A survey shows which car brand is most popular among Germans. There are differences between genders and generations.
Audi is the most popular car manufacturer among Germans. As a representative survey by the YouGov Institute shows, the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer achieved a score of 25.7. This represents the average result in six categories: general impression, quality, value for money, customer satisfaction, willingness to recommend and employer image.
In second place is Mercedes-Benz with 24.7 points, followed by Volkswagen with 24.4 points. These are the top 10 according to YouGov (as of September 19, 2024):
| Rank | Car brand | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Audi | 25.7 |
| 2 | Mercedes Benz | 24.7 |
| 3 | Volkswagen | 24.4 |
| 4 | BMW | 24.3 |
| 5 | Skoda | 16.1 |
| 6 | Toyota | 15.6 |
| 7 | Volvo | 14.9 |
| 8 | Porsche | 14.8 |
| 9 | Opel | 12.3 |
| 10 | Ford | 12.1 |
Users were surveyed online between August 1, 2023 and July 31, 2024.
Women and men tick differently
However, there are differences between genders and age groups: Volkswagen is ahead for women, while men prefer Audi. The comparison:
| Rank | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volkswagen (28.8) | Audis (26.4) |
| 2 | Audis (25.0) | Mercedes Benz (26.2) |
| 3 | Mercedes Benz (23.2) | BMWs (25.8) |
| 4 | BMWs (22.7) | Volkswagens (20.2) |
| 5 | Skoda (15.6) | Toyotas (17.8) |
| 6 | Opel (14.9) | Porsches (17.7) |
| 7 | Fords (13.8) | Skoda (16.6) |
| 8 | Volvos (13.6) | Volvo (16.3) |
| 9 | Toyotas (13.5) | Hyundais (11.7) |
| 10 | Porsches (11.8) | Fords (10.4) |
Differences between generations
And there are also differences in the age groups: While Mercedes-Benz is in first place among the older generation of baby boomers (born in the mid-1950s to the end of the 1960s), in all other generations (Gen X: approx. 1965 to 1980, Millennials: approx. 1981 to 1996 and Gen Z: up to 2009) it is the Audi brand that wins the race.
| Rank | Baby Boomers | Gen X | Millennials | GenZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes Benz (25.7) | Audis (24.7) | Audis (27.5) | Audis (28.6) |
| 2 | BMWs (23.7) | BMWs (23.6) | Volkswagens (25.9) | Mercedes Benz (26.1) |
| 3 | Audis (23.7) | Volkswagens (23.5) | BMWs (24.8) | BMWs (24.8) |
Looking at the changes between 2023 and 2024, the following brands have gained the most: Fiat (+1.2 points, from -2.2 to -1.0), Toyota (+1.1 points, from 14.5 to 15.6) and Dacia (+0.8 points, from -1.3 to -0.5).
These are the brands that Germans would buy
Customers who plan to buy a new car in the next twelve months were also surveyed. BMW leads the list of brands (34.1 percent), followed by Volkswagen (30.6 percent) and Audi (29.8 percent). They are followed by Mercedes-Benz (27.5), Hyundai (18.2), Toyota (17.3) and Ford (16.6 percent).
54 percent of new car buyers would choose a petrol car, 41 percent a hybrid, 26 percent a diesel. Only 23 percent would consider purely electric cars (multiple answers were allowed).
