CarExpert’s 2025 Road to Purchase Study reveals dramatic shifts in car-buying behaviour
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Brisbane, 28 October 2025 – Australians are making car-buying decisions faster than ever before, with new research from CarExpert and Nielsen showing the average purchase journey has shrunk by almost a fifth in just 12 months.
The Road to Purchase 2025 study, presented to more than 150 industry leaders at CarExpert’s RevUp events in Melbourne and Sydney this week, highlights major behavioural changes shaping Australia’s new-car market, which has topped 1.2 million sales in each of the past two years. From tighter decision windows to reduced brand consideration and growing consumer appetite for automotive technology.
Key findings from the study include:
• Research phase reduced: Consumers now spend an average of three months researching, accelerating time to purchase.
• Buying journey compressed: The average car-buying journey has shortened to just four months, down 18% year-on-year.
• Shrinking brand sets: Buyers are considering just 2.2 brands, compared to three last year.
• Most buyers remain influenceable: During the consideration phase, 71% are still open to brand influence before final purchase
• Faster delivery expectations: Almost half (47%) of buyers receive their new car within one week, twice as fast as 2024.
• Openness to innovation Buyers are open to new vehicle technology, with 67% considering EVs and advanced driver assistance features compared to the more established brands in market.
• Income divide: New car buyers have an average household income 30% higher than used buyers ($150k+).
• Brand trust gap: Awareness of Chinese brands vary widely between 3–27%, signalling uneven trust and recognition.
• Trusted media: Car review websites remain the most used, most trusted and most influential information source, far outweighing advertising or dealer channels.
CarExpert CEO Damon Rielly said the findings highlight the urgency for automative brands, manufacturers and agencies to engage earlier in the consumer journey.
“The car-buying journey has compressed at a speed we haven’t seen before. It’s tighter, faster, and more competitive. What used to be a six-month decision is now closer to four, so if you’re not in the consideration set early, you’re really not in it at all,” Rielly said.
“Australians are cutting their research time, they’re narrowing their options, and they’re taking delivery quicker. At the same time, they feel more empowered when using trusted information and tools online on to make clearer more confident choices. That shift is reshaping how brands need to connect with buyers.”
The 2025 Road to Purchase surveyed Australians aged 18–70 and mapped every stage of the car-buying journey, from initial awareness through research and shortlisting to purchase. The findings underline the strategic role of trusted content early in the decision window, and technology readiness in a market where consumer behaviour is evolving rapidly.
CarExpert Director of Marketing Jo-Anne Hendricks said the findings the research shows Australians want clarity and confidence online as they navigate faster car-buying decisions.
“Australians are narrowing their choices more quickly, with smaller consideration sets and 71 per cent remain open to influence while deciding. That creates an important opportunity for brands, but it also highlights the need for buyers to feel supported through the process,” Hendricks said.
“We are also seeing a shift away from relying on friends and family for advice. With so many new models and technologies to weigh up, people are turning instead to trusted experts who can help unpack the complexity. Consumers don’t just want the information, they want the trusted clarity CarExpert offers in making the journey to a new car faster, simpler and more enjoyable.”
About us:
About CarExpert
CarExpert reaches millions of Australians every month with independent car reviews, comparisons and insights that shape new-car decisions. Through its Road to Purchase research, CarExpert provides data-driven insight into how Australians buy cars — helping brands, agencies and dealers better connect with active car buyers.
Contact details:
Tim Ashworth
@[email protected]
0402 922 608