As we all know, the cost of living crisis has hit UK household budgets hard, but one area often overlooked is the rising cost of motoring. With the global energy crisis and persistent inflation driving up the price of everything from fuel to insurance and new car prices.
With these financial pressures mounting, we surveyed 2,000 UK drivers to understand their reactions to the rising cost of motoring. To reveal, amongst other things, how long Britons count on keeping their cars, the reasons behind many drivers’ reluctance to switch to EVs, and in which UK cities drivers are feeling the pinch of the rising cost of fuel.
Over half (58%) of Brits intend to ditch their cars within the first three years of ownership
While the average car’s lifespan in the UK is just under 18 years, our study reveals that most drivers get rid of their cars much sooner. When asked how long they intend to keep their vehicles, over half of Brits (58%) said that they intend to ditch their cars within the first three years of ownership, and around one in five Brits (21%) said that they plan to do so within just four to six years.
| Rank | Number of years Brits intend to keep their car for | Percentage of Brits who would keep their car this long |
| 1 | 1 – 3 years | 58% |
| 2 | 4 – 6 years | 21% |
| 3 | Until the car needs to be scrapped | 8% |
With regards to long-term ownership, only 7% of drivers intend to keep their cars between seven and ten years, whilst 8% plan on keeping their car until it needs to be scrapped.
Interestingly, we found a clear trend between long-term car ownership and older drivers. 14% of those aged 55 and above reported that they would keep their car until it needed to be scrapped, almost double the national average of 8%. This figure suggests a generational mindset to ‘make do and mend’.
Almost a third (31%) of Brits would keep their cars for longer if they were emotionally attached
Survey results show that Brits are primarily driven by cost and sentimentality when it comes to keeping their car long-term, with almost half (47%) claiming that the cost of ownership (including maintenance, repair, and insurance bills) is the most significant reason to keep a vehicle.
| Rank | Reason | Percentage of drivers who would keep their car for this reason |
| =1 | Cost of ownership | 47% |
| =1 | Increased reliability | 47% |
| 2 | Personal attachment | 31% |
| 3 | Fuel prices | 30% |
| 4 | Parts availability | 26% |
| 5 | Environmental concerns | 20% |
| 6 | Depreciation avoidance | 19% |
| 7 | Waiting for EV prices to fall | 18% |
Among younger drivers aged between 17 and 24, 47% are driven by ‘cost of ownership’ when choosing how long to keep their vehicle for, and 40% are influenced by the price of fuel, which is 10% more than the national average.
These figures likely reflect that a lot of drivers in this age group have less disposable income, potentially due to being at university or at the very beginning of their careers.
Additionally, over one in three Brits (31%) reported that they’d be more likely to keep their cars for longer if they’d grown “personally attached” to them. This was a dominant factor between the ages of 25 and 34, with almost two-fifths (39%) citing this as their motivation to keep their car. Perhaps, because it’s at this age that drivers may be buying their first cars, widely considered a milestone of adult life.
Over 1 in 10 (16%) of drivers in Cardiff intend to keep their car until it needs scrapping
This emphasis on the “affordability” of keeping cars vs. buying new ones may shed light on the reasons why car owners often keep their car until it needs to be scrapped.
| Rank | City | Percentage of drivers who keep their car until it needs to be scrapped |
| 1 | Cardiff | 16% |
| 2 | Southampton | 14% |
| 3 | Liverpool | 12% |
| Norwich | 12% | |
| 4 | Sheffield | 10% |
| 5 | Brighton | 8% |
| Bristol | 8% | |
| Birmingham | 8% | |
| 6 | Edinburgh | 7% |
| Plymouth | 7% |
Cardiff tops the table, as 16% of its drivers state that they are likely to keep their car until it needs scrapping. This is the case for 14% of drivers in Southampton, and 12% of drivers in Liverpool and Norwich. Sheffield rounds out the top 5, with 10% of drivers keeping their cars until scrap-worthy.
More broadly across the top ten, no distinct pattern was found concerning the north or south of England, with cities from Scotland, Wales, and the north, south and middle of England ranking. Clearly, the economic reality for many drivers up and down the UK means that investing in a new car is always a financial priority.
