Insurer Allianz Direct wanted to know what drivers really want. And a representative poll that has now been presented has yielded startling results: They would prefer a petrol engine. A proud 43% of the 800 respondents said they preferred this classic guide. 27 percent would choose a hybrid, i.e. a combustion engine with electrification, while only 20 percent would choose an all-electric car. The reputation of the long-clean, cheap diesel seems to have been ruined: only 10 percent of all potential buyers still want a diesel. According to the study, the most popular car overall is a small car from the VW brand, with a petrol engine.
The bigger the budget available, the better the electric will be. In the lower price ranges, only 25 percent appreciate a hybrid or even electric drive, while a proud 78 percent of buyers with a budget of over 100,000 euros prefer to drive electrified. And the willingness to try out an autonomous vehicle is also higher in the upper price range. Overall, however, only 21% of all buyers would like to drive themselves. 36 percent categorically reject the approach, 43 percent are still undecided.
Preferences by age group are surprising in times when climate kids are hyped in the media. The youngest buyers, in the 18 to 24 age group, are the least willing to buy an electric or hybrid vehicle, by a third. On the other hand, driving pleasure is higher in relation to benefits than in any other age group, i.e. by an impressive 47%. This figure drops to just 29% for the older drivers surveyed (55 to 65 years old). No wonder that among the boomers, however, the percentage of fans of SUVs is highest, and the lowest among young customers. Is this a trend reversal?
Incidentally, the deciding factor for the purchase is the price (49 percent), followed by fuel consumption (36 percent). Of the 14 aspects listed, “environment and sustainability” ranks far behind with 14 percent, followed only by the country of production (4 percent) and – self-proclaimed experts now we need to be strong – the opinion of friends and acquaintances (2 percent ). The favorite color is black (36 percent), the most important extra is air conditioning (56 percent). Only 9% attach importance to Internet access in the car, a topic that has perhaps been talked about a bit too much in recent years.
And the study clears up another misconception: The vast majority of customers prefer to buy their car from new car dealerships (57 percent), followed by used car dealerships (21 percent). A total of 12% would like to buy from online retailers. (aum/jm)
