Brand loyalty in today’s automotive market

Here’s what the data from Australia’s Car Buyer Report 2026 reveals about how OEMs can earn, keep and grow brand loyalty

Brand loyalty hasn’t disappeared from the Australian car market. But it’s under more pressure than it has been in years. Buyers are staying open longer, comparing more broadly and arriving at the dealership with sharper expectations. For OEMs, that’s both a warning and an opportunity.

The average buyer now spends up to six months moving from first consideration to the early ownership phase¹.That’s not hesitation. It’s the weight of a high-stakes decision in a market with more options, more information and more pressure on every dollar spent. That’s not bad news for OEMs, it’s a reframe worth understanding.

Where loyalty is being tested

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Australia's Car Buyer Report 2026 shows that when a preferred model falls outside budget, shortlists expand². For some buyers, newer OEMs are in the conversation from the start. For others, they enter when budgets shift and shortlists open up. Either way, they’re arriving better prepared than they once were. The report also shows 43% of buyers are now familiar with new-to-market brands³, rising to 62% among EV buyers⁴ but only 27% say they trust them outright.⁵ However, tust is no longer the barrier it once was with buyers building it through research and confidence following.

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For established OEMs

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Strong market position is an asset, not a guarantee. 62% of buyers say it's confusing to know who or what to trust when they start researching⁶, and that uncertainty stays present well into the phase where buyers narrow their shortlist into selection. Pricing inconsistencies, conflicting specs or unclear ownership costs can all introduce doubt. Once in, it's hard to shift.

Brands managing this well make their value visible and consistent across digital channels, brand communications and the dealership floor. That consistency reassures existing customers and gives new customers a clear reason to stay.

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For new and emerging OEMs

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Buyers are more open to new options than they have been in the past. Trust still matters, but it's increasingly built through research rather than reputation, which means newer brands have a genuine runway if they use it well.

Transparency around technology and ownership, backed by strong warranty and safety credentials, reduces the hesitation that once held newer brands back. Car review and comparison platforms are the most consistently influential media source across the entire buyer journey,⁷ so when buyers can validate what's on offer in trusted research environments like carsales, the gap between consideration and confidence closes faster than most brands expect.

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The takeaway

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In a market where every decision is weighed more carefully, being easy to trust is the real competitive advantage.

Loyalty hasn’t weakened, it’s evolved and it now requires active management. For new and emerging OEMs, the consideration window is real and growing. Marketplaces give challenger brands an outsized opportunity to reach buyers before a decision is made. For established OEMs, the task is different but equally urgent: maintain familiarity, remove friction and make the process of buying from you simpler than buying from anyone else.

To find out how we can help align your brand strategy to where Australian buyers are today, chat to our team.

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^Sourcing:

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1^{Australia'sCar Buyer Report 2026, n=2,008, Recent owners, n=504 B1. Thinking about eachstage of the journey so far, how much time, approximately, have you spent ateach stage below?}

²^{Qualitative research conducted by Nature for Australia's Car Buyer Report 2026, n=38 (car buying intenders and recent buyers)}

³^{Australia's Car Buyer Report 2026, n=2,008,Q. Here are some things people may say about the journey of buying a car. Tellus how much you agree or disagree with these statements from your ownperspective. ‘Familiar with new-to-market brands’}

⁴^{Australia's Car Buyer Report 2026, n=2,008,Ev buyers, n =125 Q. Here are some things people may say about the journey ofbuying a car. Tell us how much you agree or disagree with these statements fromyour own perspective ‘Familiar with new-to-market brands’}

⁵^{Australia's Car Buyer Report 2026, n=2,008,Q. Here are some things people may say about the journey of buying a car. Tellus how much you agree or disagree with these statements from your ownperspective ‘ I trust new-to-market brands’}

⁶^{Australia's Car Buyer Report 2026, n=2,008,Q. Here are some things people may say about the journey of buying a car. Tellus how much you agree or disagree with these statements from your ownperspective‘It’s confusing to know who or what to trust’}

⁷^{Australia’s Car Buyer Report 2026, n=2,008, Media sources of influence}