60% of London drivers intend to replace their cars within just three years of ownership
On the flipside, a large proportion of drivers still intend to keep their car for just 1-3 years, with 58% of UK drivers claiming they’d replace their car before the three-year mark.
| Rank | City | Percentage of drivers who intend to keep their car for 1-3 years |
| 1 | Leeds | 64% |
| 2 | Birmingham | 63% |
| 3 | Newcastle | 62% |
| Nottingham | 62% | |
| 4 | Manchester | 61% |
| 5 | London | 60% |
| 6 | Glasgow | 59% |
| Edinburgh | 59% | |
| Liverpool | 59% | |
| 7 | Belfast | 58% |
Leeds leads the way, with nearly two-thirds (64%) of its drivers intending to replace their cars within the first three years, 6% more than the national average. In fact, 9 of the top ten cities surpassed the national average, except for Belfast, which sits at the bottom of the table with exactly 58% of its drivers reporting that they don’t intend to keep their vehicles for longer than three years.
How much do Brits invest in their cars?
Our study found that UK drivers spend an average of £4,903.74 on their cars over the course of owning them.
| Rank | How much money do Brits invest in their cars | Percentage of Brits who have invested this amount into their car |
| 1 | £1,000 – £4,999 | 38% |
| 2 | £1 – £999 | 25% |
| 3 | £10,000 – £20,000 | 11% |
| 4 | £0 | 10% |
When investigating the data, we found that most commonly, UK drivers have invested between £1,000 and £4,999 in their cars, with almost 40% of drivers falling into this category.
And while one in four (25%) drivers have spent under £1,000 on their cars, at the other end of the spectrum, around one in ten (11%) drivers have invested between £10,000 and £20,000.
62% of drivers have felt the pinch at the pump as fuel prices continue to rise
Our survey revealed that the majority of drivers (62%) reported that their fuel costs had increased over the past 12 months. Of whom, 15% reported that their fuel costs had significantly increased, whilst 47% reported that they had slightly increased.
On the other hand, 28% of UK drivers reported that their fuel costs had remained the same over the past year, whilst 7% reported a decrease.
70% of Londoners are feeling the pinch at the pump
Regionally, we observed differences in the number of drivers who reported an increase in their fuel costs. Out of the 70% of drivers in London reporting an increase in their fuel costs, 20% reported a significant increase.
| Rank | City | Percentage of drivers believing their fuel price has increased |
| 1 | London | 70% |
| 2 | Edinburgh | 69% |
| 3 | Newcastle | 68% |
| 4 | Manchester | 67% |
| 5 | Belfast | 64% |
| 6 | Birmingham | 63% |
| 7 | Nottingham | 62% |
| 8 | Glasgow | 59% |
| 9 | Southampton | 58% |
| 10 | Leeds | 57% |
Additionally, out of the 69% of drivers in Edinburgh who reported an increase in their fuel costs, 10% reported a significant increase. In fact, except for Nottingham, over 10% of drivers in all the top ten cities reported a significant increase in their fuel prices over the past 12 months.
The top 10 cities include London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, the UK’s largest and arguably most economically significant cities. Whilst the rise in fuel costs over the last year is not unique to these towns, it may be felt more by drivers in these cities because of their greater overall demand for fuel caused by high traffic volume, congestion and driving distances.
How much have UK drivers’ insurance premiums increased in the past 12 months?
In addition to the rising cost of fuel, insurance premiums have also increased, with 65% of drivers stating that their insurance has risen, and 16% believing their premiums have increased significantly.
Almost 80% of drivers in Glasgow report that their insurance premiums have risen
In top place, over three-quarters (77%) of drivers in Glasgow reported an increase in their insurance premiums, 20% of whom reported a significant increase. This was followed closely by Belfast, with exactly three-quarters (75%) of drivers reporting rising insurance costs, 11% of whom cited a significant increase.
In third place, 73% of drivers in both London and Leeds reported an increase in their insurance premiums over the past year.
What motivates petrol and diesel drivers to switch to EVs?
