Trouble for Detroit? Gen Y’s Favorite Cars Are Foreign.

[CoRDiTe]

Trouble for Detroit? Gen Y

A new study of Gen Y drivers’ preferences looks like more bad news for the Detroit automakers.

Auto pricing site TrueCar.com tracked both the brands and individual models bought in 2009 and 2010 by Generation Y shoppers (ages 18 to 27). The results should strike fear into the hearts of U.S. auto executives: Not a single brand from a domestic automaker made the Top 10 list.

Scion, a brand set up by Toyota Motor specifically aimed at young buyers, was No. 1. (See its Scion tC above right.) Mitsubishi, a name that barely registers with older shoppers, came in second.

Some other brands among the top 10, such as Honda and Volkswagen, have a long record of youth appeal. But even the Korean corporate twins Hyundai and Kia, which have recorded surging sales in recent years, appear to have extended their appeal to young buyers as well as older ones.

Though Ford, Chrysler and the General Motors brands have enjoyed big sales gains this year, the TrueCar list portends some future trouble, as young buyers who like their first car often become loyal to that brand. “It is important for an auto maker to get a young buyer into their vehicle from the beginning, in hopes of continued loyalty to the brand,” says TrueCar chief analyst Jesse Toprak.

To that end, the domestic brands do still have the chance to get a boost from new models — such as the Ford Fiesta and Chevrolet Cruze — that offer plenty of features at an affordable price, notes Toprak’s colleague, TrueCar analyst Kristen Andersson. “Buyers from this generation are looking for vehicles that have the technology features they are accustomed to built into the vehicle at an affordable price, ” she says.

Not surprisingly, seven of the top 10 models preferred by young buyers have a list price of under $20,000. The top three models — the Scion tC, Mitsubishi Lancer and Honda Civic Si — offer a wide choice of features for personal customization.

The only U.S. model on the top 10 list of individual models is the Ford Focus coupe, which offers the SYNC system — Ford’s pioneering voice-command system, which controls mobile phones and to play music and is particularly popular with young buyers.

Other tech features that attract young buyers include the Lancer’s navigation system, with its own music server, and a Honda Civic Si system that lets the driver customize an on-screen display with options like current mileage.

Here is a closer look at TrueCar’s top brands and models:

Top Brands for Gen Y Buyers
(Ranked by percentage of buyers in Gen Y)
1. Scion — 21.2%
2. Mitsubishi — 20.3%
3. Mazda — 10.7%
4. Nissan — 9.8%
5. Volkswagen — 9.6%
6. Kia — 9.1%
7. Hyundai — 8.6%
8. Honda — 8.0%
9. Toyota — 7.6%
10. Subaru — 7.3%

Top Models for Generation Y Buyers
(Shown with MSRP)
1. Scion tC — $18,995
2. Mitsubishi Lancer — $20,670
3. Honda Civic Si – $22,975
4. Toyota Yaris Sedan — $13,915
5. Ford Focus Coupe — $17,365
6. Scion xD — $15,830
7. Volkswagen GLI — $25,365
8. Subaru Impreza – $19,220
9. Kia Forte — $15,690
10. Toyota Corolla — $16,660

This list doesn't surprise me. Just about every young person I come a cross online or in real life are more connected with Imports than Domestics. Mainly Honda.

[Thaking]

Obviously these kids are still in school or recently graduated. Once they start making money they'll move away from this cheap shit and buy something better. Not saying that domestics are necessarily in this group but some sport cars are definitely in this group.

[Projekt]

Obviously these kids are still in school or recently graduated. Once they start making money they'll move away from this cheap shit and buy something better. Not saying that domestics are necessarily in this group but some sport cars are definitely in this group.

When they grow up, they will move into nicer cars. That category doesn't include most domestic vehicles still.

