More commitment and clarity required from governments

An imperative revival

Cars we love… Manufacturers we appreciate… And a market that needs to be revived. 9 out of 10 people questioned said so, mainly in countries with strong brands and a large car industry. (Fig. 21).

Only the champion of cycling, the Netherlands, is more moderate in its enthusiasm (76%). Another piece of good news for the sector is that young people are the most supportive of this drive for recovery, as are city dwellers and high-income earners. It should be noted, however, that for half the people questioned, while this revival is important, it is not a priority.

Don’t forget the environment…

However, this revival must be green, and not at any cost. 9 out of 10 people think it is important to reduce the environmental impact of new vehicles, although half of the respondents do not consider this to be a priority. (Fig. 22).

The views expressed in the different countries are relatively equivalent, with the Japanese being the least likely to mention this importance.

… with relatively positive policies

When asked about this issue, a small majority of respondents believed that public policy is heading in the right direction. (Fig. 23).

At the risk of repeating ourselves over and over again, while the Chinese are still the most enthusiastic, many European countries are reluctant to define them as positive.

In Germany, France and the Netherlands, this view is even in the minority.

Unclear and unstable help-to-buy policies

The issue of the environment raised doubts about the positive intentions of public policies. Another issue, linked to the purchase itself, confirms that these policies certainly lack clarity. 7 out of 10 respondents said that help-to-buy policies were definitely opaque, with Portugal and Japan leading the way in this opinion. (Fig. 24).

Most European car-producing nations, particularly France, share this view.

Is there a country where everything is clear and there is no room for doubt? China, of course. Seniors and residents of towns and rural areas are the most vocal critics of public policies directed at the purchase of cars.

This criticism surrounding the policies’ lack of clarity is bolstered by another criticism, that of instability, with the latter leading to the former. Here again, in all countries except China, a clear majority point to this instability. (Fig. 25).

Japan, Italy, France and Portugal are the most vocal critics of this instability. Seniors and people living in rural areas once again stand out as adopting the same position.