Over Half A Million Kiwis Ready To Switch To Car Subscriptions

 Recent research from YouGov reveals well over half a million Kiwis plan to ditch their own car and move to a short term rental model in a bid to have more flexibility around the choice of car they drive, and when.

More than two in three (69%) Kiwis expect priorities in their car usage to change in the next five years, with around 626,000 Kiwis indicating they will move to a car subscription model.

The research was part of a special report commissioned by Avis New Zealand, and conducted by YouGov Research, to provide a full picture of the changing interests and needs of Kiwi road trippers over the past 12 months and into the future.

Men are more likely than women to change up the way they use their car over the next five years (75% compared to 64%) including having a stronger interest in subscription culture (21% compared to 11%).

These changing attitudes and trends around car ownership are most prevalent amongst millennial Kiwis, with 31% expecting to use a car subscription because it gives them the freedom of having a car at their disposal when they want it.

Bryn McGoldrick, General Manager Avis New Zealand says alternative vehicle ownership models are on the rise internationally with vehicle subscription programmes predicted to account for nearly 15% of all new vehicle sales in 2025.

“Our research shows Kiwis are increasingly looking to have access to a car rather than having to own one. Avis Flex offers customers an economical hassle-free, temporary car solution with easy cancellation and return policies,” McGoldrick says.

“Avis customers can also swap their car up to three times in 11 months which allows them to have a car that suits their lifestyle. They’re also a great ‘toe in the water’ for electric vehicles, allowing people to test for longer before they buy or long-term subscribe to EV.”

This was also supported by the research results with three in five Kiwis (60%) saying they would rent to try an EV before they buy.

Other key findings reveal that in the next five years, one in five (21%) expect to downsize the car they use to something more economical and almost 100,000 Kiwis expect to not be using a car at all.

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