Report Thursday 20th August 2026

Recalculating Route – Speedometer 2026

Inside the report

8000+

consumers across nine countries tell us where the automotive industry needs to reroute or change course completely.

52%

of consumers say increasing cost-of-living pressures will delay their next vehicle purchase.

60%

of consumers expect to use AI to research their next car.

57%

of EV considerers now cite price as a motivator, up from just 5% in 2024.

40%

of consumers would pay the same for an equivalent Chinese model over a Western one. And 13% would pay more.

of

This year’s Speedometer shows consumer habits are changing, and Western OEMs must urgently adapt.

The signals are clear: consumers want affordability, reliability and convenience, and they’ll reward the businesses that deliver. Winners will be those who move at pace, whether that means rethinking how you price, where you market, or how you meet buyers at the top of the funnel.

This report is just a snapshot of the findings from our 2026 Speedometer report. Whether you sit in vehicle manufacturing, retail, leasing/rental or servicing, we can share further data to help you understand your customer.

About the research

The Global Automotive Disruption Speedometer launched in 2019 and is now on its fifth edition.

We surveyed over 8,000 drivers, asking ~60 questions on their car decisions and driving habits to understand how consumer attitudes and behaviours towards the auto industry are changing and the impact this will have on the industry. The study covered nine countries: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US.

What we cover in this report

  • Sticker price comes unstuck
  • The car salesperson of the future? Ask AI
  • Cheaper EVs are turning heads, but where to plug in?
  • Chinese cars get a reputation reboot

Key Contacts

Alberto Regazzo

Alberto Regazzo

Partner

Bram Kuijpers

Bram Kuijpers

Partner & Global Head of B2B | Services

Jack Chuang

Jack Chuang

Partner

Mark Jannaway

Mark Jannaway

Partner

Nicholas Farhi

Nicholas Farhi

Partner

Ye Chen

Ye Chen

Partner

Dominik Krieg

Dominik Krieg

Associate Partner

Jean-Baptiste Bertrand

Jean-Baptiste Bertrand

Associate partner

Oliver Jones

Oliver Jones

Associate Partner

Suggested reports

View all reports

Tuesday 10th February 2026

Private Equity Transactions 2025

Explore sector insights, key highlights from the successful deals we supported across our core specialisms in 2025, and a glimpse into what 2026 holds.
Read the report
Value Creation in Private Equity Closing the MOIC Gap report front cover

Monday 24th November 2025

Driving Value Creation in Private Equity

Private equity is at a turning point. Fundraising has slowed, exits are bottlenecked, and financial-engineering tailwinds are fading. But opportunity remains for those who...
Read the report

Friday 24th October 2025

Navigating the Rise of AI in Marketing: From Hype to Impact

Marketing has always evolved through waves of technological change, from the dominance of mass media to the performance era of digital. Artificial intelligence now...
Read the report

Tuesday 11th March 2025

Unlocking the Potential of Home and Personal Services Marketplaces

The home and personal services sector represents a multi-trillion-dollar global opportunity, yet its digital penetration remains extremely low, at less than 2%. Unlike other...
Read the report