U.S. senior buyers prefer domestic luxury brands, survey shows

A study of the most popular cars among U.S. elderly drivers has revealed exactly what everybody was expecting: old brands continue to dominate their preferences.

Compiled by truecar.com, the survey analyzed car sales to buyers at least 65 years old in the last two years. The results showed that senior buyers look for familiarity when choosing their rides. This is why they chose vehicles from brands they grew up with.

“Seniors are looking for a luxurious and comfortable vehicle from a brand they are familiar with and trust, and many seniors grew up with these iconic American luxury brands in their parents’ garage,” said Jesse Toprak, vice president of trends and analysis at truecar.com.

According to the list of the top brands purchased by seniors in 2009 and 2010, by percentage of buyers, Buick, Lincoln and Cadillac are the favorite brands for buyers over 65 years old. Value for money is another criteria for senior buyers.

“We are starting to see senior citizens branching toward non-domestic brands and into luxury and high-performance models by Porsche, BMW and Lexus, but the majority of purchases of American luxury automakers are still made by seniors,” said Kristen Andersson, automotive analyst for truecar.com.

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• U.S. market likely to reach 13.6 million sales in 2012, Edmunds predicts
• Westport Innovations announces $50 million Detroit investment
• US: Ford sales up 9 percent in July
• October U.S. Auto Sales: Audi up 28.8 percent – best U.S. October in History
• Last Dodge Nitro rolls off the assembly line on December 16
• Honda expects 23.5 percent growth in 2012 in the U.S.
• GM’s U.S. sales up 7 percent in November