared directly to reported CAFE fuel economy compliance values.

All data in this report for model years 1975 through 2024 are final and based on official data submitted to the EPA and the NHTSA as part of the regulatory process. In some cases, this report will show data for model year 2025, which are preliminary and based on data, including projected production volumes, provided to the EPA by automakers prior to releasing vehicles for sale to the public. These data may change significantly before being finalized.

For a summary of the report, see the Highlights. To download the PDFs of the Executive Summary and Full Report, see Download the Report. For more information about the Trends database see About the Data.