Car buyers prioritize fuel efficiency over safety and low price in new survey

The prophesized electric car revolution over the next decade is anticipated to cause a boom in new car sales and new car owners as costs come down. Many younger adults across the world are anticipating their next car to be electric, and cleaner automotive technology is becoming a key selling point for car dealers. New data from Statista’s Global Consumer Survey shows how fuel efficiency is the top characteristic for prospective car buyers.

In a new 2020 update of the Global Consumer Survey, 66 percent of respondents said fuel efficiency is especially important to them when deciding to buy a new car. That’s 12 percentage points higher than those who said they consider a low price to be important, while a similar 64 percent said safety is their top concern. Other important metrics were suitability, high quality, good warranty and customer service and driving comfort – all clocking in above 40 percent for being extremely important for a new car purchase.

Depending on where you live, worrying about fuel efficiency may soon be a thing of the past. Car dealerships in Europe and parts of Asia are rapidly increasing their stock of electric cars from companies like Tesla, Nio and Volkswagen, with many of them operating on all-battery technology. Battery range may soon be the key metric for car buyers instead of fuel efficiency.