Do Gen Z still give a honk about owning a car?

By Maria Gil · · 2 min read
Fact Checked
Advertiser disclosure
girl in car smiling

Gen Z, the pragmatic, financially frugal, and climate-concerned generation, are finally reaching the age where they can purchase cars. 

But do they want to?

A new study by Carsales.com found that 43% of young Aussies don’t really care about car ownership. In fact, many of them believe that accessibility to cars is more important, especially when they have a diverse set of transportation options available to them. This means using rideshare like Uber, carshare like Turo, public transport or borrowing a family member’s car.

But not caring doesn't mean Gen Z is anti-car ownership. More than half of them look forward to owning a car in the far future. 

“For Australian Gen Zs, driving remains a cultural symbol of freedom and independence,” says the study.

Unfortunately, 64% of young Australians don’t think they can own a car, and 32% fear the debt that may come with ownership. Especially when 66% of Aussies are keen on buying an electric vehicle (which tends to be more expensive) to help offset their carbon footprint and help combat the climate crisis.

How difficult is it to buy a car in Australia?

Buying a car in Australia isn’t difficult, but the critical problem many young people are experiencing is that there are just not enough cars available.

During the pandemic, vehicle manufacturers experienced a component and labour shortage and have not recovered since. While the car supply market is expected to normalise to pre-pandemic levels, it’s going to take some time.

Notably, due to the lack of new cars available in Australia and long wait times, we've seen second-hand car sales spike in prices due to high demand. But this isn’t stopping the younger generation from saving money to complete what they call  “an essential milestone of adulthood.”

If you want to own a car in 2023, check out the Mozo People’s Choice Award Winners for best car brands. Or if you have a brand in mind start comparing car loans below.

Car loan comparisons on Mozo - last updated 29 April 2024

Search promoted car loans below or do a full Mozo database search. Advertiser disclosure
  • Used Car Loan

    Fixed, Secured, No vehicle age limit

    Interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    6.57% p.a.to 18.99% p.a.
    7.19% p.a.to 21.78% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Get a competitive fixed interest rate on a secured used car loan of up to $75,000 depending on your credit score. No vehicle age limits. Easy online application. Fast pre-approval. Pre-approved funds held for up to 3 months. No monthly account keeping fees, no exit fees and no early repayment fees. Flexible weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments on terms from 1 to 7 years.

    Repayment terms from 1 year to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.57% would cost $35,528.12 including fees.

    Compare
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    Details
  • New Car Loan - Special

    Home Owner Discount, Including Demo, Variable, Secured

    Interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    6.24% p.a.
    7.36% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Low variable car loan rate for purchasing new and demo vehicles from dealers. Personalised loan amounts between $5,000 and $150,000. Flexible repayment options. Choose between the 3 to 7 year loan terms. Good credit history. Stable employment history and Australian citizenship or PR required.

    Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.24% would cost $35,880.27 including fees.

    Compare
    Go to site
    Details
  • New Car Loan

    Fixed, Secured

    Interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    6.57% p.a.to 18.99% p.a.
    7.19% p.a.to 21.78% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Get a competitive fixed interest rate on a secured new car loan of up to $75,000 depending on your credit score. Easy online application. Fast pre-approval. Pre-approved funds held for up to 3 months. No monthly account keeping fees, no exit fees and no early repayment fees. Flexible weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments on terms from 1 to 7 years.

    Repayment terms from 1 year to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.57% would cost $35,528.12 including fees.

    Compare
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    Details
  • Used Car Loan

    Up to 5 years old, Variable, Secured

    Interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    7.74% p.a.
    8.85% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Used Car Loan with no monthly or ongoing fees, with a fixed rate for the life of the loan. Fast online application. Good credit history. Stable employment history and Australian citizenship or PR required.

    Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 7.74% would cost $37,153.94 including fees.

    Compare
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    Details
  • New Car Loan - Special

    Home Owner Discount, Including Demo, Fixed, Secured

    Interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    6.99% p.a.
    8.11% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Eligible for homeowners only. Low fixed car loan rate for purchasing new and demo vehicles from dealers. Early payout options available. Winner of Mozo's Experts Choice Car Loan 2021 award^. Good credit history. Stable employment history and Australian citizenship or PR required.

    Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.99% would cost $36,513.67 including fees.

    Compare
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    Details

* WARNING: The Comparison Rate combines the lender's interest rate, fees and charges into a single rate to show the true cost of a personal loan. The comparison rates displayed are calculated based on a loan of $30,000 for a term of 5 years or a loan of $10,000 for a term of 3 years as indicated, based on monthly principal and interest repayments, on a secured basis for secured loans and an unsecured basis for unsecured loans. This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan.

^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Personal Loan Awards

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