What factors are lately influencing new car buying decisions?

In this rapidly changing car sales and marketing dynamics which factors according to you influence a new car buyer's decision making process to zero upon his or her final choice?

BHPian anjan_c2007 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

We have choices:-
- word of mouth from satisfied owners of the same brand and model.
- reading new car reviews on teambhp.
- viewing reviews by the new age You Tubers.
- reading new car reviews on the available auto magazine hard copies.
- advertisements in the media and exhibitions/ Expos by the brand and its dealers.
- majority vote by family members and/or relatives.
- reviews on other websites/ portals.
- any other factor/s ? Please describe in your post.

Which of these according to you influences the new car buyer's decision to zero upon his or her final choice.

Serious car buyers also undertake self assessment and research with media reports and cloud data and metadata. The NCAP ratings too play an important role now in the decision making. So also, the ASC reputation for the brand, warranty offered and knowing the cost of spares and services are important.

Thereafter the final phase comprises, visits to showrooms to see the machine personally. We try to find pros and cons in ergonomics, check out the base to top variants, which is usually followed by test drives to know the brand and model better. Finally its haggling with the SR for discounts and offers.

In India, "word of mouth" has a very major role to play in our decision making process in new car purchases. The much talked about MSIL and HMIL's successes in India are primarily owing to such decisions being taken by the buyer through "word of mouth" publicity from other hitherto satisfied owners. Some such satisfied owners are either family members or relatives or friends or same office peers.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.