Buh-Bye Quirky Car Design As Millennials Embrace Mainstream

IN CONTEXT: Millennials and Cars
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New York February 15, 2016; The AIADA newsletter sighting a New York Times report said that it was not too long ago that automakers were tripping over themselves in pursuit of younger buyers, offering boxy wagons and small, jellybean-shape city cars.

The Scion xB, the Honda Element, the Nissan Cube: All were funky departures for Generation X from the dowdy minivans of their parents. But times and tastes have changed.

Today's younger buyers, loosely referred to as Generation Y, have embraced a term that would have turned off their immediate forebears. "Compared to Gen X, Gen Y is very mainstream," said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst for Autotrader. "They see the car as a symbol of their accomplishments and aspirations. They're into very established, highly respected global brands, whereas Gen X always wanted something different from what their parents drove."

American millennials are active auto shoppers. In 2014, younger buyers accounted for 27 percent of new-car sales, according to J. D. Power and Associates. Younger buyers have embraced conservatively styled crossovers and sport utility vehicles. Even once-moribund Buick is attracting millennials with its strong-selling Encore compact crossover.

For more on why today's millennials are embracing more mainstream vehicles, click here.