By Jonathan Welsh
- Getty Images
- The once-obscure Volkswagen Routan ninivan is a top pick among Generation X car shoppers, a survey says.
Image via CrunchBaseThe study by TrueCar.com, an auto industry research company, looked at the purchases of more than 200,000 car buyers from 2009 and 2010. TrueCar.com said the resulting data helped it compile a list of the most popular brands and models of shoppers in the 28 to 45 age range. Officially the Gen-X group includes people born from 1965 to 1980.The most popular brands included Volkswagen, Land Rover and Audi. Surprisingly — or not so surprisingly — minivans dominated the roster of top models.
“Generation X buyers have a work hard/play hard mentality and chose cars that were comfortable and convenient for their lifestyle. They chose larger, more luxurious cars to take their families on vacations or kids to play soccer with ample room to store equipment and luggage,” said Kristen Andersson, an analyst with TrueCar.
The top brands for Generation X buyers (ages 28-45) in 2009 and 2010 were:
Rank
Brands
Percentage of Gen X Buyers
1
Volkswagen
43.3%
2
Land Rover
41.5%
3
Audi
40.8%
4
Mazda
38.4%
5
Jeep
38.3%
6
Infiniti
37.8%
7
Acura
37.4%
8
Nissan
37.1%
9
Honda
36.7%
10
MINI
36.0%
The top models for Generation X buyers (ages 28-45) in 2009 and 2010 and the current percentage discount from MSRP are:
Rank
Make/Model
Percentage of Gen X Buyers
MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price)
Average Paid*
Percentage Discount from MSRP**
2
BMW M3 Sedan
63.6%
$56,775
$53,544
5.7%
3
Nissan Quest
60.0%
$28,560
$26,362
7.7%
5
Honda Odyssey
58.9%
$28,885
$28,195
2.4%
7
Toyota Sienna
53.9%
$25,870
$23,953
7.4%
10
Chevrolet Aveo
48.5%
$12,725
$10,886
14.4%
*Average paid is the estimated average transaction price of a vehicle after incentives.
** Percent Discount from MSRP is rounded to the nearest tenth.
