- Santander second-quarter study gauges middle-income consumers’ financial state
- 55% are considering buying a vehicle in the year ahead
- 52% put off a car purchase in the past year
- Nearly one in five expedited a key purchase amid future price uncertainty
Car-buying timelines are speeding up for many Americans, with greater numbers of middle-income consumers considering a purchase in the coming year, research shows.
Those thinking about buying within the next 12 months jumped to 55% in the second quarter of 2025, according to the latest Santander Paths to Prosperity study,* up from 47% in the first quarter.
Reasons to buy
The growing intent comes in the context of 52% of consumers having delayed a vehicle purchase over the past year. Additionally, nearly one in five consumers expedited a key purchase in the second quarter of 2025 amid uncertainty about future prices, with 41% of them making the move to buy a car.
Despite concerns over future price impacts, consumers remain optimistic about their finances – three quarters believe they are on the right financial track – and view vehicles as an essential part of their financial prosperity.
The flexibility vehicles provide over where to live and work lies at the heart of this sentiment.
Turning plans into action
As part of the increasing interest in making a car purchase, the study also found that 62% of consumers who are considering buying in the next 12 months have started to research vehicle options; 61% are likely to take out an auto loan to finance their purchase, and nearly half have visited a dealership.
The Q2 2025 findings build upon nine quarters of research that look at middle-income Americans’ current financial state and economic outlook.
Explore your options
If a new car is in your thoughts, take advantage of the resources offered by Santander Consumer USA to help with your decision-making.
Use our finance calculators to run the numbers on a potential purchase and find out what may fit your budget. Ready to shop? Then try Drive®, a Santander product.
Drive enables you to browse vehicles and see if you pre-qualify for financing with no impact on your credit score. If you pre-qualify, you can customize your terms before heading to the dealership to pursue a purchase. Your pre-qualified offer reflects the information you entered, and after we’ve verified the details, we’ll confirm your eligibility and provide your final offer.
*The study, conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of Santander Holdings USA, Inc., surveyed 2,200 Americans who are bank and/or financial services customers, ages 18 to 76. Survey participants are employed or looking for work, own/use at least one financial product and are the primary or shared decision-maker on household finances with household income in the “middle-income” range of ~$53,000 to $161,000.
This Q2 study was conducted from June 16 to 18, 2025. The interviews were conducted online, and the margin of error is +/- 2 percentage points for the total audience at a 95% confidence level. Percentages may not total 100 due to rounding. The data was weighted to target population proportions for a representative sample based on age, gender, ethnicity, region and education.
