SIPPY DOWNS, Australia, May 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Australians are increasingly delaying car maintenance as cost-of-living pressures intensify, according to new research[1] from insurance company Youi – revealing a significant shift in how drivers manage the cost of staying on the road and opening up potential safety gaps.
The 2026 Youi Generational Car Care & Costs Report has returned due to popular demand and shows a clear change in behaviour since the inaugural 2024 study. The proportion of Australian drivers delaying one or more non-cleaning-related car maintenance tasks has jumped from 35% to 47%, pointing to mounting financial pressure influencing everyday driving decisions.
Younger generations are leading this shift. Nearly eight in ten Gen Z drivers (79%) and three-quarters of Millennials (76%) report putting off at least one maintenance task – including cleaning – compared with 62% of Gen X and just 37% of Boomers.
