Share of car buyers in 60s and 70s hits record high as young people shun driving
Published: 08 Jul. 2025, 14:49
Updated: 08 Jul. 2025, 17:53
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Used cars are stored in Incheon [JOONGANG ILBO]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/07/08/8e13b3a1-56b1-43c9-9023-a8c09d77ce03.jpg)
Used cars are stored in Incheon [JOONGANG ILBO]
The proportion of new passenger car registrations made by people in their 20s and 30s fell to a 10-year low in the first half of 2025, while those by drivers in their 60s and 70s continued to rise, reaching record highs.
A total of 29,066 new passenger vehicles were registered to individuals in their 20s in the first half of the year, car data site CarIsYou revealed Tuesday. That accounted for just 5.7 percent of the total 511,848 new car registrations in the period. The share has declined every year from 8.8 percent in 2016, and it dropped further from 6.7 percent last year.
If the trend continues, the share of 20-somethings buying new cars could hit its lowest point in a decade.
A similar decline was observed among people in their 30s. New car registrations by individuals in this age group stood at 99,611 in the first half of 2025, or 19.5 percent of the total. This marks a 6.4 percentage point drop from the 25.9 percent recorded in 2016 — the first time in 10 years that their share fell below 20 percent.
In contrast, new car purchases by older generations are on the rise. Drivers in their 60s registered 92,123 new cars in the first half, accounting for 18.0 percent of the total, while those in their 70s registered 23,010, or 4.5 percent. The share for people in their 60s has nearly doubled from 9.6 percent in 2016, and the figure for those in their 70s has steadily risen from 2.8 percent.
![Used cars are stored in Incheon on March 3, 2022 [YONHAP]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/07/08/3adf3ee1-f99f-4cee-98d2-286b030ba934.jpg)
Used cars are stored in Incheon on March 3, 2022 [YONHAP]
The disparity reflects changing perceptions of car ownership. Younger generations are increasingly opting for shared mobility services amid a growing culture of sharing and the rising cost of new cars. As a result, using ride-sharing apps is becoming more common than owning a car.
Older generations, however, still view cars as essential for getting around. Despite government recommendations that elderly drivers voluntarily return their licenses, car demand among older adults remains steady as more continue to work and prioritize mobility.
Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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