In Which We Examine The Thinking Of The Elusive First-Time Car Buyer Buyers' Thinking

Buying one’s first car is a rite of passage in this car-obsessed country. And for automakers, the first-time buyer’s choice is a chance to latch onto someone who might become a long-term customer. What factors play a role in the purchase decisions of these consumers? To find out, the Polk Center for Automotive Studies surveyed Americans age 18 to 30 who’d bought or leased a car for the first time during the past two years.

Given the age skew of the respondent pool (and of first-time buyers in general), one would expect the Internet to influence their thinking.