2026
9
US Car Purchasing Process: 2026
2026-07-02T16:02:40+00:00
REP7C72FCE4_8633_4B20_B2FC_E48633DB2095
3695
194640
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Report
en_GB
Car buying has become less linear and more situational. Consumers are not abandoning ownership; they are delaying, recalculating and entering the market through very different needs, from first-time purchase to…
US
Automotive
simple

US Car Purchasing Process: 2026

Car buying has become less linear and more situational. Consumers are not abandoning ownership; they are delaying, recalculating and entering the market through very different needs, from first-time purchase to replacement under pressure.

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for car purchasing
    • Opportunities
    • Turn affordability guidance into brand value
    • Win first-time and multicultural buyers early
    • Winning the moments that can move buyers
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • Economic impact on automotive brand perceptions
    • Cost swings push efficiency into focus
    • Graph 1: regular all formulations gas price, not seasonally adjusted, 2026
    • Price of new and used vehicles remains elevated…
    • Graph 2: consumer price index for all urban consumers, new and used vehicles, seasonally adjusted, 2019-25
    • …”driving” consumers to keep their vehicles on the road longer
    • Market size and forecast
    • Market size and forecast of new vehicle sales
    • Graph 3: market forecast for new vehicle sales, 2021-2031
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Car ownership is fragmenting, not declining
    • How life stage and mobility shifts redefine modern ownership
    • Graph 4: household vehicle ownership, by age, 2026
    • Mileage reflects life in motion, then slows with stability
    • Graph 5: miles driven in a typical year, by age, 2025
    • Ownership gap signals access barriers and new entry points
    • Graph 6: household vehicle acquisition, by race or ethnicity, 2026
    • Parenthood turns ownership into a necessity, not a choice
    • Graph 7: household vehicle acquisition, by parental status, 2026*
    • Graph 8: miles driven in a typical year, by age, 2025**
    • Purchase intent is built on life context
    • Future demand is being shaped early, not deferred
    • Graph 9: vehicle purchase intent, by age, 2026
    • The multi-cultural momentum window
    • Graph 10: vehicle purchase intent, by race or ethnicity, 2026
    • The CPO problem
    • Urban demand signals an entry point
    • Graph 11: car buying experience, by living area, 2026
    • Graph 12: vehicle type consideration, by living area, 2026
    • Rewiring access across the where and when
    • Work patterns are a driver in urgency
    • Graph 13: car buying experience, by working situation, 2026
    • Graph 14: vehicle type consideration, by working situation, 2026
    • Resonating across working situations
    • Discovery is decentralized and algorithm-driven
    • Research behaviors split between validation and discovery
    • Graph 15: vehicle research methods, by age, 2026
    • Content platforms shape early consideration paths
    • Graph 16: social media platforms used for research, by age, 2026
    • Discovery now lives where culture happens
    • Dealership perception is a hidden gatekeeper for Black consumers
    • Parents expand the research journey into experiences
    • Graph 17: vehicle research sources, by parental status, 2026
    • How retail turns kids into a reason to visit
    • Information needs are expanding, and getting more practical
    • Closing the experience gap among younger consumers
    • Graph 18: car purchasing factors consumers research, by age, 2026
    • Performance that proves value where it matters
    • Interior becomes the center of decision for families
    • Commuters bring a higher-stakes lens to the decision
    • Graph 19: car purchasing factors consumers research, by working situation, 2026
    • Retail perception is a brand battleground
    • Traditional dealerships lead all retailers
    • Graph 20: perceptions of vehicle retailers, 2026
    • Where expertise lives, and where it falls short
    • Graph 21: consumer perceptions of vehicle retailers – knowledgeable, by age, 2026
    • The last mile matters: where sales either close or collapse
    • Reliability is being rewritten across channels and cohorts
    • Graph 22: perceptions of vehicle retailers – reliable, by age, 2026
    • Convenience is being redefined by control and context
    • Graph 23: perceptions of vehicle retailers – convenient, by parental status, 2026
    • Graph 24: perceptions of vehicle retailers – convenient, by working situation, 2026
    • Where friction drops, preference is likely to follow
    • Graph 25: perceptions of vehicle retailers – easy to work with, 2026
    • Trust is fragmented, and older buyers are most skeptical
    • Graph 26: perceptions of vehicle retailers – trustworthy, by age, 2026
    • Intimidation is built-in, but unevenly distributed
    • Graph 27: perceptions of vehicle retailers – intimidating, by age, 2026
    • How we’ve seen retailers drive positive perceptions
  4. APPENDIX

    • The market
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast methodology – fan chart
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology – US
    • US generation groups
    • Abbreviations and terms
Download Report Summary

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • How affordability pressures are extending the purchase journey and raising the bar for value communication
  • Why ownership is fragmenting across life stage, household structure and race/ethnicity rather than simply declining
  • Which consumers are driving near-term demand, including younger, Black, Hispanic and urban buyers
  • How discovery has shifted toward algorithm-driven, social and creator-led research environments
  • What practical information shoppers now need most, from financing and fuel costs to reliability and CPO proof
  • Why dealership and retailer perceptions around trust, expertise, convenience and intimidation now shape brand equity

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