Car culture has played a major role in helping to power the engine of the automotive industry for decades, from inspiring new vehicle designs to influencing new car sales.
From as far back as the 1950s and ’60s, when drive-in movies and hot rods were a popular pastime, car culture has been an integral part of American life and the vehicle ownership experience.
Beyond the sheet metal: That connection, which has been rooted in the idea that the value of a car can extend well beyond a mode of transportation, has transcended every facet of the American experience, from the moviegoing experience, exemplified in the enduring popularity of films like Bullitt, to enthusiast events like NASCAR races and local Cars and Coffee meetups.
In the thick of it all, some of the deepest aspects of American car culture have been the love for a particular automobile passed down in a family from one generation to the next, inspiring the next era of car enthusiasts.
Shifting threads: However, in recent years, some have begun to wonder if that level of personal connection to automobiles is becoming a thing of the past.
There certainly are some indications that the love for cars, which have long represented a symbol of achievement in America, has gone through a major transformation.
Reports indicate that a growing number of younger adults ages 18–24 are opting to hold off on purchasing a car, with new vehicle registrations falling from 12% in Q1 2021 to below 10% in June of 2025.
Nearly 40% of teens delayed getting their license by one to two years, and 30% delayed by more than two years, according to a 2020 study, with the availability of rideshare apps noted as a contributing factor.
The collector car market (long a cornerstone of American car culture) has been in a steady decline, with Haggerty putting the market value rating in September in “flat territory” at 59.22 (on a scale of 0–100), which is the lowest it’s been in five years.
Sure, economic and financial factors, most notably the high cost associated with owning a car today, impact how many Americans now view automobiles. However, there’s also something else at play, namely that the way in which many connect to cars culturally has changed, especially Gen Zers and millennials.
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New era: Take, for example, that while more car owners are abandoning over-the-top aesthetically driven car modifications, more subtle and practical personalization mods have been driving growth in the customization market, with tech-centered modifications accounting for a growing share of those mods.
Despite the decline of car-themed movies (the Fast and Furious film franchise notwithstanding), the car racing gaming market is projected to grow from $7.8 billion globally in 2024 to $14.5 billion by 2032 due to consumer demand, with millennials being the primary audience.
Amid the decline in the car collection market, millennials and Gen Zers are fueling a new segment of car fandom, on the hunt for ’80s American muscle cars and rides like Mitsubishi Lancers and Nissan Skylines, due to their popularity in gaming.
Dan Stoner, creative director at Hemmings, put it all in perspective during a recent conversation on my podcast, The Culture Lane, discussing how car culture has changed.
“Collector car culture…has gotten to the point… where I think it is more pervasive than it used to be, but not in obvious ways. And what I mean by that is… it was not that long ago that two or four 1964 Chevy Impalas ended up on the stage at the (LVI) Super Bowl Halftime Show,” said Stoner. “And that had a lot to do with the surge of car culture.”
It signals a shift in how people, especially younger consumers, in how they embrace car culture, which is much different than it was decades ago, explained Stoner.
Bottom line: The next generation is falling in love with cars through games, content, niche builds, and tech-driven personalization. Automakers and dealerships that show up in those spaces, speak that language, and build experiences around this new kind of fandom will be the ones that win when today’s gamers, streamers, and modders are finally ready to buy, customize, and service their own rides.
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