Millennials Show Less Loyalty Than Others to Vehicle Brands

Overall, US adults tend to be loyal to auto manufacturers they have purchased from before. This is particularly true if customers have had a good customer experience with an auto brand. However, data from Morning Consult indicates that Millennials are much more open to trying new brands and models. 

Some 4 in 10 (41% of) the 2,200 US adults surveyed consider vehicle brand to be a top priority when they consider purchasing their next vehicle. And, of those respondents who are intending to purchase a vehicle in the next 12 months, the largest share is planning to stick with the car brand they are familiar with — a little more than half (52%) are thinking of buying from the same manufacturer they have purchased from in the past. Only one-quarter report that they are thinking of buying from a manufacturer that is new to them. 

Older consumers tend to remain loyal to vehicle brands they have purchased from in the past, with only 14% of Gen Xers and 10% of Baby Boomers who plan to purchase a vehicle in the next 12 months thinking about buying a vehicle from a manufacturer that is new to them, Millennials appear to be considerably more open to trying a new vehicle brand, however. More than one-third (36%) say they are thinking of buying from a new manufacturer. 

The gap in age groups can also be seen when looking at the model of automobile respondents intend to purchase. About 7 in 10 (69% of) Baby Boomer auto intenders are thinking of buying a traditional manufacturer model, and fewer than 1 in 10 (8%) are thinking about buying new model choices. By comparison, only 4 in 10 Millennial auto intenders are considering buying a traditional manufacturer model, with more (43%) considering a model that is new to them. 

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About the Data: Findings are based on a December 2021 survey of 2,200 US adults (18+).