[FoxHondaRider]

Because of the dollar per value of imports over domestics. Nobody wants to buy an expensive new car only to have problems you have to pay for when you don't have the cash. Don't say domestics are more reliable because GM purposely designed their vehicles to fail at 50,000 miles and thats coming from the R&D Engineer. He said making a car that last long doesn't help them out. At 50,000 miles they hope the person either buys a new vehicle from them or has costly repairs so GM still makes money. What a bunch of fucking scam artist scum bags. Ford really stepped their game up and are far above the rest of the domestic lineup. I haven't heard of any problems yet with their newer lineups.

[Thaking]

When they grow up, they will move into nicer cars. That category doesn't include most domestic vehicles still.

I fucking said that you faggot.

[Projekt]

I fucking said that you faggot.

No you didn't. Deal with it.

[FoxHondaRider]

I fucking said that you faggot.

Want some cheese with that whine?

[dan]

Gotta face it, Detroit doesn't put out many compact cars worth a damn. Camaros and mustangs are beyond the financial reach of most younger people, and the majority of the other stuff isn't that appealing. Ford is doing a little better, as I like the new Focus (minus the lack of power), but Chevy and Dodge still have cars with big plasticy looking headlights and questionable designs. Even though most foreign cars aren't very powerful, they usually are much sportier looking and are fun to drive.

[FoxHondaRider]

My suggestion to all manufactures... bring back the double wishbone!

[Projekt]

Ford also has to worry about a lawsuit that's going to be popping up soon because of their SYNC system. Apparently they had started working on it with some small company and then just up and left the partnership, and then a while later came out with SYNC all of a sudden. The entire design and idea was created by this other company.

[CoRDiTe]

Ford also has to worry about a lawsuit that's going to be popping up soon because of their SYNC system. Apparently they had started working on it with some small company and then just up and left the partnership, and then a while later came out with SYNC all of a sudden. The entire design and idea was created by this other company.

If true this is nothing new to Ford. They stole many ideas from people and some even won lawsuits against them. I think the most famous one of all was the windshield wiper system. Wasn't there a movie about it like 10 years ago ?

[Taylorinalaska]

Obviously these kids are still in school or recently graduated. Once they start making money they'll move away from this cheap shit and buy something better. Not saying that domestics are necessarily in this group but some sport cars are definitely in this group.

Not saying that domestics are necessarily in this group but some sport cars are definitely in this group.

No you didn't. Deal with it.

Not saying that domestics are necessarily in this group but some sport cars are definitely in this group.

Want some cheese with that whine?

Not saying that domestics are necessarily in this group but some sport cars are definitely in this group.

Projekt also thinks all American cars are shit, and FoxHondaRider thinks all cars that aren't Hondas are shit. My question is, whos helping them type this stuff out? Surely someone this mentally disabled cannot form sentences such as "Deal with it."

[Silvia_San]

chevy cruze? yeah they can shove that turd up their asses. "idk why young people won't buy our cars, just because they are overpriced, hideous and fall apart"

[Thaking]

Projekt also thinks all American cars are shit, and FoxHondaRider thinks all cars that aren't Hondas are shit. My question is, whos helping them type this stuff out? Surely someone this mentally disabled cannot form sentences such as "Deal with it."

I'm sorry I dont listen to idiot who drives a POS honda and another that owns lowest car/trim of audi.

[Projekt]

Projekt also thinks all American cars are shit, and FoxHondaRider thinks all cars that aren't Hondas are shit. My question is, whos helping them type this stuff out? Surely someone this mentally disabled cannot form sentences such as "Deal with it."

I do think all American cars are shit, because they all are. A well maintained Ford Focus from 06 drives like a beat rental car and it has less than 75,000 miles on it, where as my Audi has 75,000, 20,000 of which has been put on by me in less than a year. It still drives like it's brand new. Explain to me how that works? Also, I test drove other VW's with more than 50,000 miles and all of them drove like they were new even though most were older. I can only say from experience that all domestic products besides old corvettes and gto/g8 pontiacs were complete shit when I experienced them even though they were newer than other cars I have been in.