New drivers are bound to go through a number of firsts: their first car, their first ticket and their first accident if they're not careful. No car is built to last forever, so first-time car owners may very well own a second or a third vehicle in their lifetime. And the vehicle brand individuals select at a given time in their lives is often determined by age, according to Priceonomics, which identified the average age of purchase for 22 vehicle brands. Anecdotally, younger drivers may look for vehicles based on aesthetics or horsepower while older drivers may base their next investment on fuel-efficiency, cargo space and the needs of a family. Related: 2018 auto insurance changes you should know |

Other key findings

Priceonomics also identified the average age of purchase of vehicle type based on CarMax data. |

  • Sedans & coupes - 37.4
  • Sports cars - 38.4
  • Luxury vehicles - 42.2
  • Sport utilities - 42.6
  • Wagons - 42.6
  • Minivans & vans - 42.8
  • Pickup trucks - 43.7

For this study, Priceonomics looked at all CarMax purchases from Jan. 1, 2017 through Dec. 31, 2017 and the ages of buyers (rounded to the nearest half decade). So which car brands are most likely to be purchased based on average age? Check out the slideshow below to see the five brands purchased by young drivers and the five brands purchased by older drivers, ranked from youngest to oldest, courtesy of Priceonomics. Related: U.S. car sales are expected to fall to recession levels

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Denny Jacob

Denny Jacob is an associate editor for NU PropertyCasualty360. Contact him at [email protected].