The top 10 things Brits want in their ideal car – including parking sensors
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How well do you know your cars? Put your motor knowledge to the test with this quiz on logos, body style and country of origin.
It comes after research of 2,000 adults revealed 77% think MINI is a quintessentially British automotive manufacturer – despite it being owned by German company BMW Group since 1996.
And although 40% believe a car’s country of origin is an important factor in their decision-making when buying or leasing a car, 65% had no idea that Kia is owned by an Asian company.
While many were unaware Polestar (87%) or MG (88%) also had an Asian parent company.
It also emerged that while 75% were able to correctly identify the Tesla logo, just 38% were able to do so for Polestar – despite being one of the top 10 best-selling electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK.
Despite the lack of brand knowledge, 93% know precisely what they want in their car with parking sensors and sat nav high on the list of requirements.
And while 45% want to go all electric, 77% believe an EV would be too expensive to get behind the wheel of.
Alfonso Martinez, UK managing director at ALD Automotive LeasePlan UK, which commissioned the research and quiz, said: “There are a lot of misconceptions out there about automotive brands, so it’s important to do your research to ensure you find the right one for you.
“This is particularly true when it comes to electric vehicles, where new and exciting brands are challenging conventional norms and bringing innovative solutions to UK drivers.
“This is helping drive competition in the UK electric vehicle market, which will in turn will bring down the cost of driving an EV for consumers.”
The study also found 37% of people looking for a new car would see items such as heated seats or a heated steering wheel as a must-have.
But it’s not all about comfort as 36% want to see enhanced safety features that land a five-star Euro NCAP rating before making their decision.
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The most popular type of car among those looking for a change was the humble hatchback (42%), followed by a 4×4 or SUV (30%).
And after the summer we have experienced in the UK – unsurprisingly only 14% would opt for a convertible.
Of those who would consider going electric, the main driver for this would be to reduce air pollution (56%).
Nearly half (49%) consider electric cars the ‘future of driving’, and for those seeking a more peaceful motoring experience, 36% like how quiet they are to drive.
It also emerged Tesla (61%) is the brand most associated with electric vehicles, followed by Polestar (15%), a subsidiary of Volvo.
Third on the list was Nissan (14%), with Toyota and Hyundai (13% and 10%) making up the top five, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
Martinez added: “These research findings show that drivers know exactly what they want in a vehicle.
“Therefore, automotive manufacturers need to continue to design cars that meet these needs – but also pre-empt drivers’ future needs as well.
“This, of course, means focusing on zero emission technology and universal access to sustainable mobility.”
WHAT BRITS WANT IN THEIR IDEAL CAR:
- Parking sensors and/or cameras
- Sat nav
- Heated seats/steering wheel
- Enhanced safety features (e.g. a five-star Euro NCAP rating)
- Automated features (e.g. automated parking, highway assistance)
- Plug-in hybrid or fully electric
- All-wheel drive/ four-wheel drive
- Keyless entry/ignition
- Android Auto/ Apple CarPlay
- Electric tailgate/boot
- Motoring
- Quizzes
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