How Well Do Drivers Know Their Cars?

September 03, 2025 at 15:01 PM EDT

(BPT) - For some drivers, their vehicle is just a means of transportation, but for others, it is a reflection of their own personality and, at times, even a partner for adventure. Hankook Tire's latest Gauge Index Survey revealed new insights into how deeply connected Americans are to their vehicles, highlighting the emotional bonds and confidence drivers have in knowing their cars inside and out.

Drivers' Emotional Connection

Most American drivers feel a connection to their cars, with over three-quarters of respondents saying they have some sort of emotional attachment. This bond isn't uniform across generations, however - younger drivers, on average, feel a stronger emotional connection to their cars while older generations are more likely to think of functionality.

For the youngest generation on the road today, Gen Z, having a car creates a sense of pride: 43% of surveyed Gen Z drivers say they are proud of their cars.

More experienced drivers demonstrate an appreciation for their vehicle's role in their day-to-day life. The majority of Millennial drivers (43%) say they are dependent on their vehicles. Similarly, when describing their car's personality, Gen X (45%) and Boomers (50%) were most likely to label their cars as reliable and dependable.

Personalization to Match Personality

The connection that drivers feel with their cars can also be shown in how they personalize its interior and exterior, or even how they create a persona for their vehicle: One in four Americans has named their car, which is especially common among Gen Z (40%) drivers and those living in cities (35%). When it comes to accessorizing, most drivers personalize their cars with wheel or seat covers (27%) and performance upgrades (23%), tailoring their vehicles to match their own style and needs.

City drivers tend to customize their cars more than those in other areas: Nearly a third (32%) of drivers in urban areas have upgraded their car's performance, including changes to their engine, exhausts and even tires, compared to less than a quarter of rural (20%) and suburban (19%) area drivers. Urban area drivers have also customized the look of their cars more than others, with nearly a quarter (22%) of city drivers having had aesthetic work done to their cars, compared to rural (8%) and suburban drivers (13%).

Knowing the Car Inside and Out

Getting to know your car is more than just how it looks and feels. Many drivers report they understand their vehicle's performance and what it can handle. For example, 85% of all drivers say they know their car well enough to continue driving with the fuel light on. Exactly half of the drivers surveyed tend to fill up their tank before the light appears on their dashboard, yet more than a third (36%) say that they know their cars well enough to push those limits regularly.

Despite how many people say they know their cars' fuel limits, running out of gas isn't as rare as it might seem - almost half (46%) of all drivers say they have run out of gas before, and over half of those respondents say that it has happened more than once. More experienced drivers tend to pay closer attention to their fuel level, with three-quarters of all Boomers saying they have never run out of gas while driving, compared to 67% of Millennial drivers who have, and often more than once.

The blend of emotional attachment and practical understanding underscores a unique relationship that Americans have to their cars: Personalizing vehicles, naming them and knowing their quirks all point to a deeper, more meaningful connection that drivers have with their cars.

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How Well Do Drivers Know Their Cars?

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