Understanding America's Favorite Cars Across Different Generations

A chart compiled by Pallavi Rao from Visual Capitalist provides a ranking of America’s most beloved cars across different generations. The data for this analysis was obtained from Insurify and is current as of August 2024.

Methodology of the Ranking

Insurify conducted an analysis of car ownership rates by brand and model across different generations. The data was based on 4.5 million customer applications received between 2023 and 2024. The generations were categorized as per the definitions provided by the Pew Research Center: - Baby Boomers: 1946–1964 - Generation X: 1965–1980 - Millennials: 1981–1996 - Generation Z: 1997–2012 The rankings were determined based on the car model that had the highest rate of ownership in a generation compared to the national average for that model. For more detailed information on the methodology, please refer to the original source.

Favorite Cars of Different Age Groups in America

The Ford F-series pickup truck emerged as the most popular vehicle among Baby Boomers and Generation X. However, for Millennials, the Ford pickup only made it to the sixth position in terms of ownership, and it did not feature in the top choices for Generation Z at all. Trucks, in general, seemed to be more favored by the older generations, as indicated by the Chevrolet Silverado's ranking. It secured the fifth position for Baby Boomers and Gen X, the tenth for Millennials, and did not feature in the top choices for Gen Z. The data also suggested that older generations, who are likely to have more financial stability, prefer larger cars. Both Baby Boomers and Gen X included SUVs in their top 10 (Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, and the Chevrolet Equinox), while Millennials and Gen Z did not have any SUVs in their top choices. However, the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord were consistently ranked in the top five across all generations. Interestingly, both these car brands also ranked in the top five for reliability.

Generational Preferences for Car Brands

While the discussion so far has been about car models, it's also interesting to see how different generations feel about car brands. For more on this, refer to the analysis on America’s Top Car Brands, by Generation. As a sneak peek, Hyundai ranks 6th across all four generations.

Bottom Line

It's clear that car preferences vary greatly across different generations in America, with older generations leaning towards larger vehicles like trucks and SUVs, and younger generations showing different preferences. The consistent popularity of the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord across all generations is also noteworthy. What are your thoughts on these generational car preferences? Do you agree with the rankings? Feel free to share this article with your friends and discuss. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.