According to many articles I've read online and in newspapers in recent months, the under-30 crowd's interest in cars is fading. Being the mother of three young boys, I wanted to test that theory, so I asked my eldest son (who's about to turn 15) to answer a little survey along with his friends.
Well, after compiling the results of my non-scientific enquiry, I've come to the same conclusion: Today's teenagers don't care about cars as much as people from my generation.
Actually, that's not entirely true. A number of them love sports cars like Ferraris and Corvettes, not to mention Formula 1. They're also fond of racing games, such as Need for Speed and Grand Theft Auto , and have a general thirst for power, speed, and performance. However, owning a car is simply not part of their priorities.
“So, are you looking forward to having your own car, son?” I said.
“Why?” he replied.
“You know, to drive around, go to school, see your friends,...”
“I don't need a car; I have two legs and a bicycle. I can take the bus, too.” (FYI, we live in the suburbs.)
“So, if I gave you the choice between a new laptop or a car, you would pick...”
“Duh! The laptop, of course!”
“What about your driver's licence?”
“I don't know... Some day, I guess...”
My son's friends answered in similar fashion. A few of them can't wait to own a car, but they're in the small minority.
It appears the freedom we used to seek -- and find -- in automobiles has taken a different shape among today's youth. Many teenagers and Generation Y individuals prefer to walk, ride their bike, or use public transit for economical and environmental purposes. Since cars have a high ownership cost, they opt to put their money on travel, dinners at the restaurant, new technologies, and all other forms of modern entertainment.
You know what? It's really not a bad thing!
My parents viewed the automobile as a necessity. I personally rave about my minivan's practicality on any given day, but I could probably manage to live without it, even in the suburbs. As for kids nowadays, cars have mostly become a luxury they can easily afford to avoid.
No wonder automakers go to great lengths to attract young customers; they know all too well how hard it is to sell cars to this social media-driven public.
Meanwhile, my 15-year-old son won't start begging me for the keys to my minivan anytime soon...
Well, after compiling the results of my non-scientific enquiry, I've come to the same conclusion: Today's teenagers don't care about cars as much as people from my generation.
Actually, that's not entirely true. A number of them love sports cars like Ferraris and Corvettes, not to mention Formula 1. They're also fond of racing games, such as Need for Speed and Grand Theft Auto , and have a general thirst for power, speed, and performance. However, owning a car is simply not part of their priorities.
“So, are you looking forward to having your own car, son?” I said.
“Why?” he replied.
“You know, to drive around, go to school, see your friends,...”
“I don't need a car; I have two legs and a bicycle. I can take the bus, too.” (FYI, we live in the suburbs.)
“So, if I gave you the choice between a new laptop or a car, you would pick...”
“Duh! The laptop, of course!”
“What about your driver's licence?”
“I don't know... Some day, I guess...”
My son's friends answered in similar fashion. A few of them can't wait to own a car, but they're in the small minority.
It appears the freedom we used to seek -- and find -- in automobiles has taken a different shape among today's youth. Many teenagers and Generation Y individuals prefer to walk, ride their bike, or use public transit for economical and environmental purposes. Since cars have a high ownership cost, they opt to put their money on travel, dinners at the restaurant, new technologies, and all other forms of modern entertainment.
You know what? It's really not a bad thing!
My parents viewed the automobile as a necessity. I personally rave about my minivan's practicality on any given day, but I could probably manage to live without it, even in the suburbs. As for kids nowadays, cars have mostly become a luxury they can easily afford to avoid.
No wonder automakers go to great lengths to attract young customers; they know all too well how hard it is to sell cars to this social media-driven public.
Meanwhile, my 15-year-old son won't start begging me for the keys to my minivan anytime soon...
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