WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Despite popular sentiment that
consumers 25 years old and younger are really not interested in buying a
vehicle, this group of consumers has represented a steadily increasing
proportion of total retail automotive sales since 2009, and those young drivers
who purchase a new vehicle are enthusiastic about ownership, according to the
recently released J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Automotive Media and Marketing Report
— Winter.

The report,
conducted since 1987, provides a comprehensive strategic perspective on the
factors that influence new-vehicle purchases, as well as attitudinal,
lifestyle, recreational and media consumption behaviors.

“There is a
lot of discussion today about many young consumers not having the resources,
interest or even passion to own a new vehicle,” said Arianne Walker, senior
director, automotive media & marketing at J.D. Power. “However, this age
group really is passionate about vehicle ownership, their driving experience
and the image associated with the vehicle they buy. Not only do they enjoy
driving, but they also see their vehicle as a reflection of their identity.
They want to personalize their vehicle with options and features, and tend to
view it as an extension of their personality.”

KEY FINDINGS

·  Image and Personalization: Among young
vehicle drivers who purchase a new vehicle, 33 percent say they “completely
agree” that they like their vehicle to stand out from the crowd, while just 20
percent of new-vehicle drivers across all age groups say the same.
Additionally, 27 percent of young drivers say they “completely agree” they want
to equip their vehicle with options and features to personalize it, compared
with 20 percent of all new-vehicle drivers. Nearly twice as many drivers 25
years and younger say they “completely agree” that others can tell a lot about
them by their vehicle, compared with all new-vehicle drivers (19 percent vs. 10
percent, respectively).

·  Joy of Driving: These young drivers have a
passion for driving. Nearly one-fourth (22 percent) of young drivers say they
“completely agree” they like to drive on challenging roadways with hills and
curves, and 41 percent indicate they prefer a vehicle with responsive handling
and powerful acceleration vs. the industry averages (13 percent and 36 percent,
respectively).

· Pride of
Ownership: Young drivers take pride in ownership, with 29 percent indicating
they wash and wax their vehicle themselves, compared with the industry average
of 24 percent.

According to
Walker, these attitudes and sentiments of young drivers about their vehicles
have increased by an average of 6 percentage points in 2014 since 2009,
reinforcing the fact that young drivers really do have an interest in new
vehicles and are emotionally connected to the vehicle they purchase.

The 2014
U.S. Automotive Media and Marketing Report—Winter is based on a nationwide
survey of 32,612 principal drivers of recently purchased or leased new
vehicles. The report is based on drivers who acquired their vehicle between May
2012 and April 2013.