11:51 am, September 9, 2020
Auto Trader has reported a 28 per cent year-on-year rise in interest in popular family cars – after nearly a third of couples said they’d been having more ‘intimate time’ during lockdown.
The survey of 2,000 people, in which 32 per cent of them admitted to being more intimate with each other, suggests a baby boom could well be on the way, as they look for family vehicles ahead of the potential new arrivals.
Auto Trader said it had seen the 28 per cent increase in interest for popular family cars year on year for June and July 2020 against 2019, with SUVs, MPVs and estates seeing a combined increase of 164,855,773 ad views year on year.
The trend is expected to continue this month, with buyers wanting to snap up the 70 number plate and prepare for larger families.
Asked about the changes to prepare for life with a new baby, upgrading to a bigger or more suitable car was top of the list at 36 per cent of respondents – more common than saving for the new-born’s education (33 per cent), moving to a bigger house (29 per cent) and planning for childcare (27 per cent).
The upgrade was wanted by more than half (56 per cent) to allow for fitting a car seat and for transporting baby gear such as a pram (53 per cent).
Meanwhile, 41 per cent felt a bigger car meant a safer environment for their child, and two-fifths (40 per cent) looked on it as an investment in case they had more children in future.
Fifteen per cent, though, said they hadn’t allowed for the cost of a bigger car when planning to welcome a new child into the world.
Auto Trader’s Rory Reid said: ‘September is one of the biggest months of the year for car buying as people flock to get the latest number plate. It’s no surprise, therefore, that soon-to-be parents are using this time to look for family cars in anticipation of the ‘coronnials’ baby boom.
‘Research is key when finding the right family car. It’s important to find a vehicle that is spacious enough and suits the needs of the family without putting unnecessary strain on finances. But making the right upgrade could make the transition into parenthood that little bit simpler.’
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