Older drivers ‘overwhelmingly’ more prepared for licence plate changes than Gen Z

From September 1, the licence plates change with the rollout of the latest “74" version with many drivers racing to get the newest ones.

But research has found that when it comes to buying a car and other common problems, older drivers and younger ones have every different approaches.

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The latest reports found that in terms of looking at which fuel type would be right for them if they were to buy a car, 84 per cent of older drivers have stronger knowledge than younger drivers.

However, when it comes to acquiring an electric vehicle, younger drivers are more self-assured in their choice.

In addition, older drivers have less confidence in getting behind the wheel of an EV compared to younger motorists.

But notably, according to one in 10 young drivers' misinformation on digital platforms is negatively affecting self-belief when deciding to buy a car.

Bill Fennell, Chief Ombudsman and Managing Director of The Motor Ombudsman, said: “It is clear that, while living in a world where so much information is at your fingertips, the sheer volume of content can be overwhelming.

“Helping to plug the generation gap with valuable motoring knowledge that will enable them to navigate their driving journey with independence and confidence is therefore crucial.”

He added that older drivers are more akin to using traditional media to do their research for cars.

He detailed how older driver confidence appears to be far less influenced by what is being published by users “through these prominent online platforms, at just two per cent of respondents in this generational group”.

Fennell detailed how 84 per cent of younger drivers would not feel confident to negotiate on price with a salesperson.

But when asked about what would help improve car confidence, almost a quarter (23 per cent) of Gen Z drivers have called for more information to be available on the car buying process.

Furthermore, almost a fifth (19 per cent) of Gen Z drivers said they needed help finding a trusted retailer compared to their older counterparts.

The Motor Ombudsman’s research discovered that 89 per cent of older drivers were not confident with diagnosing and troubleshooting common car issues.

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Meanwhile almost a third (30 per cent) of younger drivers agreed that modern cars are becoming too complicated for the average driver to understand.

Furthermore, a third (33 per cent) of Millennials, and 31 per cent of Generation Z respondents, said they consult online videos and tutorials on common car issues rather than the manual.