Younger drivers are favoring sedans over SUVs, suggesting a generational divide as Americans navigate the cost of owning a vehicle, according to .
Not a single SUV appeared among Gen Z’s 10 most-driven models in Compare.com’s analysis of more than 58 million auto insurance quotes — instead, sedans claimed eight spots.
Here’s what to know
Honda’s Civic and Accord, along with the Toyota Camry, topped Gen Z’s rankings in Compare.com’s September analysis.
The only vehicles on the list that were not sedans were two full-size pickups: Chevrolet’s Silverado and Ford’s F-Series.
Sedans accounted for six of millennials’ 10 most-driven models, five of Gen X’s, and just three of baby boomers’.
Meanwhile, five SUVs made baby boomers’ top 10. Gen Z’s rankings were therefore part of a broader generational divide in vehicle choice.
Automotive research firm Escalent surveyed over 1,000 teens between ages 14 and 19; 51% pictured themselves driving sedans, while 31% selected SUVs, according to Fortune.
A May 2025 YouGov study also found that 37% of Americans ages 18 to 29 primarily drove sedans, while 30% drove SUVs or crossovers.
More background
A lower purchase price may be part of the sedan’s appeal to younger drivers.
September data from Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book put the average new compact car at $27,977, versus compact-SUV pricing of $37,614 and a midsize-SUV average of $50,630.
LendingTree found that initial loan amounts were below $25,000 for 51.5% of Gen Z borrowers with active vehicle loans; the corresponding shares were 36.2% for millennials and 31.4% for Gen Xers.
YouGov’s November 2025 analysis put SUVs and crossovers at 41% of U.S. car owners’ primary vehicles, versus 30% for sedans.
Among SUV owners expecting to purchase a vehicle within the next year, 66% planned to choose an SUV again, Fortune reported.
What’s being done?
After retreating from sedans, Detroit automakers are revisiting affordable cars as consumers seek cheaper options.
Ford ended production of the U.S.-market Fusion in 2020, while Chevrolet stopped producing the Malibu in 2024.
But The Wall Street Journal reported in February that Ford and General Motors were considering bringing sedans back.
That month, Ford told dealers it five new models costing less than $40,000 by 2030, spanning cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans, according to Automotive News.
Sean Tucker, managing editor at Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book, told Fortune that flexible platforms could help lower development costs.
He pointed to Ford’s Universal Electric Vehicle Platform as a potential foundation for a sedan if demand justified one.
Ford CEO Jim Farley acknowledged both the opportunity and the financial challenge in comments to Automotive News at the Detroit Auto Show in January.
“The sedan market is very vibrant. It’s not that there isn’t a market there. It’s just we couldn’t find a way to compete and be profitable,” Farley observed, as reported by Fortune.
Where can I learn more?
Younger drivers looking for an affordable car also have to budget for insurance and loan payments. These stories examine young drivers’ insurance quotes, used EVs for teens, and Americans’ return to older cars.
• A newly licensed 21-year-old saw their by $7,200, prompting advice to shop around.
• Parents considering see low-range Nissan Leafs as a geographic fence.
• Across the U.S., drivers are amid frustrations with payments, repairs, and screens.