Desire to buy and knowing what to buy
2 min
reading time
For all its symbolic weight, a car remains a consumer good. Beyond any emotional pull toward a national or regional brand, drivers inevitably set romantic sentimentality aside in favour of far more pragmatic considerations. This mindset essentially boils down to one decisive question: how much does it cost? Yet this price sensitivity does not preclude brand loyalty or an appreciation of a vehicle’s origin, provided it is offered at the best possible price.
MOTIVATED BUYERS…
Even as the automotive sector navigates uncertainty, shaken by energy market volatility and scaling back of government subsidies, 7 in 10 drivers state they intend to purchase a vehicle (new or used), with a third planning to do so within the next 12 months. These consistently high metrics across Observatoire Cetelem editions demonstrate that cars retain their underlying appeal, offering a clear ground for optimism among brands. This appetite for a new vehicle is particularly pronounced in Turkey and Italy, as well as among younger demographics and higher-income households. Looking ahead, future purchases are set to skew towards new vehicles rather than second-hand models.
Fig. 27 – Intention to purchase a car, within the next 12 months or later (% by country)
Download this infographic for your presentations
Stacked vertical bar chart. Question: “Are you planning to buy a car?” Base: all respondents, in %. Two series: “Yes, within the next 12 months” and “Yes, but not within the next 12 months”. Source: Observatoire Cetelem de l’automobile 2027.
For all countries combined, 29% plan to buy within 12 months and 42% plan to buy later (71% combined).
Data by country, in the form within 12 months / later (combined):
• Germany 32% / 43% (75%)
• Belgium 19% / 47% (66%)
• China 45% / 29% (74%)
• Spain 30% / 41% (71%)
• United States 40% / 29% (69%)
• France 24% / 43% (67%)
• Italy 33% / 45% (78%)
• Japan 10% / 46% (56%)
• Netherlands 26% / 46% (72%)
• Poland 21% / 47% (68%)
• Portugal 20% / 49% (69%)
• United Kingdom 29% / 39% (68%)
• Turkey 45% / 39% (84%)
• Europe average 26% / 44% (70%)
China and Turkey have the highest short-term intentions (45% each), and Japan the lowest (10%). Turkey has the highest combined intention (84%).
…WITH CLEAR IDEAS AHEAD OF PURCHASE
Drivers want to buy, and they know what they want. Indeed, 6 in 10 already know the brand of their next car. Once again, this conviction is strongest in Asia (China 81%, Japan 74%), as well as in Belgium (69%). By contrast, in Italy, Portugal and the UK, only a minority have a clear idea of which brand they will choose. Behind these headline figures, a clear distinction emerges between the used and new car markets. In the used market, where purchases are often driven by opportunistic timing or finding a “good deal,” only 1 in 2 drivers knows which brand they will choose, with British buyers being the most open to surprises. Conversely, in the new car market, fully 7 in 10 respondents have already settled on a brand. Chinese consumers are exceptionally decisive (84%), whereas Italian buyers remain far more hesitant.
Fig. 28.1 – Knowledge of the brand of the next car, for a new purchase (% of “yes”)
Download this infographic for your presentations
Vertical bar chart. Question: “Do you know what brand your next car will be?” Base: respondents intending to buy a car in the next 12 months, in %. Filter: next vehicle will be a new car, answer “Yes”. Source: Observatoire Cetelem de l’automobile 2027.
Across all countries combined, 70% already know their brand. China is the highest (84%) and Italy the lowest (51%).
Data by country: Germany 60%, Belgium 81%, China 84%, Spain 71%, United States 76%, France 68%, Italy 51%, Japan 77%, Netherlands 64%, Poland 75%, Portugal 61%, United Kingdom 61%, Turkey 67%. The European average is 65%. The total is 70%.
Fig. 28.2 – Knowledge of the next car brand, for a used purchase (% of “yes”)
Download this infographic for your presentations
Vertical bar chart. Question: “Do you know what brand your next car will be?” Base: respondents intending to buy a car in the next 12 months, in %. Filter: next vehicle will be a used car, answer “Yes”. Source: Observatoire Cetelem de l’automobile 2027.
Across all countries combined, 50% already know their brand. Japan is the highest (65%) and the United Kingdom the lowest (33%).
Data by country: Germany 52%, Belgium 57%, China 43%, Spain 48%, United States 50%, France 54%, Italy 51%, Japan 65%, Netherlands 47%, Poland 63%, Portugal 40%, United Kingdom 33%, Turkey 55%. The European average is 50%. The total is 50%.
Compared with Fig. 28.1, buyers of used cars are less likely to know the brand in advance (50% against 70% for new cars).