According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), rising fuel prices had a significant impact on UK inflation over the summer of 2025. Our results reinforce this, with ‘lower fuel costs’ being named the biggest reason Brits would consider an EV, with over 2 in 5 (44%) stating this would encourage them to switch to an EV car.
This was closely followed by the appeal of EV’s lower maintenance costs compared to petrol & diesel cars (34%), and the promise of EV’s improved ranges and technology (32%).
| Rank | Motivation to switch to an EV vehicle | Percentage of drivers who are motivated to switch to an EV vehicle for this reason |
| 1 | Lower fuel & charging costs | 44% |
| 2 | Lower maintenance costs | 34% |
| 3 | Improved range or Tech | 32% |
| 4 | Environmental concerns | 30% |
| 5 | Technology appeal | 26% |
| 6 | Government incentives | 25% |
| 7 | Nothing would/has motivate/d me to switch to an EV | 24% |
| 8 | Social influence | 12% |
Interestingly, just under a third (30%) of drivers feel driven to switch to EV due to environmental concerns, and one in four (25%) drivers reported that government incentives would motivate them to make the switch to electric. Existing incentives include the Electric Car Grant Scheme, which provides discounts of up to £3,750 on eligible new electric car models priced under £37,000.
Over half of UK petrol and diesel drivers wouldn’t switch to EVs over concerns around battery lifespan
Despite these results, there remains concerns over EVs amongst UK drivers. One in four drivers (24%) said that ‘nothing’ would motivate them to switch to an EV. On this, battery lifespan is ranked the most significant concern amongst UK drivers, with over half (55%) of drivers reporting this as a key issue.
| Rank | Reasons Brits would not switch to an EV vehicle | Percentage of Brits who stated this as a reason they would not switch to an EV |
| 1 | Battery lifespan | 55% |
| 2 | High upfront cost | 49% |
| Charging times | 49% | |
| 3 | Range limitations | 43% |
| 4 | Charging infrastructure | 42% |
| 5 | Insurance costs | 29% |
This concern was closely followed by the high upfront costs (49%) of the electric vehicles and lengthy charging times (49%), with a full charge taking anywhere between 15 and 19 hours, depending on the charging method.
Over 40% of drivers in Plymouth would “never” consider switching to electric
| Rank | City | Percentage of drivers who would ‘never’ consider switching to an EV |
| 1 | Plymouth | 40% |
| 2 | Glasgow | 33% |
| Sheffield | 33% | |
| 3 | Norwich | 32% |
| Liverpool | 32% | |
| 4 | Belfast | 31% |
| 5 | Leeds | 29% |
| Cardiff | 29% | |
| 6 | Nottingham | 28% |
| Bristol | 28% | |
| Brighton | 28% |
According to survey results, drivers in Plymouth are least likely to switch to an EV vehicle, with 40% claiming they would ‘never’. This is followed by both Glasgow (33%) and Sheffield (33%).
Rounding out the top-ranking cities are Brighton, Bristol and Nottingham, where 28% of drivers claim they would never consider purchasing an EV.
Expert tips on when & where to fill up to save money on fuel
With more and more drivers feeling the pinch, being smart at the pump is essential for those who haven’t yet or don’t intend to make the switch to an electric vehicle.
Our motoring expert and general manager, Saul Turner, has therefore shared some key tips to help UK drivers save money at the pump.
Fill up early in the week
When it comes to saving money on fuel, the advice is simple: fill up early in the week. We typically see prices rise towards the weekend, with Friday and Saturday being the most expensive days due to increased leisure travel. For the best value, try to get to the pump on a Monday or Tuesday.
Utilise cool temperatures
For those really looking to maximise their savings, getting into the habit of filling up late at night when the air is cooler can make a small difference. Colder temperatures make the fuel denser, so technically, you get a fraction more for your money. However, per fill up, this will only save you pennies, not pounds.
Fill up at the supermarkets
It’s also best to fill up at a supermarket, as they are consistently the most affordable option. Their prices are often several pence per litre lower than the UK average, which can lead to a saving of around £2 per tank for a typical family car.