Diesel plummets: Spanish drivers prefer hybrid and petrol cars

The data gathered by the 2018 Cetelem Motor Observatory Report on the preferences and behaviour of Spanish consumers are conclusive: hybrid and electric cars are gaining ground over diesel. Price remains the most important criterion when buying a car.

A review of the study “Automobile, 2007 vs 2018, crisis and recovery”, carried out by the Cetelem Motor Observatory, allows us to draw some interesting conclusions about the evolution of new and used car registrations in Spain, as well as the preferences and behaviour of consumers in relation to the purchase of a car.

This is how we Spaniards bought cars in 2017

During 2017, the total new car registration market was 53 per cent private transactions, 29 per cent companies, and 18 per cent rental companies.

Among those who currently own a car, 45 per cent are petrol and 52 per cent diesel, compared with 2 per cent that account for hybrids. 30 per cent bought their current car between 5 and 10 years ago, while 25 per cent did so more than 10 years ago. 44 per cent acquired their vehicle from a single-brand dealership, 35 per cent from a multi-brand one, and 10 per cent at a second-hand car dealer.

The average amount spent by Spaniards who bought a car in the last 12 months was 17,155 euros. Of these, 33 per cent paid in cash, 32 per cent financed the purchase at the dealership, and 29 per cent took out a loan, either with their usual bank or with a specialised finance company other than the brand’s.

As for the most valued aspects when buying a car, price ranks first with 82 per cent, followed by safety with 78 per cent of mentions, and reliability in second place with 63 per cent. Another interesting figure: while in 2007 36 per cent of the Spaniards surveyed said they used the internet as a source of information during the buying process, ten years later this figure rises to 86 per cent. Of these, brand websites are cited by 83 per cent as a source of information, and motoring websites by 47 per cent.

Future purchasing trends: more hybrids, less diesel

Compared with the 13 per cent of users surveyed in the 2017 study who said they intended to buy a car in the following 12 months, this figure rises in 2018 to 51 per cent. Of these, almost 90 per cent say they will opt for a new car, compared with 11 per cent who intend to do so with a used car.

The budget that respondents would allocate to buying their new car is 21,400 euros, 25 per cent more than the average spend declared in their last purchase. 68 per cent would do so by applying for financing. And only 10 per cent would opt for renting rather than buying.

But perhaps the most interesting figure is the interest aroused by hybrid and electric cars compared with diesel. The purchase intention for these vehicles reaches 36 per cent overall, compared with 26 per cent who say they would still consider diesel, and 37 per cent who would opt for a petrol engine car.

The electric car for the Spanish buyer: a question of range

As for the electric car, 23 per cent of those surveyed declare their intention to acquire this type of vehicle in the coming years. However, they make the purchase of an electric car conditional on three main factors: range, price and charging options.

Thus, 49 per cent of respondents say they would be willing to buy an electric car if its range were between 100 and 250 km, while 36 per cent would do so if it exceeded 250 km. Among the reasons why they would not consider buying an electric car, the insufficient range is mentioned by 57 per cent of cases, the high price by 54 per cent, and not having a charging point by 40 per cent.

The used car market in Spain

Other data of interest from the study highlight the importance the market for second-hand vehicles continues to hold. In 2017, 2,260,371 used vehicles were sold, the highest figure in the last 10 years, with a 14 per cent increase compared with 2016. This means that in 10 years we have gone from a ratio of 1.1 between new and used vehicle sales to a ratio of 1.7.

What has remained practically unchanged in recent years is the distribution of sales of used vehicles according to the nature of the seller. Thus, almost 60 per cent of transactions take place between private individuals, compared with 26 per cent taking place through official networks, and 11 per cent at car traders, the remaining figure corresponding to transactions by rental companies.

Finally, the age of second-hand cars sold during 2017 continues to increase. Those over 10 years old account for 57 per cent of the total used passenger cars, compared with 16 per cent aged between 5 and 10 years, which fall in percentage terms in favour of those under 3 years old, whose share rises to 20 per cent.

Other information of interest

10 reasons to say goodbye to diesel
The best tricks for driving a hybrid car
The 10 electric cars with the longest range
Renting or leasing?