- Automotive affordability is reshaping purchase decisions globally: 32% of consumers plan to delay their next vehicle purchase due to financial constraints, while 50% plan to budget under $40,000 — a direct challenge to an industry where the average new car now lists above $50,000.
- ADAS and software are displacing brand loyalty as the primary purchase drivers: One in four consumers say they would switch brands for better self-driving functionality, signaling a fundamental shift away from legacy differentiators like design and comfort.
- Shared autonomous vehicles and micromobility are on the cusp of mainstream adoption: Consumers expect their use of shared AVs to grow more than any other alternative transport mode through 2035, putting pressure on traditional shared mobility providers.
The automotive market is not shifting from the top down. Consumers are doing it themselves.
McKinsey’s Mobility Consumer Pulse 2026 Survey — which draws on responses from more than 20,000 mobility users across China, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States — shows just how consumers are leading the market somewhere new. The report tracks how economic pressure, emerging technology and new transportation options are collectively forcing every layer of the industry to recalibrate.
Affordability Has Become the Industry’s Defining Constraint
Financial pressure is still the number one concern for all consumers. According to the McKinsey survey, 32% of respondents plan to postpone their next vehicle purchase because of financial constraints, and 45% say they will consider smaller vehicle categories than they originally planned.
That behavior reflects where the elevated market currently stands. The average new car list price reached $50,900 this spring, according to CarGurus market data — a 3.3% increase since December. The new-to-used price gap has widened to $21,000, compared with $13,000 in 2015. Nearly a third of new inventory carries an estimated monthly payment above $1,000.
Consumers are not simply accepting that pressure and continuing to buy. Roughly 50% of global respondents plan to budget under $40,000 for their next vehicle. And yet, McKinsey is clear on one point: budget-conscious buyers are not lowering their expectations. Sixty percent of respondents cited value for money as one of their most important purchase criteria, second only to quality.
That combination — constrained budgets, uncompromised expectations — is defining the competitive standard. New market entrants offering strong feature sets at lower price points are raising that standard further.
Technology is Replacing Brand as the Primary Differentiator
Brand loyalty is eroding, and the reason is not just price. Consumers are placing importance on advanced driver-assistance systems, powertrain technology and in-vehicle software. Traditional differentiators — comfort, design and brand image — are losing ground.
The McKinsey data is specific on ADAS. Among all features surveyed, ADAS shows the greatest jump in importance from current to future priorities. Automated parking generated the strongest purchase intent, and many consumers are interested in Level 2+ or Level 3 self-driving capability. Roughly one in four respondents say they would be very likely to switch brands for better self-driving functionality. In China, that figure reaches 50%.
New Brands Are Gaining Ground on Incumbent OEMs
Nowhere is the competitive shift more visible than in European consumers’ growing openness to Chinese automotive brands. In the McKinsey survey, 54% of European respondents identified Chinese OEMs as the perceived technology leader for battery electric vehicle technology, and 40% said the same for plug-in hybrids.
Chinese brands currently account for approximately 12% of new EV sales in Germany and about 21% in the United Kingdom. Those are not dominant numbers, but the trajectory matters. Consumers cite value for money, innovation and advanced ADAS as top reasons for their interest. Skeptics point to unfamiliarity and concerns about service networks — gaps that represent clear development priorities.
The Mobility Mix is Expanding Beyond Private Vehicles
Car ownership is not disappearing, but its role is narrowing. McKinsey’s survey finds that consumers across all markets expect their travel behavior to become more diverse. Shared autonomous vehicles stand out: respondents expect their use of shared AVs to increase more than their use of any other alternative mobility mode through 2035.
Micromobility is also gaining everyday relevance, particularly in urban areas. Rather than competing with shared services, private micromobility ownership and shared usage are both growing — 87% of regular shared micromobility users also own a personal micromobility device.
What the Industry Cannot Afford to Ignore
The McKinsey survey’s most important finding is that consumers are becoming harder to categorize. Cost-conscious buyers still expect advanced technology. Mainstream consumers are moving toward EVs. Brand loyalty is softening just as new competitors pop up. And more consumers are combining vehicle ownership with other transportation options.
The traditional role of the dealership has not gone away, but the traditional customer does not look like they did a decade ago. The dealers that continue to thrive through this period are not necessarily going to be the largest or the oldest. They are the ones that can read these shifts in consumer demand early and respond faster than the market expects.
Related Stories: