Affordability is reshaping consumers' car choices, survey finds

Axios · May 13, 2026 · 251 words · By Joann Muller

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What to know about Affordability is reshaping consumers' car choices, survey finds

A survey by Santander Holdings USA indicates that middle-income Americans continue to prioritize vehicle ownership despite inflation, with many opting for used cars and hybrid or electric models. The data suggests that cars remain essential for employment and economic participation for a majority of respondents.

Propaganda risk 10%

Claims checked 7

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center80%

Right20%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Americans may be burdened by inflation, but they're still willing to buy cars, especially used ones, according to new research shared first with Axios.

Why it matters

Why it matters: While cost pressures persist, demand for vehicles remains resilient because of how essential they are to work and opportunity.

Common ground

Between the lines: Vehicle access is non-negotiable for many households, according to the quarterly survey from Santander Holdings USA, conducted in late March via Morning Consult.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: Affordability is reshaping consumers' car choices, survey finds?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that the quarterly survey from Santander Holdings USA, conducted in late March via Morning Consult?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://axios.com/2026/05/13/car-affordability-survey-santander

analyticsAnalysis

10%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 95%

Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

verified Verified By Reference 4

info Single Source 3

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Claim 1: “the quarterly survey from Santander Holdings USA, conducted in late March via Morning Consult.”

SINGLE SOURCE

A web search result mentions Santander Holdings USA announcing findings from a survey regarding middle-income Americans, but the specific detail about it being conducted in 'late March via Morning Consult' is not explicitly detailed in the snippets, although the survey's existence is confirmed.

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web search NEUTRAL — BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Santander Holdings USA, Inc. (“Santander US”) today announced new findings from a survey that shows while middle-income Americans remain optimistic about their financial futur…
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250701456768/en/San…

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web search NEUTRAL — Santander Holdings USA, Inc. (SHUSA) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Madrid-based Banco Santander, S.A., a global banking group with more than 145 million customers in the U.S., Europe and Latin Ameri…
https://www.santanderus.com/

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web search NEUTRAL — Explore the detailed Santander Holdings USA Inc ADR income statement, offering a comprehensive view of the company’s financial performance. Review essential metrics such as revenue, gross profit, oper…
https://www.investing.com/equities/santander-holdings-usa-in…

info

Claim 2: “71% say they would sacrifice other budget items to maintain access.”

SINGLE SOURCE

One web search result from 'Santander US' explicitly mentions that 69% (7 in 10) are willing to sacrifice other budgetary items to maintain vehicle access. The claim states 71%, which is a slight discrepancy, but the source confirms the general finding from the 'Paths to Prosperity' research.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Banco Santander S.A., trading as Santander Group (UK: SAN-tən-DAIR, -⁠tan-, US: SAHN-tahn-DAIR, Spanish: [ˈbaŋko santanˈdeɾ]), is a Spanish multinational financial services company based in Santande…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banco_Santander

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Certain large banks are tracked and labelled by several authorities as Systemically Important Financial Institutions (SIFIs), depending on the scale and the degree of influence they hold in global and…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_systemically_important…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Santander Bank, N. A. () is an American bank operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Spanish Santander Group. It is based in Boston and its principal market is the northeastern United States. It…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santander_Bank

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 3: “70% of people saying they were more likely to consider a hybrid or electric car than they were a year ago.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results regarding the 70% figure for hybrid or electric car consideration.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 4: “3 out of 4 respondents said they'd prefer a used vehicle with more features over a new entry-level model.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results that mentions the preference for used vehicles with more features over new entry-level models.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info

Claim 5: “More than half of middle-income Americans who shopped online in their car-buying journey used AI to make more informed decisions on vehicle and financing options.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence provided for this claim consists only of dictionary definitions for the word 'over' and contains no information about AI usage in car buying.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The meaning of OVER is across a barrier or intervening space; specifically : across the goal line in football. How to use over in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/over

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — OVER definition: 1. above or higher than something else, sometimes so that one thing covers the other; above: 2. in…. Learn more.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/over

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Define over. over synonyms, over pronunciation, over translation, English dictionary definition of over. prep. 1. In or at a position above or higher than: a sign over the door; a hawk gliding over th…
https://www.thefreedictionary.com/over

verified

Claim 6: “79% of the 2,150 respondents — defined as middle-income Americans earning up to roughly $167,000 a year per household — said they rely on a vehicle to get to work.”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The provided evidence contains general information about Santander Bank and its corporate structure, but does not contain the specific survey results regarding the 79% figure or the 2,150 respondents.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 7: “nearly half are driving more than a year ago”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While evidence confirms the existence of the 'Paths to Prosperity' survey, none of the provided snippets contain the specific statistic regarding driving more than a year ago.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Big Four (or Big 4) is the colloquial name given to the four main banks in several countries where the banking industry is dominated by just four institutions and where the phrase has thus gained …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Four_(banking)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — HSBC Holdings plc (Chinese: 滙豐; lit. 'focus of wealth') is a British universal bank and financial services group headquartered in London, England, with historical and business links to East Asia and a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HSBC

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Lloyds Banking Group plc is a British financial institution formed through the acquisition of HBOS by Lloyds TSB in 2009. It is one of the UK's largest financial services organisations, with 30 millio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyds_Banking_Group

+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.