Private car buyers are behaving more like fleet managers and increasingly assessing total cost of ownership, according to vehicle value and data expert Cap.

Research by Cap has revealed that economic aspects now trump every other car purchase consideration, including practicality, handling, performance and environmental impact.

“Private buyers aren’t behaving like fleet drivers – because they focus on benefit-in-kind tax – but they are behaving like fleet managers who look at all costs,” said Dillon Settlefield, senior forecast editor.

Settlefield attributes the shift from emotional factors to whole-life costs in the private market to the accessibility of information.

“There is so much more information available to consumers now, information that was previously only really available to fleet managers.”

Settlefield added a note of caution: “But people are still more focussed on fuel costs and not aspects such as depreciation.”