Over 80% of Tokyo residents who own cars want to keep their current vehicles even if convenient mobility services become widespread

Kings Road Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Komaki City, Aichi Prefecture, Representative: Kazuyoshi Goto), which operates the Rover Mini specialty store "Kings Road Nagoya," conducted a survey on the "Value of Car Ownership in Urban Areas" targeting car owners residing in Tokyo (men and women in their 20s to 50s). The survey revealed the reasons why car owners in Tokyo continue to own their cars, their awareness of cars as a means of self-expression, and their future ownership intentions.

Background

In recent years, with the spread of car sharing, improvements in public transportation, and rising maintenance costs for private cars, the rational idea of "using cars without owning them" is becoming more prevalent in urban areas. On the other hand, there are people who continue to own cars even in high-cost environments, and it is thought that for them, cars have value beyond mere transportation, serving as a means of self-expression and a cherished possession. However, the reality of how much emotional value owners actually feel towards their cars and their intentions regarding ownership in the face of the spread of alternative services has not been clear. Therefore, Kings Road Co., Ltd., which operates Rover Mini specialty stores, conducted the "Survey on the Value of Car Ownership in Urban Areas" targeting car owners residing in Tokyo.

Survey Summary

- The main purposes for car ownership among Tokyo residents are "for daily shopping" and "for driving and leisure." - The biggest reason for continuing to own their current car, despite paying high maintenance costs in Tokyo, is "because of the high convenience as a means of transportation," followed by "for the convenience and safety of family." - Over 60% of car owners in Tokyo responded that the element of self-expression is "included" in the value of owning a car. - Among those who own a car in Tokyo and feel that self-expression is part of its value, the most common way of expressing themselves is by "being particular about the car model and body type." - Over 80% of car owners in Tokyo want to "keep their current car" even if convenient mobility services become widespread in the future.

Survey Overview

Survey Period: June 10-11, 2026 Survey Method: Internet Survey Target Audience: Car owners residing in Tokyo (men and women in their 20s to 50s) Number of Respondents: 330 Monitor Provider: RC Research Data *The sum of response ratios may not be 100.0% due to rounding to the second decimal place.

The main purposes for car ownership among Tokyo residents are "for daily shopping" and "for driving and leisure."

First, in response to the question "What are the main purposes for your currently owned car?", the top answer was "for daily shopping" at 80.0%, followed by "for driving and leisure" at 63.3%, and "for hobby activities (outdoor activities, sports, driving, etc.)" at 52.1%. These results indicate that the main purposes for car ownership among Tokyo residents are "for daily shopping" and "for driving and leisure."

The biggest reason for continuing to own their current car, despite paying high maintenance costs in Tokyo, is "because of the high convenience as a means of transportation," followed by "for the convenience and safety of family."

Next, in response to the question "What is the biggest reason for continuing to own your current car, despite paying high maintenance costs in Tokyo?", the top answer was "because of the high convenience as a means of transportation" at 43.0%, followed by "for the convenience and safety of family" at 27.0%, and "because car life itself is a hobby" at 8.5%. These results reveal that the biggest reason for continuing to own their current car, despite paying high maintenance costs in Tokyo, is "because of the high convenience as a means of transportation," followed by "for the convenience and safety of family."

Over 60% of car owners in Tokyo responded that the element of self-expression is "included" in the value of owning a car.

Subsequently, in response to the question "To what extent is self-expression included in the value of owning a car?", the top answer was "included to some extent" at 42.7%, followed by "not included much" at 27.9%, and "strongly included" at 18.2%. Summing the proportions of the first and third answers gives 60.9%, indicating that over 60% of car owners in Tokyo responded that the element of self-expression is "included" in the value of owning a car, to varying degrees.

Among those who own a car in Tokyo and feel that self-expression is part of its value, the most common way of expressing themselves is by "being particular about the car model and body type."

Furthermore, when asked "How do you express yourself through your car?" among car owners in Tokyo who feel that self-expression is part of its value, the top answer was "being particular about the car model and body type" at 63.2%, followed by "reflecting my preferences in grade and engine performance" at 38.8%, and "having a strong preference for body color" at 29.9%. These results show that among car owners in Tokyo who feel that self-expression is part of its value, the most common way of expressing themselves is by "being particular about the car model and body type."

Over 80% of car owners in Tokyo want to "keep their current car" even if convenient mobility services become widespread in the future.

Finally, in response to the question "Would you want to keep your current car even if convenient mobility services such as car sharing become more widespread in the future?", the top answer was "would rather want to keep it" at 51.2%, followed by "strongly want to keep it" at 33.0%, and "don't really want to keep it" at 12.1%. Summing the proportions of the first and second answers gives 84.2%, revealing that over 80% of car owners in Tokyo want to "keep their current car," to varying degrees, even if convenient mobility services become widespread in the future.

Conclusion

This survey revealed that the main purposes for car ownership among Tokyo residents are "for daily shopping" and "for driving and leisure," and the biggest reason for continuing to own their current car, despite paying high maintenance costs in Tokyo, is "because of the high convenience as a means of transportation," followed by "for the convenience and safety of family." Additionally, over 60% of car owners in Tokyo responded that the element of self-expression is "included" in the value of owning a car, and the most common way for these individuals to express themselves through their cars is by "being particular about the car model and body type." Furthermore, it was found that over 80% of car owners in Tokyo want to "keep their current car" even if convenient mobility services become widespread.

In response to the desire to continue owning a car even with the spread of mobility services, and the need for "ownership value as self-expression" revealed by this survey, Kings Road Co., Ltd.'s "Kings Road Nagoya" offers a unique and secure car life. Our store is not just a vehicle dealership but a "Rover Mini specialty store" that deeply understands the affection and culture of car ownership. We are equipped to cater to individual preferences with services such as full refresh warranty service by veteran engineers and the provision of original parts. Through specialized support with the highly hobbyist Rover Mini, it is possible to safely enjoy a personalized beloved car that transcends mere rationality, contributing to the realization of our customers' fulfilling car lives.

Supervisor

Kings Road Co., Ltd.

Representative: Kazuyoshi Goto Specializes in the sale, maintenance, and restoration of British cars, primarily Minis. With a long-standing commitment to hands-on experience, he has a proven track record of assembling over 300 engines. In recent years, as maintaining classic cars becomes more difficult due to issues like a shortage of mechanics, he provides proposals tailored to each customer's needs and thorough quality control without compromise, offering an environment where classic cars can be driven with peace of mind for a long time. Through the iconic Mini, he aims to create rich car lives and human connections, and to pass on the culture of vintage automobiles to the next generation.

Survey Conducting Company

Kings Road Co., Ltd.

Location: 522-1 Irudeshinden, Komaki City, Aichi Prefecture, 485-0084 Representative: Kazuyoshi Goto Business Activities: New and used car sales, 1960s parallel import car sales, repairs, bodywork and painting, vehicle inspection and maintenance, parts sales URL: https://www.kingsroad32.co.jp/

Mini Sales

Kings Road Nagoya is a specialty store for Rover Minis, whose new car sales ended over 20 years ago. Based on expert knowledge of old Minis, we provide comprehensive services from vehicle sales to test drives and maintenance. We offer test drives before purchase, as well as post-purchase maintenance and information on related events, supporting owners' car lives from multiple angles. For details, please see below.

Mini Sales: https://www.kingsroad32.co.jp/classic-mini