More than four in ten drivers would consider changing manufacturer to bring their next car within budget, according to MG-commissioned research highlighting the potential for dealers to win customers from rival brands.
The survey of 2,000 UK drivers, conducted by Opinion Matters, found 41% would consider a different manufacturer and 88% would rethink at least one aspect of their next car to make it affordable.
Purchase price and running costs were buying priorities for 61% and 56% respectively, compared with 26% who identified manufacturer, suggesting dealers have an opportunity to challenge brand preferences through a stronger value proposition.
However, the findings also underline barriers to converting interest into sales. Almost half of respondents (46%) said they would love a new car but living costs or purchase prices made them think twice.
Affordability challenges brand loyalty
Overall, 62% said new cars had become less affordable than a decade ago, including 34% who described them as much less affordable.
The proportion reporting reduced affordability rose to 72% among drivers aged 55 and over. Women were also more likely to report it than men, at 69% compared with 56%.
Marketplace figures supplied with the research showed 54% of new SUV stock on Autotrader was priced at £40,000 or above, while 92% of MG’s new SUV stock was below that level.
MG is using the findings to promote its MGS9 PHEV seven-seat SUV, with the Comfort version priced from £34,210 on the road.
David Allison, director of product and planning at MG Motor UK, said: “This is a wake-up call for the family-car market. At MG, we believe families should not need to pay a premium for a practical seven-seat SUV that works for daily life. Making that aspiration attainable means delivering the space, comfort and technology people really need, at an accessible price. The MGS9 does exactly that, with seven seats and plug-in hybrid driving from £34,210.”
Space shapes family-car demand
More boot or storage space was cited by 31% of respondents as a reason for wanting a larger or seven-seat car, followed by family holidays or longer journeys at 30%. Travelling with extended family or friends was cited by 24%.
For dealers, those findings suggest that demonstrating passenger flexibility and luggage capacity could help connect a vehicle’s price with the practical needs behind an enquiry.
MG said the MGS9 offers 332 litres of luggage capacity with all seven seats in use, increasing to 1,026 litres with the third row folded. Comfort equipment includes heated front seats, a panoramic roof, tri-zone climate control and a 360-degree reversing camera.
The survey measures buyers’ stated willingness to reconsider their choices rather than completed purchases, so it does not establish how many will ultimately switch brands.
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