Growing demographic
| Millennials are a growing part of the U.S. light-vehicle retail market. | ||||||
| Share of retail sales | ||||||
| 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | |
| Gen Z | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% |
| Gen Y (millennial) | 20% | 22% | 24% | 26% | 28% | 29% |
| Gen X | 24% | 24% | 24% | 24% | 25% | 25% |
| Baby boomer | 42% | 41% | 39% | 38% | 37% | 36% |
| Pre-baby boomer | 14% | 13% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 9% |
| Retail sales (in millions) | ||||||
| Gen Z | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.2 |
| Gen Y (millennial) | 2 | 2.6 | 3 | 3.5 | 4 | 4.1 |
| Gen X | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 3.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Baby boomer | 4.3 | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.2 | 5.2 | 5.1 |
| Pre-baby boomer | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 |
| Source: J.D. Power PIN data | ||||||
During the past decade, the rise in car-sharing services, urban living and college debt payments led to doubts about millennials' desire to ever own a vehicle.
