CarGurus Car Buyers Trust Index CarGurus Car Buyers Trust Index

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2020 CarGurus Car Buyer Trust Index

Examining and understanding the role trust plays in the UK car buying process

Trust in the industry is mixed

The UK’s automotive industry is under more scrutiny than ever, with greater awareness among consumers about car emissions, safety and security. Do car buyers feel the car industry put the interests of the consumer and society at large first? How much trust they have in the industry at large?

What drives trust in car buying?

Buying a car is one of the biggest purchases that someone makes, and trust plays a crucial role in their buying decision. Inspired by academic trust research, we identified and studied the five key factors that build trust among car buyers. Whether it’s believing that a car will provide a problem-free ownership experience, that a manufacturer is acting responsibly, or that a dealership is offering a fair price, trust plays a crucial role in the buying decision.

5 key factors that build trust

Open about problems and taking responsibility

Transparency

Genuinely concerned about consumer needs and acting in their best interest

Genuineness

Showing commitment to social causes and the environment

Social conscience

Providing a problem-free ownership experience

Reliability

The CarGurus Car Buyer Trust Index analyses car buyers’ trust in 21 of the biggest auto manufacturers and what trust factors are most important to them when considering purchasing a vehicle. While many brands received high scores for one of the five key factors that build trust, only four brands—Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, and Volvo—were ranked in the top five across all five trust factors.

Trust in auto manufacturers is brand-specific

Researching is a significant part of the car buying journey, but not everyone’s research process is the same. The Car Buyer Trust Index explores how much buyers trust each research source and the differences are generational. External research sources, such as brand websites and online marketplaces like CarGurus are more important to younger and middle-aged buyers than Baby Boomers.

Different generations, different research methods

From Authorised Franchise dealers to independent dealers, car supermarkets or private sales, The Car Buyer Trust Index looks at who buyers trust the most to sell them a vehicle and why.

Trust’s role in where people buy cars

The 3 most important factors that influence trust in…

The shift towards electric vehicles and the introduction of fully autonomous cars are the two main issues that dominate any discussion about the future of the automotive industry. The CarGurus Car Buyer Trust Index explores how much UK car buyers trust these two technologies, and some buyers are more optimistic than others.

Trust in electric vehicles is more fact than fiction for some age groups

The inaugural CarGurus Car Buyer Trust Index presents tangible opportunities for UK car brands and car dealers to generate and build trust, by helping them understand the role that trust plays in the car buying process and how the nature of trust changes across gender and generations. Register today for your complimentary copy of the report.

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Does the car industry put consumer and societal interests first?

29%

yes

unsure

23%

48%

Buyers age 15-54 #1 research source

Buyers age 55+ as #1 research source

rate brand websites as

rate online videos

Authorised franchise dealership

46% Official warranty

29% Problem-free ownership

29% Past positive experience

Independent dealers

Go to CarGurus Dealer Dashboard

Younger generations Trust that the UK government will deliver infrastructure needed to support electric vehicles

37%

30%

24%

18-34 year olds

35-54 year olds

55+ year olds

29% Official warranty

33% Past positive experience

31% charge a fair price

Does the car industry put consumer and societal interests first?

29%

23%

48%

yes

unsure

Learn More

Presented by CarGurus in collaboration with the research firm GlobalWebIndex, the inaugural CarGurus Car Buyer Trust Index examines the role that trust plays in the car buying process in the UK. Read on for highlights of our research findings and click here to register for your free copy of the report.

1 - the trust framework developed for this study was in-part inspired by professor Brené Brown’s, Dare to Lead, The Seven Elements of Trust, 2018