2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study
Australian Edition
What consumer trends and disruptive technologies will have the most impact on the automotive industry in the coming year?
Explore key findings from our 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study, including electrification adoption, connectivity concerns, car buying trends, and more.
The global automotive industry is undergoing a tremendous amount of change at an unprecedented pace. At the center of this change sits a consumer with rapidly evolving expectations of the mobility experience. To help automotive companies better understand these shifting preferences and other emerging trends, we surveyed more than 30,000 consumers in 30 countries.
Conducted from October through November 2024, our 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study explores four key trends that emerged from this year’s survey:
1. All-battery electric vehicle (BEV) inertia remains muted in most markets as interest in internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicles ticks up.
Consumer interest in full hybrids and range extender technology (i.e. no external charging plug) is gaining momentum in several global markets as consumers seek a “best of both worlds” solution to reduce fuel costs and lower emissions without the need for charging infrastructure. Almost 50% of Australian consumers are considering a non-ICE alternative power train for their next vehicle, with the preference higher in some developed markets.
2. Intended vehicle brand defection is on the rise in many markets around the world.
The percentage of surveyed consumers intending to switch brands the next time they are in-market for a vehicle increased on a YoY basis across several markets, with half of surveyed consumers in Australia expressing their intent to switch to another brand of vehicle. This signals the need to build strong customer relationships, particularly in developing markets with a significant percentage of first-time buyers.
3. Autonomous vehicles are coming back into view, but consumer concerns remain.
An evolving view of the regulatory environment governing the development of autonomous technology in some global markets may ease the deployment of self-driving vehicle fleets for both consumer and commercial applications, but over a quarter of consumers surveyed in Australia do not trust most entities for managing their vehicle data. This could represent a challenge for companies looking to monetise connected services.
4. A relatively high frequency of vehicle use persists in many markets, but many younger consumers surveyed are interested in mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) over ownership.
In Australia, 50% of young consumers say they would be willing to give up vehicle ownership in favour of a MaaS solution. Whilst many Australian consumers are willing to give up vehicle ownership to explore MaaS, we have one of the highest rates of 100% private vehicle use in the world.
This annual study provides important insights that can help companies prioritise and better position their business strategies and investments in the year to come. For more details on these evolving automotive consumer trends, download the full report.
