How Consumers Are Buying Cars in 2025

Before we get into the brands, let’s look at the battlefield. We recently surveyed German consumers and confirmed a truth as old as car keys: people do their homework.

When it comes to buying decisions, nearly all consumers, a staggering 96%, conduct some form of research before making a purchase. Most lean heavily on personal connections, with 59% relying on recommendations from friends and family. Official brand websites also play a major role, consulted by 56% of shoppers looking for trustworthy information. YouTube reviews have carved out a notable space as well, influencing 27% of consumers with their mix of visuals and peer commentary. Meanwhile, just 9% turn to social media influencers, suggesting that while they may be loud, their actual impact on decision-making remains relatively limited.

Word-of-mouth dominates for women (66%), while the only group meaningfully swayed by influencers is the 18–24 crowd. Older buyers? They stick to brand sites and dealer info like it’s gospel. That’s the playing field and Polestar and BYD need to win on clarity, credibility, and consumer trust.

The Challenger: BYD – The new Volkswagen?

BYD is the EV powerhouse you didn’t see coming, unless you’ve been tracking global sales, where it’s trading punches with Tesla. In Europe, BYD is making serious moves and for the first time BYD outsells Tesla according to Reuters, marking a major milestone in its relentless rise.

In Europe, BYD is on the offensive. The company has launched local sales entities, sponsored UEFA Euro 2024, and introduced the Dolphin Surf, one of the most affordable EVs in the market at under €25,000. And it’s not just about price, it’s about power: innovations like the Blade Battery and ultra-fast charging (400 km in five minutes) show serious engineering muscle.

BYD’s marketing strategy? Loud, wide, and proud. Campaigns like its UEFA Euro 2024 Partnership, pitch electric vehicles not just as practical, but as emotional, aspirational, and urgent. It’s volume with values and it’s working.

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The message is clear: electric mobility doesn’t have to be elite. You can drive clean without breaking the bank.

Here’s what consumers in Germany associate with BYD:

Strong price-performance ratio (50%)

Innovation (40%)

High-tech appeal (34%)

The Contender: Polestar – Not Trying to Be the Next Tesla (And That’s the Point)

Where BYD is high energy and high visibility, Polestar is the whisper in the wind quiet, confident, and surgically refined.

This is a brand that doesn’t chase the crowd. Its Silent in a Loud World campaign captured its ethos perfectly: clean visuals, minimalist storytelling, and the unshakable calm of Scandinavian design. It’s not trying to be for everyone  and that’s the point.

One of Polestar’s boldest recent plays? The Tesla Conquest Campaign in the US, offering up to $20,000 in trade-ins. Half of all US Polestar 3 sales came from this single, targeted maneuver.

In Europe, the brand is expanding its footprint rapidly, rolling out the Polestar 2, 3, and 4 in France and Poland this year, with plans to hit 35% annual growth. 

Polestar is not trying to be for everyone. It’s carving out a premium space in the EV market. Design-forward, understated, and intentional, the kind of car brand that appeals to your inner architect.

Consumers in Germany associate Polestar with

Elegant design (40%)

Premium quality (30%)

Reliable (24%)

But here’s the rub: all that understated elegance comes with a premium price tag. In a market increasingly driven by utility and affordability, Polestar runs the risk of becoming an admired niche, not a mainstream choice.

Polestar vs. BYD: Innovation, Value, and a Whole Lot of Room to Grow

This match-up between Sweden’s minimalist EV brand and China’s tech-savvy powerhouse reveals a clear contrast in strategy and perception.

Polestar leads on design and build quality, with 40% of respondents linking it to elegant aesthetics. That’s well ahead of BYD at 29%, and likely helped by Polestar’s Volvo heritage, which also boosts its credibility on reliability.

BYD, on the other hand, wins where it matters to cost-conscious buyers. Half of those surveyed associate it with strong value for money, compared to just 35% for Polestar. It also comes out ahead in perceived innovation and tech-savviness, which aligns with its background in battery and EV manufacturing.

Both brands still face hurdles. Resale value and access to service centers remain weak points for each. And perhaps most telling, nearly 20% of consumers didn’t connect either brand to any of the traits surveyed. That suggests significant work remains in building recognition and trust.

In short, the battle for Europe’s EV mindshare is just getting started. Style, tech, and value are all in play, but no one’s crossing the finish line just yet.

Top Funnel Stars, Bottom Funnel Strugglers

Welcome to the leaky funnel showdown. Polestar and BYD are pulling impressive numbers at the top: 55% and 51% brand awareness respectively, not bad for relative newcomers. Consideration holds steady, with BYD edging ahead at 31%. But when it comes to sealing the deal, both brands skid off the track. Just 2% of consumers have actually made a purchase. The verdict? The battle for mindshare is working, but the war for wallets is still wide open.

Battle of the Brands: Curious, Not Committed

Chinese car brands are everywhere: In the news, in your feed, probably parked silently in the background of that viral TikTok. The buzz is undeniable. But when it comes to actual buy-in? That’s a different story.

The Great Test Drive of Public Opinion

According to our data, 83% of people know about these brands, their logos, their names, the hype around them. But over half have never gone beyond that passing glance. It’s brand awareness without brand engagement, it’s like knowing the lyrics to a song you’d never add to your playlist. 

Nearly a third of respondents have poked around out of curiosity, clicking through a few reviews, maybe watching a YouTube walkaround. But it’s less “I want this car” and more “I wonder what this is about.” That curiosity spikes, but quickly stalls. Only 11% say they’re seriously considering a Chinese car, and a lonely 1% actually own one.

In short, the awareness engine is humming, but the trust tank’s still pretty empty. Until Chinese carmakers move from novelty to necessity in the consumer mind, they’ll be stuck idling at the curb of mainstream adoption.

These brands have won awareness, but not hearts. The engine’s revving, but trust? Still stuck in first gear.

So what’s the holdup?

Trust.
Until these brands deliver better local service, European-based production, and full transparency on safety, most buyers will keep them in the “maybe later” category — admired from afar, not parked in the driveway.

The Verdict

This one’s a photo finish.

Polestar leads on prestige and aesthetics.

BYD dominates on price, scale, and innovation.

Both have momentum. Neither has mass adoption. And both need to bridge the trust gap if they want to move from headlines to households.

Coming Up Next: MG vs. Nio | Practicality Meets Possibility in Round Two of Battle of the Brands about Cars made in China

Two more contenders enter the ring next week. One’s a heritage badge reimagined, the other is a futurist’s dream on four wheels. Don’t miss Round Two.

Want to Win Your Own Round?

Awareness is just the beginning.

At DCMN, we turn curiosity into conversion with brandformance-driven strategy that works online, on air, and on the road.

Let’s get you in the driver’s seat.