Every generational cohort in the U.S. is purchasing cars faster except millennials, according to researcher Cox Automotive. Younger consumers’ rising debt levels play a clear role, said Steve Lind, general manager at Cox’s Autotrader. Millennials, many of whom are first-time car buyers, may also be slower to seal deals because there are more technology options available than ever before, he said. Automakers report May U.S. deliveries on Thursday, with analysts projecting a sales pace slower than a year earlier for the fifth month in a row.
U.S. Millennials Take Longer to Drive Away in New Wheels: Chart
About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive is the world’s largest automotive services and technology provider. Fueled by the largest breadth of first- and third-party data fed by 2.3 billion online interactions a year, Cox Automotive tailors leading solutions for car shoppers, auto manufacturers, dealers, lenders and fleets. The company has 29,000+ employees on five continents and a portfolio of industry-leading brands that include Autotrader®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, vAuto®, Dealertrack®, NextGear Capital™, CentralDispatch® and Cox Fleet®. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately owned, Atlanta-based company with $23 billion in annual revenue. Cox Automotive has been included on Glassdoor’s Best Companies in Tech & AI 2026 and Best Place to Work in 2026 lists. Visit coxautoinc.com or connect via @CoxAutomotive on X, CoxAutoInc on Facebook or Cox-Automotive-Inc on LinkedIn.
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