One-third of Kiwis feel judged by the car they drive

Of the 624 people surveyed in Canstar Blue's recent study, 34 per cent felt judged by their vehicle. Photo / iStock

A third of New Zealanders feel judged by the vehicle they drive, with more than 40 per cent buying vehicles based on their appearance, a new survey has found.

The Canstar Blue survey also revealed how many drivers succumbed to road rage and how often we fork out for a new ride.

Of the 624 people surveyed, 34 per cent felt judged by their vehicle.

Gen Ys, aged between 18 and 29, were more than twice as concerned (54 per cent) about onlookers' thoughts, compared with 21 per cent of Baby Boomers, aged over 45, the survey said. More than a third of New Zealanders also reported having experienced a road rage incident, with 39 per cent caught up in driver anger, the survey found.

Slightly more men than women were were involved in a road rage incident, it said.

Canstar Blue head Megan Doyle said on top of this, Gen Ys were in the biggest rush, with almost half (47 per cent) exceeding the speed limit on a regular basis.

"It's a reflection of the fast-paced nature of today's youth. Baby Boomers are far less likely to test the odometer. Only 16 per cent of them admit to doing it on a regular basis," she said.

The survey also found that drivers switched their vehicles relatively regularly, with more than 40 per cent of New Zealanders changing their cars every two to five years.

The practice was costly however, with a third of buyers borrowing money for the purchases - a large jump from last year's one in four, Ms Doyle said.

"Owners mustn't forget that in most cases they are buying a depreciating asset. This needs to be taken into account when thinking about taking out loans to trade-up."

Car buyers valued vehicle performance most, on 42 per cent, followed by vehicle reliability (21 per cent) and value for money (19 per cent).

Point of sales service was the least important at just 4 per cent, the survey found. Suzuki prevailed as the overall winner for the second year in a row, being the only brand to receive a 5/5 for overall satisfaction.

"This year Suzuki has come out on top once again, securing the top prize for overall satisfaction. It's continuing to make small cars affordable and attractive to a wide audience and is to be commended for upholding its high standard for another year running," Ms Doyle said.

By the region:

Auckland: 35 per cent felt judged by their car and 38 per cent experienced a road rage incident.

Waikato: Most likely (44 per cent) to have experienced a road rage incident, as well as borrow money to purchase a car (39 per cent). They are also most likely to buy a car based on fuel economy (80 per cent) and to prioritise technology features over safety features (25 per cent).

Bay of Plenty: Most likely to consider purchasing a hybrid/electric vehicle (62 per cent), least likely to borrow money to purchase a car (18 per cent), most likely to regularly exceed the speed limit (31 per cent) and least likely to talk or text on the phone while driving (13 per cent).

Wellington: Least likely to exceed the speed limit on a regular basis (24 per cent).

Canterbury: Feel the least (30 per cent) judged by others for their cars, and to buy cars based on appearance (29 per cent). They are also least likely to have experienced a road rage incident (35 per cent). Fuel economy was the least important (67 per cent - tied with Otago) and they were the least likely to consider purchasing a hybrid/electric vehicle (44 per cent).

Otago: Those in Otago were most likely to feel that people judged them by their cars (41 per cent) and most likely to purchase a car based solely on appearance (51 per cent). Least likely to test drive a range of vehicles before buying one (46 per cent), and most likely to text/talk on their phone while driving (31 per cent).