Gen Z Considers Budget-Friendly Cars ‘Cringe’
A recent study surveyed members of Generation Z about their opinions on cars. Many of its findings were unsurprising: The Porsche 911 is still the car most respondents consider “cool,” while an exhaust modified to be louder is the most commonly cited red flag. But I keyed in on something intriguing: the list of cars that the most respondents consider “cringe.” I’d argue that several of them are just good, honest, cost-effective transportation. And there’s nothing cringe about that.
But before I go on my elder-Millennial rant about what cars Gen Zers consider cringe and cool, I must admit that more Gen Z drivers collect classic cars than Millennials. And that’s pretty cool.
The cars Gen Z considers “cringe”
First and foremost, I totally get the vehicle that the highest percentage of respondents consider “cringe.” The Tesla Cybertruck got an unparalleled 73.8%. Maybe it’s the stainless steel EV’s ostentatious looks. Perhaps it’s the Elon Musk apologists who often flout their Cybertrucks. But whatever the reason, I don’t think Gen Z is alone in that opinion.
Second on the list is the Chrysler PT Cruiser (52.8%). I’ll admit the PT Cruiser attempted retro styling and missed the mark. Right out of college, I put thousands of miles on a cheap PT Cruiser as an Uber driver, and it treated me very well. But it is about as dorky as a pair of Crocs. And apparently, half of the kids don’t even think it’s ironically cool yet.
Next up is the Kia Soul (52%). Honestly, this one shocked me. I get it’s a cheap compact in a boxy shape that’s easy to mock. But it also uses space very efficiently. As importantly, it was one of the cheapest new crossovers on the market—until Kia discontinued it after the 2025 model year. Only its Hyundai Venue cousin was a hair cheaper. There’s nothing “cringe” about being financially responsible.
Finally, there’s the Tesla Model Y (46.7%). Perhaps the members of Gen Z who call this car cringe just don’t like Elon Musk’s politics. Perhaps the Model Y—which was briefly the world’s most popular vehicle—is just the new plain Jane beige used Honda Accord. But to that point, a used Model Y (and/or a Model 3) may be the cheapest vehicle per mile right now. They aren’t holding value on the used market, appear to last forever, and if you have home charging, you’ll pay pennies for “fuel.” Again, nothing “cringe” about a hand-me-down.
The cars Gen Z calls “cool” are telling:
In the Lemon Law study, the highest number of Gen Zers consider the Porsche 911 cool (69.5%), followed by the BMW 3-Series (68.6%), and third goes to the Chevy Corvette (68.3%). But I noticed an intriguing pattern about the “cool” cars list: Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon, Cadillac Escalade, and Land Rover Range Rover rank amongst them. This is clearly a generation that appreciates new money-style luxury. So perhaps hand-me-downs and being financially responsible have become “cringe.”
That all brings me back to the “classic” car statistic. The exploding segment that appears to be driving Gen Z interest in collecting classics is luxury sedans. But hey, if that’s the fad that drives young people to adopt project cars, I’m all for it. I’ll hop back in my PT Cruiser and show myself out.
