- Santander second-quarter examine gauges middle-income customers’ monetary state
- 55% are contemplating shopping for a automobile within the 12 months forward
- 52% delay a automobile buy prior to now 12 months
- Nearly one in 5 expedited a key buy amid future worth uncertainty
Car-buying timelines are dashing up for a lot of Americans, with higher numbers of middle-income customers contemplating a purchase order within the coming 12 months, analysis exhibits.
Those occupied with shopping for throughout the subsequent 12 months jumped to 55% within the second quarter of 2025, based on the newest Santander Paths to Prosperity examine,* up from 47% within the first quarter.
Reasons to purchase
The rising intent comes within the context of 52% of customers having delayed a automobile buy over the previous 12 months. Additionally, almost one in 5 customers expedited a key buy within the second quarter of 2025 amid uncertainty about future costs, with 41% of them making the transfer to purchase a automobile.
Despite issues over future worth impacts, customers stay optimistic about their funds – three quarters imagine they’re on the best monetary monitor – and look at automobiles as a necessary a part of their monetary prosperity.
The flexibility automobiles present over the place to stay and work lies on the coronary heart of this sentiment.
Turning plans into motion
As a part of the rising curiosity in making a automobile buy, the examine additionally discovered that 62% of customers who’re contemplating shopping for within the subsequent 12 months have began to analysis automobile choices; 61% are prone to take out an auto mortgage to finance their buy, and almost half have visited a dealership.
The Q2 2025 findings construct upon 9 quarters of analysis that take a look at middle-income Americans’ present monetary state and financial outlook.
Explore your choices
If a brand new automobile is in your ideas, make the most of the sources supplied by Santander Consumer USA to assist together with your decision-making.
Use our finance calculators to run the numbers on a possible buy and discover out what could suit your finances. Ready to buy? Then strive Drive®, a Santander product.
Drive allows you to browse automobiles and see in the event you pre-qualify for financing with no affect in your credit score rating. If you pre-qualify, you’ll be able to customise your phrases earlier than heading to the dealership to pursue a purchase order. Your pre-qualified supply displays the data you entered, and after we’ve verified the small print, we’ll affirm your eligibility and supply your ultimate supply.
*The examine, performed by Morning Consult on behalf of Santander Holdings USA, Inc., surveyed 2,200 Americans who’re financial institution and/or monetary companies clients, ages 18 to 76. Survey members are employed or in search of work, personal/use no less than one monetary product and are the first or shared decision-maker on family funds with family earnings within the “middle-income” vary of ~$53,000 to $161,000.
This Q2 examine was performed from June 16 to 18, 2025. The interviews have been performed on-line, and the margin of error is +/- 2 share factors for the full viewers at a 95% confidence stage. Percentages could not complete 100 as a consequence of rounding. The knowledge was weighted to focus on inhabitants proportions for a consultant pattern primarily based on age, gender, ethnicity, area and schooling.
