Different demographics require a different approach
In my last article we looked at automotive consumer sentiment going into 2026. Afterward, I received a lot of feedback from dealers asking some version of the same question: is this anxiety simply a result of the economic environment, or does it reflect a real change in behaviour that will shape the day-to-day rhythm of a dealership?
I believe there are two answers.
There is no doubt that consumers are starting to feel the effects of volatility, uncertainty, and unease generated by the U.S.–Canada trade situation. Many are experiencing it directly because their job or business has been affected. Others are anticipating broader changes to the market and the country, and adjusting their spending habits and financial strategies accordingly.
But if we try to look at this from a longer-term perspective — steering away from sentiment surveys and debt indexes — we arrive at something more complex: the possibility that underlying behavioural patterns and personality traits are shifting.
This is a key factor for dealers, because younger generations of Canadians may approach buying, working, and decision-making differently than most current consumers, partners, and employees.
Auto retail is fundamentally about people. And if people are changing, then the business will inevitably change as well. Understanding what the future holds for the Canadian automotive industry requires that we pay attention not only to economics, but also to how personalities and behaviour may be evolving.
This matters because consumer behaviour is not shaped only by income, financial stability, and interest rates. It is also shaped by how people approach decisions, how they manage uncertainty, and how they interact with others throughout the transaction.
Recent analysis from the Financial Times, drawing on the Understanding America Study and highlighted by journalist John Burn-Murdoch, suggests that personality traits themselves have been shifting, particularly among younger adults.
Since roughly the mid-2010s, measures of conscientiousness among people aged 16 to 39 have fallen sharply, while neuroticism has risen. At the same time, agreeableness, extraversion, and trust have all trended downward. These are not small fluctuations. They are sustained changes over nearly a decade, and they stand out precisely because personality traits are usually quite stable over time.
To put it plainly, younger adults today report being less likely to plan and follow through, less likely to persevere until something is finished, more easily distracted, more anxious, less trusting, and less outgoing than their counterparts a decade ago.
Older age groups show far more stability, which suggests this is not simply an ageing story, but something generational and environmental.
The data is American, but there are enough similarities in media ecosystems, digital life, and post-Covid pressures that the trend may also be relevant in Canada.
This matters because consumer behaviour is not shaped only by income, financial stability, and interest rates. It is also shaped by how people approach decisions, how they manage uncertainty, and how they interact with others throughout the transaction.
A buyer with lower follow-through and higher anxiety behaves differently from a buyer who feels grounded, confident, and future-oriented.
In a dealership context, this helps explain several things dealers have been sensing intuitively. Customers take longer to decide, yet sometimes abandon the process abruptly. They research extensively online but struggle to commit in person.
They ask for reassurance repeatedly, not because they distrust the salesperson personally, but because trust as a general disposition has eroded. They may appear less socially engaged, less chatty, and more guarded, even when they are genuinely interested.
This is not about customers being difficult. It is about customers being mentally overloaded.
The Financial Times analysis also shows rising agreement among younger adults with statements about being easily distracted and being careless, alongside declining agreement with statements about sticking with plans. This is what happens when digital life, economic stress, and constant information collide. Decision-making becomes cognitively expensive.
For dealerships, this shifts the operating environment in subtle but important ways. Sales conversations may need to be clearer, calmer, and more structured. Reducing friction matters more than ever, whether that means simplifying financing explanations or breaking decisions into manageable steps. Patience becomes a strategy.
This shift also affects employees. Younger staff are subject to many of the same pressures. Higher stress and lower confidence do not mean lower capability, but they do suggest that managers may need to provide clearer structure, more feedback, and more predictable routines. Training, mentorship, and consistency become anchors in an environment where attention and confidence are under pressure.
What is striking is how neatly this personality research aligns with what we see in economic data such as the MNP Consumer Debt Index. Canadians report feeling financially stretched, with little room for error. Psychology literature tells us that prolonged stress reshapes behaviour and affects how personality traits are expressed.
The result is a consumer who is cautious, distracted, anxious, and deeply sensitive to perceived risk.
Looking ahead — and most importantly beyond 2026 — success may come less from pushing harder and more from understanding better. Dealers who recognize that personalities may be shifting, not just pocketbooks, will be better positioned to adapt their operations, train their staff, and meet customers where they truly stand.
The economy may remain unpredictable, but the people navigating it are changing in ways that are becoming increasingly clear. Ignoring that dynamic may be the real risk.
