The car is becoming a necessary “luxury” in many countries, according to a survey

Europe 1 with AFP 6:31 p.m., October 13, 2022

Using your car is more and more expensive but many motorists do not see how to do without it, indicates the annual barometer of the Cetelem Observatory published Thursday.

According to this survey carried out in 18 countries, 7 motorists out of 10 believe that driving a car requires financial sacrifices, but 72% (75% in France) declare that they cannot do without it.

Nearly two-thirds of respondents fear that they will no longer be able to afford a vehicle in the future, particularly in Turkey, Mexico, Portugal or Brazil.

This is also the case for 59% of French people.

Motorists first see this loss negatively, with the fear of no longer being able to move as they wish.

Only 20%, on the contrary, see it as a positive gesture for the environment.

Those under 35, more likely to go without a car

Nearly 6 out of 10 people say they have already given up traveling because of the cost involved, particularly in countries with the most fragile economies, such as Turkey or South Africa.

To save money, a majority of French people say they are reducing their trips, 46% compare prices in order to buy the cheapest petrol possible and 44% try to optimize their driving to consume less fuel.

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A third of motorists also say they travel more often on foot, by bike or by scooter.

From Germany to Brazil via France, more than one in two people have left one of the household vehicles or have decided to do so soon.

Those under 35 are more inclined to do without a car altogether, at 34%, compared to 26% for the older generations.

"What does not pass are the costs of use", underlines Flavien Neuvy, director of the Cetelem observatory.

"Spending all the time at the checkout reinforces this very negative feeling."

The new car, largely shunned

Motorists estimate their annual budget for the car (fuel, insurance, repairs) at 2,753 euros (2,870 euros in France), gasoline being by far the item considered the most expensive.

At the same time, the costs of insurance and maintenance are considered reasonable by a majority of households, even if they are rising sharply.

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Similarly, the purchase price of cars is considered reasonable by many motorists, especially for the vast majority who buy on the second-hand market.

On the new side, the price of cars has nevertheless increased sharply in recent years in the EU, twice as fast as inflation between 2000 and 2020. Buyers of new cars are thus becoming increasingly rare, up to 2% of French households in 2022, Buyers are on average 55 years old, compared to 44 years old in 1990.

"A risk that the car will become a luxury item" 

With the proliferation of electric cars, which are more expensive than thermal ones, "the trend will accelerate over the next few years", predicts Flavien Neuvy.

“There is a risk that the car will become a luxury item, inaccessible, marginalizing the people who need it most in their daily lives,” warns the expert.

This survey was conducted online from June 23 to July 8 by Harris Interactive, among 16,600 people aged 18 to 65, according to the quota method.

3,000 interviews were carried out in France and 800 in each of the other countries.