Relatively recently, owning a car was perceived as one of the essential attributes of a comfortable life. A car provided freedom of movement, independence from public transport schedules, the ability to go about one's business, to the dacha, out of town, or to relatives at any time. In addition, for many, it remained a symbol of a certain life success and status.
However, in recent years, attitudes towards personal transport have noticeably changed. People are increasingly asking themselves: is a personal car really necessary, or can its functions be taken over by taxis, carsharing, and public transport? At first glance, such changes can be explained by the new habits of the younger generation, who prefer to use services instead of owning things. But the reasons for what is happening are much deeper and are largely related to the changed economic situation.
A car is no longer just a purchase
A few years ago, buying a car was perceived as an expensive, but quite understandable investment. A car required maintenance costs, but in return provided comfort and served its owner for many years.
Today, the cost structure looks significantly more complex. In addition to the purchase itself, the owner has to consider a whole list of associated expenses:
- car loan payments;
- insurance;
- fuel;
- maintenance;
- repairs and purchase of spare parts;
- seasonal tire replacement;
- parking;
- car wash;
- fines.
Such expenses become especially noticeable for owners of used cars, where the probability of unplanned expenses is significantly higher.
The change in attitude towards cars is also confirmed by statistics. According to FOM, today 61% of Russians have a car in their family. Five years ago, about two-thirds of respondents reported having a car. At the same time, the share of families without a car increased from 32% to 35%.
Of course, this is not about a mass rejection of transport. Moreover, the automotive market continues to operate. Thus, in the first quarter of 2026, about 264.9 thousand new passenger cars were sold in Russia, which is 7.3% higher than in the same period last year. However, the purchase of a car itself has become a much more serious financial decision for many.
Car loans are increasingly stretching for years
One of the most indicative indicators of the ongoing changes has been the terms of car loans.
If previously a car loan was perceived as a temporary financial burden, today it is increasingly turning into a long-term obligation. According to data for February 2026, the average car loan term in Russia reached 5.98 years. Over the year, this indicator increased by 17.9%.
In practice, this means that the owner simultaneously bears several types of expenses for almost six years:
- pays off the loan;
- pays for fuel;
- buys insurance;
- maintains the car;
- eliminates emerging malfunctions.
At the same time, the cost of the car itself gradually decreases, and the need for repairs only increases over time.
As a result, for some Russians, a car ceases to be associated exclusively with freedom of movement and begins to be perceived as a constant financial obligation. That is why many are increasingly considering the option of using transport as needed without buying their own car.
Major expenses begin after purchase
Many potential owners focus on the cost of the car, although the real cost of ownership becomes apparent only after acquisition.
One month requires insurance payments, another — scheduled maintenance. Then there are expenses for oil changes, tire purchases, batteries, or suspension repairs. Additionally, there are costs for parking, fines, and unforeseen breakdowns.
Such expenses are especially noticeable in large cities. For example, according to one calculation by Banki.ru, maintaining a used 2018 Ford costs approximately 676.5 thousand rubles per year, or about 56 thousand rubles monthly. This example cannot be considered an average indicator for the country, but it clearly demonstrates the scale of possible costs with active car use.
Even if the owner's expenses are significantly lower, the principle remains the same: a personal car requires money almost constantly, including periods when it simply stands in the yard.
This is especially acutely felt by people who use a car only a few times a week. In such conditions, personal transport begins to look like an expensive habit, rather than a vital necessity.
Cities are becoming less convenient for motorists
There is another factor that influences the change in attitude towards personal transport. Owning a car and comfortably using it are far from the same thing.
In large cities, the following factors have an increasing impact:
- traffic jams;
- paid parking zones;
- lack of parking spaces near home;
- automatic traffic enforcement cameras;
- fines;
- rising cost of repairs and components.
If previously a car often allowed saving time, today some trips, on the contrary, are accompanied by additional difficulties.
A trip to the city center can turn into a long search for a parking space. A business meeting — waiting in traffic. An evening return home — problems with parking the car in the yard.
Therefore, for some residents of megacities, a car gradually ceases to be an everyday tool and turns into transport that is used only in certain situations.
Taxis and carsharing offer an alternative
The development of mobility services has had a significant impact on changing habits.
If ten years ago giving up a car meant a significant limitation of opportunities, today the situation looks different. City dwellers have access to:
- taxis;
- carsharing;
- metro;
- buses;
- suburban trains;
- short-term transport rental services.
In addition, the spread of remote work has reduced the need for daily commutes to the office for many specialists.
It is indicative that the demand for carsharing in Russia in 2025 increased by 10% compared to the previous year, and in early 2026 it grew by another 19%. Among the reasons, market representatives cite high costs of purchasing and maintaining cars, as well as the expansion of paid parking zones.
This trend indicates an important feature of modern consumer behavior. People are not giving up mobility as such — they are increasingly giving up car ownership.
The younger generation has a different attitude towards ownership
For many representatives of the older generation, a car remained one of the symbols of life success. Buying a car was perceived as confirmation of financial independence and a certain social status.
Young people often have a different approach.
If the metro, delivery, carsharing, taxis, and the possibility of remote work are available nearby, owning a car is no longer considered a mandatory condition for a comfortable life. For many, it is more important to get access to the necessary service than to own an expensive asset.
Such logic is observed not only in the automotive sector. It also manifests itself in relation to music, films, software, housing, and other categories of goods and services. Subscriptions, rentals, and shared use are gradually becoming a common part of everyday life.
Therefore, the decline in interest in personal cars can indeed be called a trend. However, its emergence is associated not only with a change in views but also with economic factors that have made car ownership more expensive.
Why cars will not disappear from the lives of Russians
Despite the ongoing changes, it is premature to talk about a complete rejection of personal transport.
For millions of people, a car remains a necessity. This is especially true for:
- residents of small towns;
- owners of private houses;
- families with children;
- people who regularly visit their dacha;
- specialists who work on the road;
- regions with insufficiently developed public transport.
In such conditions, a car remains an important tool of everyday life, not an element of prestige.
Therefore, today there is rather a division of consumers into two groups. The first continues to need a personal car and is ready to bear the associated costs. The second increasingly evaluates the costs and concludes that alternative modes of transport are more rational.
Trend or forced decision
In fact, both explanations are correct.
On the one hand, consumer habits are changing. More and more people prefer to use a service instead of owning an expensive asset. For the younger generation, the absence of a personal car no longer seems unusual.
On the other hand, economics plays a significant role. The high cost of cars, long loans, maintenance costs, insurance, and parking force many to reconsider their priorities.
When the cost of maintaining a car begins to be comparable in scale to other major items in the family budget, the question of the need for personal transport arises by itself.
Main conclusion
The personal car in Russia will not disappear in the foreseeable future. However, its significance is gradually changing.
If previously buying a car was perceived as an almost mandatory stage of adult life, today it is increasingly becoming a conscious choice. Owners begin to more carefully calculate expenses, compare alternatives, and assess the real need for a car.
Therefore, it is more correct to talk not about a mass rejection of cars, but about a change in the approach to their purchase. More and more Russians are ceasing to buy a car automatically, guided by habit or public expectations.
Now a car is increasingly seen as an expensive tool that must justify its maintenance costs. If this does not happen, taxis, carsharing, and public transport begin to be perceived not as a forced compromise, but as a full-fledged and reasonable alternative.