London – the UK’s 4x4 capital

Despite a lack of rough terrain and notoriously heavy traffic, London motorists are twice as likely than the average driver to buy a 4x4.

One in six Londoners looking to replace their car in 2006 will buy an off-road vehicle, according to new research by AA Personal Loans.

With the average speed of traffic in the capital less than 10 mph and high fuel consumption, the latest findings show that London’s drivers are turning their backs on economic and environmentally friendly city cars, opting instead for large 4x4’s (16 per cent), family (22 per cent) and executive (11 per cent) vehicles. In contrast, drivers in the North and Scotland are among the least likely to buy a 4x4, choosing instead smaller, more economical vehicles — despite the often-arduous terrain and weather conditions.

The AA’s new Deals on Wheels reports look at actual demand for new and used cars in the UK. AA Financial Services asked a representative sample of 2,000 Brits whether they planned to replace their vehicle in the next 12 months and, if so, what sort of vehicle would they buy.

Key findings:

Confirming the age-old stereotype of young boy racers, one in five (19 per cent) twenty-something’s will opt for a supermini and are amongst the most likely to research before they buy — 84 per cent will know what they’re looking for before they step onto a forecourt.
One in six (16 per cent) motorists will buy purely on instinct — falling in love with their dream car when they see it, rather than researching their vehicle before they go shopping.
It’s those over the age of fifty driving the market for large off-road vehicles. One in ten (10 per cent) opt for the superior driving position of a 4x4. In contrast, those in their thirties — the most likely group to have a family and in greatest need of a roomy vehicle — are least likely to afford a 4x4 (7 per cent).
Women are driving the market for small family vehicles (28 per cent). In contrast, men are leading the market for large family vehicles (17 per cent).

Regional findings

Despite the weather and often arduous terrain, motorists from Scotland are far less likely to drive 4x4’s than any other group. The findings show fewer than one in ten (8 per cent) plan to buy an off-roader within the next 12 months. One in four (24 per cent) Scots motorists will buy with their hearts, not their heads — buying on impulse.
Similarly, just six per cent of drivers from the Midlands and Wales will purchase a 4x4 vehicle in 2006. Almost a third (30 per cent) will buy a small family car in 2006. Opting for functionality, not form, just 4 per cent of Welsh motorists will buy a sports car within the next 12 months.
Putting family first, more than half of motorists in the north of England plan to buy a family vehicle in 2006 — 32 per cent will buy a small family and 20 per cent a large family car.

Lloyd East, general manager of AA Financial Services says: "When you consider the volume of traffic in London it is almost counter-intuitive that drivers in the capital opt for large vehicles traditionally associated with rougher terrain. Perhaps it’s just the dream of cruising in open country and along rough tracks — dreams unlikely to ever be fulfilled — that drives Londoners to go for cars that are impractical for life in the city.

"We would urge people to think carefully about their needs before they buy a car. After your home it’s one of the biggest purchases people make so it’s worth spending a little time shopping around to get the best deal possible."

Responding to a new survey today by AA Personal Loans revealing that off-road vehicles are being bought by drivers who need them the least, Friends of the Earth’s transport campaigner Tony Bosworth said: "The problem with 4x4s is that they are amongst biggest gas-guzzlers on the road. We must do more to tackle road transport's growing contribution to climate change. Gordon Brown can make a start by substantially increasing road tax on gas-guzzling vehicles in his next budget, and cutting it for fuel-efficient cars. UK carbon dioxide emissions are rising - despite Government promises to reduce them. It’s time the Government showed that it was serious about climate change and took firm action to tackle it."