Deloitte surveyed more than 28,000 consumers across 27 countries for its 2026 Global Automotive Consumer Study, exploring their opinions on critical issues impacting the sector, and what it found is not all that surprising. 

U.S. consumers showed that affordability is still top of mind and that many are still hesitant about EV adoption, largely due to cost and mileage range concerns. 

When asked what matters most when choosing a brand for future purchases, product quality, vehicle performance and price were the top three responses. Less than half of U.S. respondents expressed an interest in buying directly from the manufacturer online while 47% said that in-person dealership visits are their most used information source for next-vehicle research. 

Globally, the study showed interest in EVs remains steady but U.S. consumers still prefer internal combustion engines at 61%, with only 7% preferring battery-electric vehicles. Top concerns regarding all-battery powered EVs included driving range, time required to charge and cost/price premium.

Across the global markets surveyed, three aspects ranked high in importance for consumers thinking about their next vehicle purchase experience: getting a good deal, transparent pricing and physical interaction with the vehicle, solidifying the important role dealerships play when it comes to customer experience.