WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. -

Auto dealers have a renewed target market, it seems, as a new J.D. Power report finds that younger consumers are interested in new vehicles, after all.

Coming in contrary to popular sentiment that consumers 25 years old and younger aren’t interested in buying a vehicle, the recently-released J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Automotive Media and Marketing Report-Winter instead found that this group of consumers has represented a steadily increasing proportion of total retail automotive sales since 2009.

The report, conducted since 1987, offers a strategic perspective on factors that influence new-vehicle purchases, as well as attitudinal, lifestyle, recreational and media consumption behaviors.

"There is a lot of discussion today about many young consumers not having the resources, interest or even passion to own a new vehicle," said Arianne Walker, senior director, automotive media and marketing at J.D. Power.

"However, this age group really is passionate about vehicle ownership, their driving experience and the image associated with the vehicle they buy,” she said. “Not only do they enjoy driving, but they also see their vehicle as a reflection of their identity. They want to personalize their vehicle with options and features, and tend to view it as an extension of their personality."

Key findings of the report include:

—33 percent of young drivers who purchase a new vehicle say they "completely agree" that they like their vehicle to stand out from the crowd; across all age groups, 20 percent of new-vehicle drivers say the same.

—27 percent of young drivers say they "completely agree" they want to equip their vehicle with options and features to personalize it, compared with 20 percent of all new-vehicle drivers.

—Nearly twice as many drivers 25 years and younger say they "completely agree" that others can tell a lot about them by their vehicle, compared with all new-vehicle drivers (19 percent versus 10 percent, respectively).

—22 percent of young drivers say they "completely agree" they like to drive on challenging roadways with hills and curves; 41 percent indicate they prefer a vehicle with responsive handling and powerful acceleration versus the industry averages (13 percent and 36 percent, respectively).  

—29 percent indicate they wash and wax their vehicle themselves, compared with the industry average of 24 percent.

According to J.D. Power's Power Information Network, young new-vehicle buyers are responsible for more than 6 percent of all new-vehicle acquisitions.

Data shows the average lease penetration among young buyers has increased to 23 percent in 2013 from a low of 13 percent in 2009, and the average finance term for young vehicle buyers was 68 months in 2013, roughly three months longer than the industry average. 

The 2014 U.S. Automotive Media and Marketing Report-Winter is based on a nationwide survey of 32,612 principal drivers of recently-purchased or leased new vehicles, who acquired their vehicle between May 2012 and April 2013.