Prices, purchasing power and tariffs put the brakes on cars: half of Italians postpone their purchase
According to Simon-Kucher's Global Automotive Study 2025, the fear of lower spending power is significantly higher than in Germany, France, Spain. Growing interest in Chinese brands
3' min read
3' min read
In Italy, more than half of consumers have decided to postpone the purchase of a new car. What discourages them most of all are the excessively high prices and the fear that they could rise again due to the tariffs effect. This is one of the main aspects that emerged from the Global Automotive Study 2025 by Simon-Kucher & Partners - a German-based global strategy consultancy and world leader in pricing consultancy - which interviewed more than 6,700 people in 20 countries to analyse confidence and spending behaviour in the automotive sector.
The Italian figure is part of a global trend: 54% of motorists worldwide declared their intention to keep their cars longer. In Italy the percentage is almost identical (52%), but the context is more fragile. 52% of Italian respondents fear a further drop in purchasing power, a figure second only to that of Turkey (59%) and much higher than that of the main continental economies: Spain (35%), Germany (46%) and France (48%). A perception that, inevitably, is reflected in spending decisions.
After all, the numbers speak for themselves: in Europe, new car prices have increased by an average of 34-36% compared to the pre-Covid period, with the largest increases concentrated between 2020 and 2022. It is not surprising, therefore, that many consumers prefer to postpone such a demanding car purchase.
Europe is more price sensitive
.According to Simon-Kucher's study, price remains the first criterion when choosing a vehicle, even more so than brand trust or reputation in terms of reliability. In Europe, price sensitivity is up to 15% higher than in some Asian countries, where the economic situation is perceived as more stable and access to credit is often easier. In essence, the intention to buy is there, but only if the offer is perceived as really advantageous. Otherwise, one postpones.
Complicating the picture are then the uncertainties related to tariffs. 73% of respondents fear that new protectionist measures - such as those planned in Europe for Chinese cars - could result in further price increases, not only for imported models but also for locally produced ones, due to the knock-on effect on supplies and components. Concerns are more widespread in markets with a high import dependency, but are also being felt in Italy.
