CarExpert's 2025 Road to Purchase Study reveals dramatic shifts in car-buying behaviour
Brisbane, 28 October 2025 – Australians are making car-buying decisions faster than ever before, with new research from CarExpert and Nielsen showing the average purchase journey has shrunk by almost a fifth in just 12 months.
The Road to Purchase 2025 study, presented to more than 150 industry leaders at CarExpert's RevUp events in Melbourne and Sydney this week, highlights major behavioural changes shaping Australia's new-car market, which has topped 1.2 million sales in each of the past two years. From tighter decision windows to reduced brand consideration and growing consumer appetite for automotive technology.
Key findings from the study include:
• Research phase reduced: Consumers now spend an average of three months researching, accelerating time to purchase.
• Buying journey compressed: The average car-buying journey has shortened to just four months, down 18% year-on-year.
• Shrinking brand sets: Buyers are considering just 2.2 brands, compared to three last year.
• Most buyers remain influenceable: During the consideration phase, 71% are still open to brand influence before final purchase
• Faster delivery expectations: Almost half (47%) of buyers receive their new car within one week, twice as fast as 2024.
• Openness to innovation Buyers are open to new vehicle technology, with 67% considering EVs and advanced driver assistance features compared to the more established brands in market.
• Income divide: New car buyers have an average household income 30% higher than used buyers ($150k+).
• Brand trust gap: Awareness of Chinese brands vary widely between 3–27%, signalling uneven trust and recognition.
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