Go boomers! 59-77-year-olds are the most confident car buyers

A study of ‘consumer confidence’ around various aspects of owning and running a car has shown that older drivers from the baby-boomer generation are most at ease with it all.

A poll of 1,000 drivers by the Motor Ombudsman highlighted various generational differences, but it’s perhaps most notable that even in the most confident group of buyers choosing petrol or diesel power – the boomers aged 59 to 77 – only 44 per cent would consider buying a car without enlisting the help of other people. That figure drops to 29 per cent for the least confident group, the so-called Gen Xers (aged 43 to 58) and stands at 33 per cent for the millennial cohort, those drivers aged 27 to 42.

When it comes to confidence about the right fuel for them, it’s not surprising that boomers take the lead when it comes to internal combustion engines, with 84 per cent expressing confidence that petrol or diesel is right for them. However, 76 per cent of millennials and 73 per cent of Generation Z drivers – the youngest driver cohort aged 18 to 26 – also share that view, suggesting we’re still some way off the widespread acceptance of electric power across all age groups.

When considering acquiring electric cars though, the positions reverse, with 50 per cent of millennials and Gen Zers being fully confident the technology would suit their needs. Gen Xers and boomers aren’t nearly as confident, at 24 per cent and 21 per cent respectively.

While a new set of figures suggesting older drivers are less enthusiastic or confident about the suitability of EV driving may not come as a total shock to anyone, the Motor Ombudsman says its survey will be repeated, producing a ‘barometer’ that can highlight shifts in confidence on a yearly basis.

The survey also addressed other areas of confidence around buying a car, where the age and experience of boomers again seems to show in the results. While 39 per cent of this older cohort would be confident to negotiate a better price with sales people, 84 per cent of Gen Z respondents said they wouldn’t be confident doing that. And once they’ve bought their vehicles, there’s a lack of confidence in basic car care skills too. While up to 71 per cent of older drivers have the confidence to check engine oil levels and air pressure in their tyres, those numbers fall to 40 per cent for Gen Z.

Want the latest car news in your inbox? Sign up to the free Auto Express email newsletter...